Gfeller and Tubbs Meet In Final

From the Capial-Journal

Rossville's Gfeller, Wabaunsee's Tubbs meet again, this time for 3A title

Mid-East League rivals earn fourth showdown in 126 finals of state tourney; St. Marys' Tyler gets rematch with Wabaunsee's Droegemeier for 145 crown

HAYS — As much as their previous three meetings were hyped as potential previews to a state championship showdown, Rossville’s Bryce Gfeller never really got that feeling about his clashes with Mid-East League rival Riley Tubbs of Wabaunsee.

When he steps onto the mat Saturday in Gross Memorial Coliseum to face Tubbs for a fourth time, that all changes. This time, the showdown between the friendly rivals will be just that, a battle for the Class 3-2-1A 126-pound state championship.

Both handily earned a fourth and final showdown this year during Friday’s opening day of the state meet. Gfeller won two of his three matches by major decisions and the other via pin on his way to the finals, while Tubbs opened with a 6-2 win over defending state champion David Hileman of Smith Center and cruised into the finals from there on the strength of two pins.

“It will definitely be a real state match this time,” said Gfeller, who will be seeking his third straight state title after previously winning at 106 as a freshman and 113 as a sophomore. “I knew going into those other matches that I would probably be wrestling him again at state, probably.”

The Gfeller-Tubbs final is one of two Mid-East rivalry battles in Saturday’s finals. At 145, defending champion Corey Tyler of St. Marys will take on Wabaunsee’s Kolby Droegemeier for the third time this season with Tyler dominating the previous two meetings.

“I just have to go out and do the same thing I’ve done the past couple times,” Tyler said. “The plan is just take him down, let him up, wear him out and do it again.”

Tubbs had by far the toughest path of the four to earn his second straight championship match. His opening match against Hileman was a rematch of last year’s 126-pound title match, set up when Tubbs lost in the regional finals and Hileman was upset in his regional semifinals.

In last year’s championship match, Tubbs dominated early before Hileman roared back and caught Tubbs in the third period to pin the Charger for the title.

Needless to say, that loss stuck with Tubbs all offseason.

“I’ve been waiting all year to wrestle him,” Tubbs said of Hileman. “I was pretty motivated for that match and I’m glad I got that off my back. It was huge for me.”

It showed as Tubbs came out the aggressor again and after a scoreless first period built a 3-0 lead in the second on his way to a 6-2 victory, securing the win with a late takedown in the final period.

Tubbs made quick work of Leoti’s Dylon Niswonger in the quarterfinals and pinned Hill City’s Devin Owen in the second period of the semifinals to return to the finals for the second straight year.

All that was left to set up the rematch was for Gfeller to do his part and he had no trouble doing that. After pinning Marysville’s Skylar Widmer, Gfeller got a big and dominating 16-5 win over Norton’s Kade Unterseher in the quarterfinals before handling Council Grove’s Colton Steele 11-3 in the semifinals.

Gfeller (41-5) has won two of the three meetings with Tubbs this year, handing the Charger both of his defeats — winning 6-4 in overtime at Holton and 8-4 in last week’s regional final. In between, Tubbs (43-2) dealt Gfeller a 3-1 loss at Silver Lake, winning in the final seconds.

“It’s definitely different wrestling a kid you’ve known for your whole life and it’s a great matchup between me and him,” Tubbs said. “I just need to wrestle my best and everything will be fine.”

“It’s who I wanted to wrestle the finals with,” Gfeller said. “He’s very strong and it’s going to be a good match. He’s probably out for some blood. It will be fun.”

Tyler actually had a bit of a scare on his way back to the finals after winning state last year as a junior. At least what qualifies for a scare — being taken down.

Only three guys had done that this year, but when Ellis’ Dalton Hensley did it in the quarterfinals, it snapped Tyler to life. He rebounded from the 2-0 deficit to take a 7-4 win and then toyed with Norton’s Trenton Wright in a 20-8 semifinal win.

“I had some nerves going in and when he first took me down, I was kind of mad at myself,” Tyler said. “I was OK, though.”

Droegemeier opened with a pin and then took tight wins over Scott City’s Jarret Jurgens (9-7) and Bennington’s T.J. Ragnoni (3-2), the latter coming in the semifinals to earn a third shot at Tyler.

In the previous two matches, Tyler pinned Droegemeier and took an 18-8 win, but Droegemeier (41-7) is eager for another chance at the undefeated state champ (42-0).

“I felt like I had a good chance to get there and I just had to do whatever I could to get to the finals,” Droegemeier said. “I just have to do whatever I can and wrestle my best. I’m a little more confident than the other times. He’s good, I just have to do what I can.”