By Anthony Gorges
JC Post
The 2026 6A Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) State Wrestling Tournament wrapped up on Saturday in Overland Park. Below are the final results for the Junction City Boys and Girls wrestling teams.
Junction City Girls Wrestling Results
Six Junction City High School Girl wrestlers placed at the 6A State Wrestling Tournament.
STATE CHAMPIONS
-- (115 lbs) Juliana “Bree” Villanueva - STATE CHAMPION (Back-to-back State Champion at 115 lbs, and three-time State Champion overall). Bree won the finals match (9-2). Following the match, she announced her commitment to Fort Hays State University to wrestle.
(130 lbs) Elizabeth Edgerton-Diaz - STATE CHAMPION (Edgerton-Diaz rallied back in the match after falling behind 4-0 early in the match. She secured a takedown with 0:09 seconds left in the third period and won the match 7-6). (She placed sixth at State last year).
Other Placers for Junction City Girls Wrestling
-- (110 lbs) Isha Kagoni - 6th place
-- (120) Kiera Lawton - 5th place
-- (190) Shalina Hicks - 6th place
-- (235) Ka’Orri Herring - 6th place
The Lady Jay wrestling team qualified 12 for the state tournament. The girls wrestling team is coached by Carl Laughlin. "Our girls have worked very hard to get here," Coach Laughlin said. "We set our goals early in the season, and our girls found that switch, and turned it on this weekend and did a great job."
Speaking on the performances of the the two state champions, Junction City High School girls head Wrestling Coach Carl Laughlin commended the work ethic and quality of people both Bree Villanueva and Elizabeth Edgerton-Diaz are. "Starting with Bree, nobody in this state realizes how good this kid is," Laughlin said. "She goes 36-0 this season, and only wrestled two full matches all year. This is her fourth state finals appearances and her third state championship. I'm really going to miss Bree."
As for junior Elizabeth Edgerton-Diaz, Laughlin discussed her work ethic and always being active in several different sports. "Liz is so special, and nobody outworks her," Coach Carl Laughlin said. "She comes to wrestling practice and works hard, then goes to another volleyball practice, and is also always lifting weights. She is such a special athlete and has not lost a match since January 2nd. I told Liz I can do that again, I'm going have a heart attack and die on the side of the mat next time," Laughlin said.
"This whole team came together and it's so good to see how they just supported each other," Coach Laughlin said. Junction City finished sixth as a team with 122 points.
Junction City Boys Wrestling results
For the Junction City High School boys wrestling team, senior Chris Coy, placed 3rd at weight class 215 lbs.
"Chris did an outstanding job for us this weekend," Junction City boys Wrestling Coach Rick Bazan said. "He beat three kids this weekend that he lost to previously. He really wrestled well and beat those three kids that were all ranked ahead of him, so Chris did an outstanding job."
Overall, six wrestlers qualified for the state tournament. Four of the six wrestlers made it into the "blood round". Chris Coy was the only placer.