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Lady Eagles Wrestle to 4A State Runner-Up Finish as Hills Claims Second State Title

February 27, 2026

The Colby High School Lady Eagles capped another remarkable season with a near-championship finish at the Kansas State High School Activities Association Class 4A State Wrestling Tournament held Feb. 27–28 at the Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina. Qualifying eight wrestlers for the state tournament, Colby battled through two intense days of competition to finish as the state runner-up, coming up just 2.5 points short of team champion Wellsville.

Despite the narrow margin, head coach Andrew Flanagin praised the effort and resilience shown by his squad throughout the weekend.

“It hurts a little that we were so close, but I’m still very happy with how the girls put the weekend together,” Flanagin said. “I asked them to give me their best effort and fight hard for their teammates. I thought they responded well and had great results because of it.”

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Leading the way for the Lady Eagles was junior standout Morgan Hills, who captured her second consecutive state championship at 135 pounds. Hills dominated her bracket, recording four falls on her way to the title and finishing the season with an impressive 45-2 record. She opened the tournament with a first-round fall over Kayleigh Morgan of Columbus before pinning Rose Hill’s Phoenix Probasco in the quarterfinals. Hills continued her dominant run with a semifinal fall over Roxana Riedel of Smoky Valley before securing the championship with a first-period fall against Autumn Feldkamp of Nemaha Central.

Hills’ performance provided a major boost to the team race, scoring 30 team points for the Lady Eagles and reinforcing her status as one of the premier wrestlers in Kansas.

“Morgan has had an incredible year, and she was wrestling at her peak when we needed it most,” Flanagin said. “It was great to see her perform the way she did on the biggest stage.”

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Colby’s Morgan Hills celebrates after another dominant performance at the KSHSAA 4A State Wrestling Tournament in Salina. Hills captured the state championship in her weight class, finishing the tournament undefeated and adding another title to her career while scoring key team points for the Lady Eagles during their runner-up finish.

Several other Lady Eagles also reached the podium to help push Colby into contention for the team title.

At 155 pounds, Dallis Stieben delivered an outstanding tournament run, finishing third with a 41-10 record on the season. Stieben advanced to the semifinals with a pair of dominant wins, including a major decision in the quarterfinals, before battling back through the consolation bracket. She capped the tournament with a strong 13-3 major decision victory in the third-place match.

Adrian Salcido also earned a medal for Colby, placing fourth at 100 pounds. Salcido opened the tournament with two tight victories to reach the semifinals before ultimately finishing just short of the podium’s top spots. Her efforts earned valuable team points and showcased her determination against a deep field.

Faith Hoover added another strong finish for the Eagles at 120 pounds, placing fifth after battling back through the consolation bracket. Hoover recorded three falls during the tournament before securing the fifth-place medal with a 5-2 decision in her final match.

Makenzi Rhymer also placed fifth at 170 pounds, bouncing back from a tough semifinal loss to finish the tournament with a fall in the fifth-place match. Her resilience helped the Eagles maintain their position near the top of the team standings.

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Dallis works for control during competition at the State Wrestling Tournament in Salina, Dallis put together a strong effort and helped Colby pile up points during the team’s impressive state tournament run.
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Adrian battles at Tony’s Pizza Event Center in Salina. Adrian fought through a deep state bracket and contributed valuable points for Colby while representing the Lady Eagles on the state stage.
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Makenzi Rhymer competes at the State Wrestling Championships in Salina. Despite battling through a tough bracket and overcoming adversity late in the postseason, Rhymer represented the Lady Eagles with determination on the state’s biggest stage.

Other state qualifiers also contributed to the team’s impressive finish. Gala White (115 pounds) earned multiple wins during the tournament, including an opening-round fall, while Lux Vrbas (105 pounds) picked up a consolation victory to add key points. At 190 pounds, Alana Fabrizius battled in a tough bracket against experienced competition.

Flanagin noted that the team’s success was built on momentum developed during the postseason.

“I felt that since Saturday of regionals we had good momentum heading into state and the girls could see what we are capable of when they wrestle their best,” he said. “It’s tough keeping their focus for two weeks between competition, but I thought we were in a great place mentally headed into Salina.”

That focus showed throughout the tournament as several Lady Eagles avenged recent losses and wrestled some of their best matches of the season.

“I thought they were at their peak performance for sure and a few girls avenged losses from the prior tournament and that couldn’t have come at a better time,” Flanagin said. “I am extremely proud of the team, they are all great kids and I’m bummed it’s over so fast.”

While the runner-up finish left the Eagles just short of a state championship, the performance highlighted the depth, determination, and championship caliber of Colby’s girls wrestling program as it continues to establish itself among the best teams in Kansas.



by Derek White