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WRESTLING: Joplin boys take 3rd at Columbus Duals

COLUMBUS, Kan. — The Joplin Eagles finished third at Saturday’s Columbus Varsity Duals Tournament.

In the tourney’s third-place match, Joplin defeated Bentonville 42-39.

Joplin went 3-2 in duals on the day.

Joplin defeated Columbus 48-30 and the Eagles beat Caney Valley 58-15.

Miami defeated Joplin 45-30 and Nevada beat Joplin 42-33.

In the title match, Miami defeated Nevada 47-30.

Coffeyville beat Columbus 42-36 for fifth place and Pittsburg defeated Caney Valley 48-24 for seventh.

 

JOPLIN 42, BENTONVILLE 39 (THIRD PLACE)

The Eagles pulled out a close win to end the tourney on a positive note.

Bentonville won by forfeit at 106 pounds.

Joplin’s Gabriel Kabutha won by fall over Noah Hartley at 113 and Jacob Porter won by forfeit at 120.

Bentonville’s Marco Martinez pinned Dylan Houston at 126, but Joplin’s Andrew Burke won by fall over Maxx Corbett at 132.

Bentonville’s Austin Murphy won by fall over Michael Rhone at 138 and Joplin’s Toryn Jones won by forfeit at 144.

Bentonville won matches at 150, 157, 165 and 175, as Joplin’s Austin Puckett (150), Ben Hedrick (157) and Johnathon Burke (165) suffered losses before a forfeit at 175.

But the Eagles finished strong, as Ethan Bentz (190), Johnny Williams (215) and Josiah Hazelwood (285) all won their matches by fall. 

 

GIRLS FINISH SIXTH

Columbus also hosted a girls dual tourney.

Joplin finished sixth at the event, falling to Coffeyville 48-30 in the fifth-place match.

In the fifth-place dual, Joplin’s Taylor Brown (135), Ericka Washom (145), Amy Kessler (155), Mya Ndedi Ntepe (170) and Ilannah Burtrum (235) won matches for the Eagles. Washom, Kessler and Ndedi Ntepe all won by fall, while Brown and Burtrum won by forfeit.

In the title match, Columbus beat Burlington 48-34.

For third, Independence defeated Cherryvale 36-30.

For seventh, Humboldt defeated Caney Valley.  

In other matches, Independence defeated Joplin 36-33, Cherryvale beat Joplin 45-18, Joplin upended Caney Valley 33-12 and Joplin beat Humboldt 39-24.

 

WRESTLING: Seneca wins CJ Classic, host Bulldogs take 4th

Seneca was the top team at the 2023 CJ Classic wrestling tournament on Saturday.

The Indians won all five duals at the event. Seneca defeated Willard by forfeit in the title match. The Indians defeated Carl Junction 42-38 in the semifinals.

Carl Junction finished fourth in the final team standings, as the Bulldogs fell to Fort Zumwalt South 57-24 in the third-place match. 

Bolivar beat Fayetteville 41-36 for fifth place and McDonald County topped Blue Springs 51-30 for seventh place.

Match by match results of the CJ Classic dual tournament can be found at the link below.

 

SENECA RESULTS

Seneca def. McDonald County 53-24

Seneca def. Bolivar 51-17

Seneca def. Willard 43-30

Seneca def. Carl Junction 42-38

Seneca def. Willard 1-0 (title match)

 

CARL JUNCTION RESULTS

Carl Junction def. Blue Springs 42-33

Carl Junction def. Fayetteville 66-15

Fort Zumwalt South def. Carl Junction 49-21

Seneca def. Carl Junction 42-38

Fort Zumwalt South def. Carl Junction 57-24 (3rd place)

 

MCDONALD COUNTY RESULTS

Seneca def. McDonald County 53-24

Willard def. McDonald County 48-27

McDonald County def. Bolivar 37-32

McDonald County def. Fayetteville 47-28

McDonald County def. Blue Springs 51-30 (7th)

 

CJ CLASSIC FULL RESULTS: CJ Classic 2023 (trackwrestling.com)

WRESTLING: Carl Junction earns win over Joplin

 

Recording eight wins by fall, Carl Junction defeated Joplin 51-30 in a boys wrestling dual on Thursday night inside Kaminsky Gymnasium.

