By The Hays Daily News

Hays High School junior wrestler Preston Weigel not only capped his undefeated regular season with his second Class 5A state championship, but he also was named the Western Athletic Conference Wrestler of the Year.

Weigel finished 42-0 and now is 122-4 in his career at Hays High -- three wins short of tying the Indians' career wins record with another year to go.

He won state as a sophomore at 170 pounds and was runner-up his freshman season at 145 pounds.

"To win it back to back is pretty impressive, especially when you consider the amount of talent Garden City had on its team," said HHS coach John Hafliger.

Garden City had six first-team all-WAC wrestlers, two state champions and ran away with the Class 6A team title.

Weigel and 170-pound senior Kyler Meyers were named to the all-WAC first team, and 152-pound senior Leroy Franco was an all-WAC honorable mention selection.

Meyers, a four-year state qualifier, had a solid year. He went 37-9 and won his weight class at the Bob Kuhn Prairie Senior Classic, but he had a rough road at state, going 2-2 with losses to the eventual state champion and fourth-place finisher.

Meyers finished fifth at state as a sophomore and sixth as a junior.

Franco, also a four-year state qualifier, finished 22-13.

Franco never placed at state, but he did record a milestone this season, breaking his winless streak at state. Franco went 2-2.