(March 24, 2022) – 2022 is the inaugural year for the Lyle Neville Excellence Award. The annual award and scholarship are recognition of the top (senior) high school wrestlers in the State of Kansas. Lyle Neville was a Kansas three-time Wrestling State Champion in 1953, 1954 and 1955 (3rd freshman year in 1952) while at St. Francis High School. A memorial established in Lyle’s name in 2021 funds this scholarship award.
The purpose of the award is to acknowledge athletic excellence exhibited by the top high school wrestlers in the State of Kansas. The Lyle Neville Excellence Award is primarily based on individual state championship performance over four years in high school. Additional criteria for selection of the ultimate winner include other sports achievements, academic, leadership, character and other accomplishments while in high school.
For the 2021-2022 season the top forty-two (42) “senior” individual wrestlers from throughout the State of Kanas are being recognized by the selection committee.
The committee is honored to provide special recognition to the selected Top-15 senior wrestlers in Kansas with “Semi-Finalist” designation.
The top fifteen (15) Semi-Finalist senior wrestlers (in alphabetical order) are:
Drew Bell, 138 lbs. Hoxie (3A)
Jahir Conteras, 145 lbs. Shawnee Mission East (6A)
Sam Elliott, 160 lbs. Buhler (4A)
Kolton Field, 132 lbs. Norton (3A-1A)
Jerrdon Fisher, 152 lbs. Goddard (5A)
Damian Mendez, 132 lbs. Dodge City (6A)
Hayden Mills, 132 lbs. Blue Valley Southwest (5A)
Kolton Misener, 113 lbs. Chanute (4A)
Quinten Saunders, 182 lbs. Goddard (5A)
Colby Schreiner, 145 lbs. Kingman (3A-1A)
Dylan Sheler, 120 lbs. Haysville-Campus (6A)
Brett Umentum, 160 lbs. Blue Valley Southwest (5A)
Wyatt Weber, 138 lbs. Great Bend (5A)
Corbin White, 120 lbs. Jayhawk Linn (3A-1A)
Bubba Wright, 126 lbs. Wichita-Kapaun Mt. Carmel (5A)
The committee will announce the selection of the “Finalist” group in two weeks from the Top-15 list above. Ultimately, the Winner of the 2022 Lyle Neville Excellence Award will be selected from the Finalist group, selection of the Winner will be announced early May. The Winner will be presented the champion’s trophy and $1,000 academic scholarship during their high school’s year-end award ceremony in May.
In addition to the Semi-Finalists listed above, the selection committee is honored to provide recognition of “Honorable Mention” designation to 27 champion wrestlers.
The twenty-seven (27) Honorable Mention senior wrestlers (in alphabetical order) are:
Gabriel Bailey, 182 lbs. Tonganoxie (4A), Keegan Beavers, 152 lbs. Rose Hill (4A), Aidan Boline, 160 lbs. Topeka-Washburn Rural (6A), Drew Bretz, 152 lbs. Hoxie (3A-1A), Dexter Dautel, 220 lbs. Goodland (4A), Kayson Dietz, 285 lbs. Salina South (5A), Jonathan Dyke, 152 lbs. Belleview (3A-1A), Bryce Eck, 160 lbs. Uniontown (3A-1A), Austin Fager 182 lbs. Topeka-Washburn Rural (6A), Gavin Girty, 220 lbs. Flint Hills (3A-1A), Kaden Glass, 195 lbs. Goddard (5A), Jordan Habben, 152 lbs. St. Thomas Aquinas (5A), Dillen Hook, 126 lbs. Larned (3A-1A), Blake Jouret, 195 lbs. Olathe South (6A), Dawson Lapping, 152 lbs. Frontenac (4A), Ty Leedy, 145 lbs. Chanute (4A), Brooks Lowe, 220 lbs. Blue Valley West (6A), Joe Martin, 285 lbs. Douglas (3A-1A), Gavin Meyers, 220 lbs. Hays (5A), Matthew Rodriguez, 182 lbs. Southeast of Saline (3A-1A), Grayson Sonntag, 138 lbs. Tonganoxie (4A), Kaden Spragis, 120 lbs. Great Bend (5A), Jacob Tanpricha, 126 lbs. Topeka-Washburn Rural (6A), Easton Taylor, 138 lbs. Manhattan (6A), Tyler Voss, 170 lbs. Colby (4A), Brennan Walker, 195 lbs. Beloit (3A-1A), Hagen Wright, 285 lbs. Wellington (4A)
Special congratulations to all of the Top-42 senior wrestlers selected by the Lyle Neville Excellence Award committee. Each of these individual champion wrestlers excelled throughout their own respective high school careers, each accomplishing very high achievements as individuals, leaders, and teammates. Recognition is given for their commitment to excellence and their individual contribution to high school wrestling in the State of Kansas.