At 106 pounds, Joplin’s Lucas Allen won by forfeit.

Joplin’s Gabriel Kabutha won by fall over CJ’s Jayden Kean at 113.

The Bulldogs won three straight matches by pinfall, as Carter Fogleson pinned Chance Blobaum at 120, Drake Richardson won by fall over Dylan Houston at 126 and Max Matthews pinned Andrew Burke at 132.

Joplin’s Freddy Cerrato-Martinez won by fall over Cole Beezley at 138.

Carl Junction reeled off six wins in a row.

Carl Junction’s Brenden Berry won by fall over Toryn Jones at 144, Kale Trosper earned a 9-7 decision over Ben Hedrick at 150 and Aaron Dillingham pinned Johnathon Burke at 157 pounds.

Next, Carl Junction’s Dexter Merrell won by fall over James Clemens at 165, Marcus Lopez-Durman pinned Andrew Esterline at 175 and Tony Stewart won by fall over Ethan Bentz at 190.

The Eagles won two straight to end the dual.

Joplin’s Johnny Williams won by forfeit at 215 before teammate Josiah Hazelwood won by fall over Blake Starks at heavyweight.

 

Note: Carl Junction won a girls dual over Joplin, 19-18. Match by match results were unavailable at time of publication.

WRESTLING: Carl Junction finishes strong, tops Carthage in assembly dual

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Carl Junction finished strong on the way to a 42-34 dual victory over Carthage on Tuesday afternoon in the Bulldogs’ annual school assembly dual.

Carthage held a 19-point lead after seven bouts, but the Bulldogs won six of the final seven matches to earn the dual victory over their COC rival. 

At 106 pounds, Carthage’s Tanner Putt won by fall over Zane Gunnett. 

Carthage’s Caden Groom won by forfeit at 113.

At 120, Carl Junction’s Carter Foglesong pinned Danny Lopez-Elias and teammate Drake Richardson earned a 7-6 decision over Wyatt Hole at 126.

Carthage’s Aydan Nye claimed a major decision, 14-2, over Camdon Kunkle at 132 pounds.

The Tigers won the next two matches by fall, as Bradyn Tate pinned Cole Beezley at 138 and Dylan Huntley won by fall over Brenden Berry at 144. 

Those wins gave Carthage a 28-9 lead on the scoreboard.

But the Bulldogs recorded four straight wins by fall, as Kale Trosper pinned Joseph Justice at 150, Aaron Dillingham won by fall over Cole Tournear at 157, Dexter Merrell pinned Lenny Teo at 165 and Marcus Lopez-Durman won by fall over Kenneth Pickering-Cornett at 175. 

Those points gave Carl Junction a 33-28 lead.

Carthage’s Alexander Salas-Marquez won by fall over Josh Cassatt at 190, pushing the Tigers back in front on the scoreboard, 34-33.

At 215, Carl Junction’s Tony Stewart defeated Carthage’s David Recinos 6-1 and Carl Junction’s Blake Starks won the heavyweight bout by forfeit, as the Tigers were open. 

Carl Junction is at Joplin on Thursday. 

Carthage hosts Webb City on Tuesday. 

 

WRESTLING PREVIEW: Young Webb City squad features returning state qualifier Taylor

 

Returning state qualifier Colt Taylor is expected to lead the way for the Webb City wrestling team this season.

A senior, Taylor finished second at 132 pounds at last year’s district tournament before concluding the season at the Class 3 state championships.

Taylor, who earned 28 wins as a junior, finished third in his weight class at last year’s COC Tournament. 

Seniors Cooper Heilbrun, Bronson Collard and Carson Farmer and sophomore Blayke Leonard are Webb City’s other returning athletes with prior varsity experience.

For the Webb City girls, junior Emma Combs and sophomore Layla Espinoza are returning starters.

Webb City coach Jamie Williams noted he’s excited to see how his squad performs this winter.

“We are a fairly young team,” Williams said. “Having a returning state qualifier (Colt Taylor) is going to be a huge bonus. Also, both Layla and Emma are returning with lots of experience from last year. The strengths of the team are that we have a returning state qualifier. And with the girls we have two returning varsity wrestlers. This will help us with our younger athletes on the team. We also have some underclassmen and women that have previous experience that they can build on.” 

With so many newcomers in the varsity lineup, Williams hopes to see steady progress throughout the season.

