On Saturday, February 10, 2024, nearly 400 wrestlers and their families came to wrestle
at Liberal High School in the Battle in the West tournament. Teams came from four states for
this tournament – Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Colorado. This was a big jump from the 304
that attended in 2023. “Wrestling is growing. It is growing in Kansas and definitely growing here
in Libera. It is very exciting!” said tournament director, Krista Holcomb.

Liberal had over 50 wrestlers that wrestled on Saturday. First place received a trophy.
Second through fourth received custom arrowhead shaped medals. Outstanding wrestlers from
each age group also received a trophy.

Results are as follows for the Liberal Wrestling Club:

1st place: Jesus Perz (8U), Jason Fraire (8U), Juan Mata (10U), Alex Rodriguez (12U),
Iovani Chavez (12U), Jayden Heronemus (14U) and Chevy-Lee Allen (14U).

2nd place: Aiden Montoya (8U), Jacob Perez (8U), Jaziel Contreras (10U), Joshua
Robertson (12U), Elias Holcomb (12U), Eli Garibay (12U), Esteban Gomez (12U), Dominic Vega
(14U), Alyvia Holcomb (8U girls), Sofia Torres (10U girls), Camilla Tarango (10U girls) and Layla
Robertson (14U girls).

3rd place: Lucas Montoya (6U), Diego Alcala (6U), Christian Alcala (6U), Isaac
Armendariz (8U), Matheo Ortiz (8U), Jose Hernandez (10U), Ian Holcomb (10U), Landon Flores
(12U), Landon Castilleja (12U), Jonathan DelReal (12U), Alex Rodriguez (14U), Lorelai McKim
(6U girls), Alyvia Holcomb (10U girls), Addy Gomez (10U girls) and Layla Robertson (12U girls).

4th place: Zaidyn Gomez (6U), Aaron-Daniel Dougherty (6U), Sebastian Fletcher (6U),
Maximiliano Gomez (6U), Dominic Zuniga (8U), Imauri Eikenberry (12U), Marcos Gomez (12U),
Elias Holcomb (14U) and Chevy-Lee Allen (14U).

Also wrestling at the tournament from Liberal Wrestling Club: Victor Zuniga (6U), Baxter
Williams (6U), AJ Rodriguez (8U), Noah Jones (8U), Natthius Fletcher (8U), Gael Hernandez
(10U), Erick Ortiz (12U), Julian Gonzalez (12U), Kaysen DelReal (12U) and Genesis Gardea
(6U girls).

“I would like to thank everyone who made this tournament possible: the wrestlers and
their families, my family, Liberal Wrestling Club board members and coaches, numerous
volunteers, Joe Denoyer as our announcer, Shelly Williams as our RN, USD 480 for allowing us
to use their facility, SRMS and LHS for allowing us to borrow their mats, all of the clubs that
entered and the many sponsors we had for this tournament,” Holcomb said.