Nine Blue Comet wrestlers, including five Regional champions, begin their quest for state medals today at the KSHSAA Class 4A Wrestling State Championships at the Bicentennial Center in Salina.

Fresh off winning Regional and SEK titles, the Comets have high hopes for a top-three finish at State.

“That’s big to be able to bring home a state trophy,” Blue Comet head coach Andy Albright told the Chanute Tribune. “We’ve done it only three years in 51 years of our program. It’ll be tough and be very special. Are we capable? Yeah. If we wrestle our best, yes, I can see us being a top five team.”

Among the title favorites is senior Gage Leedy at 162 lbs. Leedy went over the 100-win mark for his career this season and is coming off a Regional title.

“I think I am going to do great,” Leedy said. “I have a chance to beat people I have lost to.”

Fellow Regional champions freshman Trent Clements (106 lbs.), sophomore Parker Winder (126 lbs.), sophomore Brady McDonald (138 lbs.) and junior Qualin Powell (220 lbs.) are also expected to make a deep run in their respective brackets.

Powell heads to state especially confident.

“I plan to go and get first,” he said.

After finishing fourth at Regionals, sophomore Logan McDonald (132 lbs.), Dalton Misner (145 lbs.) and senior Ty Clements (170 lbs.) will face stiff challenges early in their bracket, but have the ability to make runs at state medals according to Albright.

Matches began at 10 a.m. today.