“We are going to be a younger team with a lot of learning to take place,” Williams said. “Once we get going with the season it will go fast. We will have a lot of opportunities to grow as a team with our competitions that we are going to. We are going to be a younger team so being able to go out and compete will help a lot. Being able to get exposed to lots of different styles of wrestling and being able to see how the kids react will be huge this year.”

Williams noted the team’s keys to success are not complicated.

“We need to show up, outwork everyone else, hold ourselves accountable and learn every time we step on the mat,” he said.  

Webb City’s boys will host Nevada and Reeds Spring on Nov. 28. The Webb City girls are at Diamond on Nov. 21.

 

WRESTLING: Carthage’s Brown retiring after more than two decades of success

After 21 successful years in charge of the Carthage High School wrestling program, Kenny Brown is stepping down.

Brown confirmed his time in charge of the CHS wrestling program has come to an end during a speech at his team’s end of the season banquet. 

“It has been a wonderful 21 years as the head wrestling coach of Carthage High School,” Brown said in his speech. “I know that when I was awarded the job, there were a lot of people concerned about what would happen with Carthage wrestling after Coach (Bob) Holman stepped down. I hope I didn’t disappoint them. It is never an easy decision to leave a program that means so much to you. I grew up in Kirksville, wrestled youth in Kirksville and medaled at state for Kirksville, but I am now and always will be a part of Carthage wrestling before anywhere else.” 

Kenny Brown

Among those who Brown thanked during his speech were Bob Brown, Ray Harding and Holman.

“Bob Brown, thank you so much for convincing me to take the job,” Kenny Brown said in his prepared statement. “Ray Harding, I have told you multiple times, but it needs repeated. Thank you for being willing to take a chance on a young coach with a passion for wrestling who didn’t have head coaching experience.

“Bob Holman…I can’t say enough about Coach Holman,” Brown continued. “He handed over the keys to a kingdom. I was lucky enough to take over a program that was already established as one of the best in the area, and that is a testament to Coach Holman. Carthage wrestling is where it is today because of the groundwork laid by him.” 

In addition to thanking his former assistants, managers, administrators, trainers, parents, bus drivers, the booster club, youth coaches and alumni, Brown also thanked his wife, Crystal, and his daughter, Morgan.

“Every year, I would ask Morgan if she wanted me to quit because I was gone so much,” Coach Brown commented. “Luckily for me, her answer was always no. She liked the fact that her dad was the Carthage wrestling coach. She actually got mad when she thought there was a chance that I wouldn’t be the coach for her senior year.

“Finally, Crystal. When I started dating her, she had never even been to a wrestling match. Now she is what one would call a zealot when it comes to wrestling. This program would be a shell of what it is now without her. This has always been a team effort in what we do. She is as much a part of this as I have been. A lot of the extra things we do to make this a special experience for the boys come from her rounding off my rough edges.”

Carthage went 176-49 in duals during Brown’s tenure, with an impressive 285-93 overall record with dual tournaments included. 

The Tigers had numerous state medalists under Brown’s direction, including state champions Kale Schrader (2019) and Austen Heidlage (2008). 

STATE WRESTLING: McDonald County, Carl Junction, Neosho finish in top 10; Murphy, Hitt win titles

COLUMBIA, Mo. — The McDonald County Mustangs, the Carl Junction Bulldogs and the Neosho Wildcats all finished in the top 10 of the team standings as the 2023 MSHSAA Boys Wrestling Championships wrapped up on Saturday night at Mizzou Arena.

McDonald County and Carl Junction finished in fifth and sixth in Class 3 with 88 and 83 points, respectively, while Neosho finished seventh in Class 4 with 77 points.

McDonald County juniors Samuel Murphy (215 pounds) and Jayce Hitt (285) each won state titles at their respective weights Saturday night.

Murphy (44-1) defeated Branson’s Cade Grimm on a 6-1 sudden victory for the state title one week after Murphy defeated Grimm with a sudden victory for the district crown. Earlier in the semifinals Saturday, Murphy won a 3-2 ultimate tie-breaker against Willard’s Alex Nunez.

Hitt (26-0) pinned DeSoto’s Isaac Foeller in 1 minute and 42 seconds in the championship match and won 7-3 against Grandview’s Derek Joiner in the semifinals.

