As Sunflower League champions, the wrestling team proved their dominance this season after securing a “three-peat” at the Johnson County Classics and earning multiple tournament placings at area renowned invites. The team remains a powerhouse in the state of Kansas, and is consistently among the top 10 teams in the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association’s rankings . After a fifth place finish at the regional tournament, the Firebird grapplers sent 12 wrestlers to the KSHSAA 6A State tournament. 

Over the course of the two day tournament, which began on Feb. 28 , the Firebird wrestlers posted multiple upsets against top seeded opponents. The Firebirds boasted a near perfect first round record of 7-1, but were contested moving forward. 

After losing five of their seven bouts in the second round, only four wrestlers—seniors Grayson Hagen, Otto Reese, Blaine Larkin, and junior Zane Shaw—advanced to the medal rounds of the tournament. 

During the bouts to follow, at the third place match of the 144 lbs division, Reese fell to KWCA’s No. 2 Derek Sanchez, 11-4. Reese finished his senior season 49-9 with a fourth place state finish. In the 190 lbs division, Shaw delivered a dominant performance to take down Ben Uher of Manhattan High School, winning the match 13-3 and secured a fifth-place state finish. Larkin, who was in the 215 lbs division, pinned Olathe West’s Conor Tracy to secure another fifth place finish for the Firebirds. History was made for the Grapplers as both Reese and Larkin tied themselves at the record book for having the most wins per season. 

In the 165 lbs division, Hagen who was KWCA’s No. 4 seed made a huge upset in the tournament after defeating No. 2 Vance Provost of Olathe North High School and putting himself at the championship final. Unfortunately, Hagen’s quest for a state title came to an end as he was defeated by the No. 1 seeded Jovani Caudill of Olathe South High School, 7-4. Hagen ended his impressive senior season 45-9 and holds the title of the school’s winningest wrestler in program history—surpassing 150 career wins. 

After dominating multiple bouts and having four of the wrestlers medal at state, the Firebirds conclude their 2024-2025 wrestling season with a sixth place finish at state, falling just short of Olathe North High School by 13 points.