Guerrero Takes Title As Nine Jayhawks Place at 35th Annual Art Kraft Invitational

Guerrero Dominates the 125-pound Division 

Sophomore All-American Jack Guerrero was the standout of the tournament, capturing the 1st Place title at 125 lbs. Guerrero's path to the top was highlighted by a 12-1 major decision in the quarterfinals and a gritty 5-1 decision over Charlie Dykes of Indian Hill Community College in the championship final. 

Joining him on the podium at 125 lbs was Jimmy Thommen, who battled through the consolation bracket to earn an 8th-place finish, includeing a first-period fall over Rochester's Fabian Torres. 

Strength in the Middleweights 

The Jayhawks proved to be a powerhouse in the 133-pound bracket, where three different wrestlers placed in the top five: 

• Colin Kuhn (2nd Place): Kuhn tore through the early rounds with two pins (including a 1:48 fall in the semifinals) before falling to Indian Hill's Olli Webb in the finals. 

• Anthony Cage (3rd Place): Cage finished strong with a dominant 17-7 major decision over Sam Sirkorski of Harper College to claim bronze. 

• Payton Paguada (5th Place): After an early loss, Paguada fought back with two falls and a tech fall to win his 5th-place match. 

At 141 lbs, Ian Cook earned a 2nd Place finish. Cook opened his day with a lightning-fast 60-second pin and advanced to the finals with a 10-1 major decision before taking the runner-up spot. 

Total Team Effort 

The Jayhawks continued to rack up highlights across the heavier weight classes: 

• 165 lbs: Harrison Meekhof secured 3rd Place, going 3-1 on the day with a fall and two shut-out decisions. 

• 285 lbs: Ian Barynas took 4th Place, opening his tournament with a spectacular 18-second pin. 

• 149 lbs: Kyron Zoet claimed 5th Place, ending his day with a pin over Michael Hodge of Harper College. 

• 184 lbs: Alex Hicks finished 6th Place, contributing two pins and a major decision to the team's success. 

Coaching Reflection 

"Having nine guys place in a tournament as historic as the Art Kraft speaks to the work ethic in our room right now," said the MCC coach Cody Carpenter. "Jack Guerrero wrestled a smart, disciplined tournament to take the title, and seeing guys like Payton Paguada and Kyron Zoet battle back through the consolations to place shows the kind of grit we need as we head toward the postseason."  Carpenter continued, "I know some of the guys are disappointed with their lower placements, but I'm really excited about their willingness to fight back from tough losses. That's what the post season becomes about. They have to be able to fight back." 

The Jayhawks will look to carry this momentum into their next tournament, The Muskegon Jayhawk Open, as they continue their push toward the NJCAA Great Lakes District Championships.