McDonald County seniors Blaine Ortiz (138) and Colter Vick (175) closed out their prep careers with state medals, Ortiz finishing third and Vick sixth.

Ortiz (43-7) rebounded with two victories after losing 3-0 in the semifinals against Whitfield’s A.J. Rallo, winning a 6-1 sudden victory against Bolivar’s Cooper Moore for third and a 6-4 decision against Jefferson City’s Braden Werdehausen in the consolation semis.

Vick (35-14) lost 5-0 against Willard’s Jase Motlagh in his final high school match.

Carl Junction will return home with five state medalists, including two state runners-up in junior Sam Melton (120) and sophomore Tony Stewart (165).

Melton (43-6) lost 7-0 against North Point’s Kaden Purler in the championship match, while Stewart (41-12) lost by pinfall against Hillsboro’s Griffin Ray in his title match.

Carl Junction’s Carter Foglesong (41-6) and Lukas Walker (46-3) placed fourth at 106 and 113 and Cayden Bolinger (31-15) finished sixth at 285.

Webb City’s lone state qualifier, junior Colt Taylor, lost both his matches at 132 on Friday and finished his season 28-19 overall.

In Class 4, Neosho earned four state medals with Carter Howard (138) and Eli Zar (165) taking second, Nico Olivares (285) fourth, and Collyn Kivett (157) fifth.

Howard lost by pinfall against Liberty’s Christopher Coates, now a three-time state champion, in the championship match and finished his freshman season 21-6 overall.

Zar (48-3) closed out his outstanding high school wrestling career with a 7-2 tie-breaker loss against Francis Howell Central’s Aidan Hernandez.

Olivares and Kivett finished their senior seasons 36-6 and 38-9 overall, respectively.

Carthage finished 18th overall in Class 4 with 34 points and the Tigers bring home three state medals with Davion King (30-4) in fourth at 165 and Bradyn Tate (48-8) and Grey Petticrew (32-12) both in sixth at 132 and 150.

King’s two losses at state came against Grain Valley’s Tanner Barker and Tate and Petticrew also had opponents who beat them twice at state in Oak Park’s Jamison Tunstill for Tate and Poplar Bluff’s Lucas Robertson for Petticrew.

Joplin’s lone state qualifier, Draven VanGilder (215), rebounded from semifinal and consolation semifinal losses to win a 5-4 decision against Staley’s Jack Stoffel for fifth and to finish his senior year on a winning note and with a 29-10 overall record his last season.

On the girls side, Joplin’s Erika Washom (31-12) finished 2-2 overall at state in her Class 2 135 weight class. She pinned St. Joseph Central’s Ashley Slade and Park Hill’s Rylin Beatty in her first two consolation matches, but Joplin’s first girls wrestling state qualifier finished her junior season 31-12 with a loss in the third consolation round.

 

DISTRICT WRESTLING ROUNDUP: Area athletes advance to state

OZARK, Mo. — Joplin, Neosho and Carthage all had wrestlers advance to the state wrestling tournament by finishing in the top four of their respective brackets on Saturday at the Class 4 District 3 tournament at Ozark High School.

Neosho had six wrestlers move on to state.

Neosho’s Carter Howard (138), Eli Zar (165) and Nico Olivares (285) were district champions, Fisher Butler was the runner-up at 120, Ulysses DeLeon took third at 190 and Collyn Kivett placed fourth at 157.

In the title match at 138, Howard earned an 8-3 decision over Lebanon’s Jonathon Perryman. Zar defeated Carthage’s Davion King 5-1 for the championship at 165. In the heavyweight title bout, Olivares won by fall over Ozark’s Peyton Greer. Butler suffered an 11-2 setback to Lee’s Summit North’s Charlie Dykes in the final at 120.

DeLeon pinned Lee’s Summit West’s Nate Moore in the third-place match. At 157, Kivett dropped a 7-0 decision to Springfield Central’s Gaven Bremenkamp for third place.

Neosho finished second in the team standings with 146 points. Ozark took first with 191 points.

The Carthage Tigers had four wrestlers advance.

Carthage had three athletes take second in their respective brackets—Tanner Putt (106), Grey Petticrew (150) and Davion King (165). Also for the Tigers, Bradyn Tate finished third at 132 pounds.

