CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — The host Carl Junction Bulldogs—behind three individual district champions, seven district finalists and nine state qualifiers overall—won their first district title in wrestling since 1998 with their performance both Friday and Saturday in the 15-school Class 3 District 3 meet.
“Twenty-five years, yeah, it’s been a long time since we put a placard up there on that wall,” Carl Junction coach Mike Frizzell said. “We’re not going to be done yet. It’s going to have even out, so we’ll need to put another one next to it at state. That’s our goal.”
The Bulldogs finished with 199 points were followed by Bolivar with 166, McDonald County (153), Willard (134), Branson (118), Washington (115), Rolla (92), Marshfield (85), Camdenton (67.5), Union (46.5), Webb City (44), Glendale (34), Hillcrest (27), Parkview (23) and West Plains (18).
Carl Junction was sparked by its first three weights in the lineup: Carter Foglesong (106 pounds), Lukas Walker (113), and Sam Melton (120), all three district title winners.
“We call that our murderers’ row,” Frizzell said. “They come out with our first three weight classes being studs like that. Those guys put in the work, put in the time, and they start it off right and set the tone for everybody else. It pays off.”
In their district title matches on Saturday, Foglesong (37-4) pinned Glendale’s Bradley Hiteshew in 4 minutes and 55 seconds, Walker (43-1) pinned McDonald County’s Robinson Yoshino in 1:03, and Melton (40-5) pinned Rolla’s Brayden Squires in 5:40.
Foglesong, Walker, and Melton won all 11 district matches they wrestled by pinfall, and they combined for 82 points.
Carl Junction went 7-1 overall in semifinal matches Saturday.
“Very good start,” Frizzell said. “We talked a little bit last night before the kids left about how we need to come in and the semifinals are going to be a big money round so that’s where we needed to separate ourselves from the pack. It worked out pretty well. I was proud of those guys for picking up seven guys in the finals.”
Marcus Lopez-Durman (150), Tony Stewart (165), Chance Benford (190) and Cayden Bolinger (285) each placed second, and Max Matthews (126) and Dexter Merrell (157) both finished third to round out Carl Junction’s nine state qualifiers.
The Class 3 state tournament begins Friday at the Mizzou Arena in Columbia.
“Seeding is pretty good,” Frizzell said. “We want to stay away from that (fourth seed) against the (first seed) at state, you never know what you’re going to run into … we’re going to run into some competition because there’s some good districts in the state. We’re still going to have our work cut out for us. You’ve got to go and perform.
“I’m just so proud of these guys. We try not to talk about state titles. This week, it’s going to be on everybody’s mind so I don’t want to push that issue.”
MUSTANGS SEND EIGHT TO STATE
McDonald County finished third place with 153 points, qualified eight wrestlers for state and saw their efforts spearheaded by individual district champions Blaine Ortiz (138), Samuel Murphy (215) and Jayce Hitt (285).
“It was a great performance overall for our team,” McDonald County coach Josh Factor said. “I mean a few of those matches we would like to have back, but that’s just wrestling, and our guys stepped up to the challenge. We had a good performance, but I think we can definitely improve on where we finished here with quality teams and good competition.”
Ortiz (39-6) gave Branson’s Kyshin Isringhausen his first loss of the season in 47 matches, taking him down for two points and the 6-4 sudden victory and the district title.
“Blaine Ortiz, he’s been battling tough competition all year long,” Factor said. “We’ve wrestled kids like the A.J. Rollo kid from Whitfield, three-time champ, and I think that’s the second time he’s wrestled Isringhausen. They’re going to battle every time they get on the mat.
“Blaine just keeps pushing. He’s one of the hardest workers in our room, and it showed with his performance today and this weekend.”
Murphy (40-1) fought through an injury in the district title match and defeated Branson’s Cade Grimm with a 3-1 sudden victory in a second great district title match between wrestlers from McDonald County and Branson.
“Samuel Murphy, he’s a tough kid,” Factor said. “I’m sure he’ll battle through injury going into next week.”
Hitt (22-0), meanwhile, pinned Bolinger in 36 seconds in his district title match.
“You never know what situations are going to happen in a match and I just tell those guys to go out there and wrestle the situation,” Factor said. “Take what they give you and if a guy’s pushing into you, don’t be afraid to look for those throws.”
Yoshino (113) and Levi Smith (144) finished second, Colter Vick (175) third, and Eberson Perez (106) and Malosi Sosef (190) fourth to round out the Mustangs’ eight to state.
“We’re just going to take it day-by-day and have some good practices next week,” Factor said. “Bring those guys up and get their minds right. Go there, have a good time and do the best we can as a team. Let the cards fall where they fall and have some good competition.”
WEBB CITY’S TAYLOR QUALIFIES FOR STATE
Colt Taylor (132) finished second and became the lone state qualifier this season for Webb City, earning 20 of the Cardinals’ 44 points at district.
Taylor fell to Marshfield’s Tanner Davidson by fall 1:34 in the third period of the district title match.