Putt suffered a 1-0 loss to Raymore-Peculiar’s Kamdon VonHolten in the title match at 106.

Petticrew suffered a loss by fall to Ozark’s Braxton Strick in the title bout at 150, while King lost to Neosho’s Zar, 5-1.

Wrestling for third, Tate won by fall over Kickapoo’s Tobias Collins. 

Carthage finished seventh in the team standings with 102 points.

Joplin’s lone state qualifier is senior Draven VanGilder, who was the runner-up at 215 pounds.

In the title bout, Nixa’s Brennan Carey earned a 7-0 decision over VanGilder.

VanGilder beat Smith-Cotton’s Jerian Maupins 8-2 in the semifinals. He pinned Carthage’s Alexander Salas-Marquez in the opening round and topped Waynesville’s Joshua Bess 4-2 in the quarterfinals. 

 

SENECA SHINES AT CLASS 2 DISTRICT 3 TOURNEY

SENECA, Mo. — The Seneca Indians had eight wrestlers advance to state by finishing in the top four of their weight classes on Saturday at the Class 2 District 3 tournament.

Seneca’s district champs were Brady Roark (132) and Andrew Manley (144) and Jace Renfro was the runner-up at 190.

Finishing third in their brackets for the Indians were Paxton Bruegal (106) and Eli Manley (126). Taking fourth were Landen Commons (157), Nolan Napier (165) and Lincoln Renfro (175).

Cassville had six qualifiers. 

Taking second for the Wildcats were Akhilleus Arguelles (132), Riley James (150), Tristan Thompson (157) and Jake Anthonysz (165). Colton Roark was third at 144 pounds and DJ Glidewell finished fourth at 285.

Nevada had four athletes move on.

Nevada’s Tyler Longobardi was the runner-up at 175, Brayden Keonig (150) and Kenneth Johnson (215) both finished third and Joseph Fahnstock took fourth.

Monett’s Simon Hartline was the district champ at 120 pounds.

The top four teams were Pleasant Hill (218.5), Blair Oaks (174), Seneca (154) and Cassville (114.5).

 

STATE WRESTLING 

The MSHSAA state wrestling tournament will now be a four-day affair in Columbia.

The Class 1 girls and Class 1-2 boys tournaments will be held on Feb. 22-23, while the Class 2 girls and Class 3-4 boys tourneys are slated for Feb. 24-25.

 

RELATED STORY: C3D3 WRESTLING: Carl Junction makes history with first district title in 25 years – SoMo Sports (somo-sports.com)

WRESTLING: Neosho strong in sweeping Webb City, McDonald County

NEOSHO, Mo. — The Neosho Wildcats accumulated 129 points, highlighted by 17 wins by pin, during their varsity boys sweep Thursday night of their rival to the north Webb City and their rival to the south McDonald County.

Neosho defeated Webb City 72-9 behind eight pins and wins by forfeit at 120, 126, 175, and 215 pounds.

In the nightcap, Neosho won 57-22 over McDonald County with nine pins and one decision.

McDonald County prevailed 54-27 over Webb City in the first dual of the evening.

“The thing I’m most pleased about is we’ve lacked doing some little things right and gaining the momentum I feel like we need in the second half of the season,” Neosho coach Jeremy Phillips said. “I feel like, as a team, we have turned the corner a little bit and maybe gained some slight momentum and demonstrated that progress is being made.

“It’s not about being perfect. We’re far from perfect, but I don’t expect us to be perfect, I expect us to progress, move forward, get better, listen, and be coachable. Some of our losses and shortcomings tonight could lead to the growth we need, and it could lead to a win in the postseason because of the learning that takes place from a loss now.

“That’s what I try to get them to understand: Don’t be satisfied and use our opportunities to grow. I felt like we did that tonight. Hopefully, this slight bit of momentum that we gained is used to keep moving forward. I always talk about how the second half of the season is like going down a hill. We don’t want to be coasting down the hill. We want to be peddling down the hill for that climb we’re trying to make of that peak performance at the end.”

In the closer dual against McDonald County, Brody Mitchell (120), Fisher Butler (126), Chase Kivett (150), Collyn Kivett (157), Eli Zar (165), Ulysses DeLeon (190), Everson Tomlinson (215), Connor Reiboldt (106), and Sam Fryer (113) each won by pin and Hunter Butler (132) won a 12-9 decision against Ayden Ball.

McDonald County’s Blaine Ortiz (138) won by a 14-6 major decision against Josh Scheuerman, Levi Smith (144) and Colter Vick (175) each won by pin, and Samuel Murphy (285) won by forfeit.

Against Webb City, Fryer (113), Scheuerman (138), River Feagans (144), Chase Kivett (150), Collyn Kivett (157), Zar (165), DeLeon (190), and Olivares (285) each won by pin, while Mitchell (120), Fisher Butler (126), Gabriel Busteed (175), and Tomlinson (215) won by forfeit.

Webb City’s Colt Taylor (132) pinned Hunter Butler and Tyler Pearish (106) won a 6-3 decision from Reiboldt.

McDonald County’s Eberson Perez (106), Ortiz (138), Smith (144), Malosi Sosef (190), and Murphy (285) each won by pin and Paden Vance (120), Micheal Owens (126), Vick (175), and Cole Thomas (215) each won by forfeit in their dual against Webb City.

Webb City’s Grant Humphrey (113), Taylor (132), Aidan Rose (150), and Dominic Boles (157) each won by pin and Bronson Collard (165) won a 7-6 decision against McDonald County’s Huxley Wardlaw in one of a select number of varsity matches Thursday that lasted all three periods.

Neosho and McDonald County both return to action Saturday in the Branson Tournament, and Webb City travels to St. Louis for competition Friday and Saturday in the Rockwood Summit Tournament.

GIRLS WRESTLING: Area athletes compete at Parkview invite

Several local girls wrestling teams competed at the Lady Vikings Holiday Tournament at Parkview High School.

There were 21 teams in attendance. 

 

CARL JUNCTION HIGHLIGHTS

Bryanna McCabe finished sixth at 120 pounds, while Isabella Montez was ninth at 135 and Sarah Tyler took 13th place at 170.

 

MCDONALD COUNTY HIGHLIGHTS

Two McDonald County wrestlers finished second in their respective brackets, as Stacy Lopez-Apolinar was the runner-up at 155 and Gisel Aragon was second at 170.

Jaslyn Benhumea placed fourth at 115, Helen Martinez-Mazariegos was fifth at 155 and Rylie Huston was sixth at 140. 

Ellysia Wasson placed eighth at 110, Candy Martinez-Mazariegos was 10th at 155 and Jazmynn Brewer took 11th at 145.

 

MONETT HIGHLIGHTS

Mary Jastal was the champion at 105 pounds.

Also for the Cubs, Brooke Bluel was third at 125, Lizeth Ramirez was fourth at 100 and Londi Torres-Ramos was 12th at 120. 

 

WEBB CITY HIGHLIGHTS

Emma Combs took sixth at 170 pounds and Layla Espinoza was eighth at 140. 

 

WRESTLING: Carthage goes 2-3 at Holiday Duals

 

CARTHAGE, Mo. — The host Tigers went 2-3 at the Carthage Holiday Duals on Wednesday.

Carthage earned a 40-34 win over Lee’s Summit and a 39-34 victory over Raymore-Peculiar.

In other action, Hickman defeated Carthage 54-24, Liberty topped the Tigers 63-12 and Nixa edged the hosts 40-34.

 

CARTHAGE 40, LEE’S SUMMIT 34

Earning wins by fall for Carthage were Tanner Putt (106 pounds), Aydan Nye (126), Brandon Perez (138) and Grey Petticrew (150).

Grady Huntley earned a major decision, 14-4, at 120 pounds, while Bradyn Tate (132) and Trey Nye (157) earned decisions. Alberto Sales won by forfeit at 113.

 

CARTHAGE  39, RAYMORE-PECULIAR 34

Carthage’s Huntley, Bradyn Tate, Kip Castor (144) and Petticrew won their respective matches by fall. 

Aydan Nye earned a 5-4 decision at 126, while Gabe Lambeth (165) and Jamison Moser (190) earned wins by forfeit.

 

HICKMAN 54, CARTHAGE 24

Castor (144), Petticrew (150) and David Recinos (285) all won by fall and Trey Nye won via forfeit.

 

LIBERTY 63, CARTHAGE 12

Carthage won three matches in this dual against Liberty, the top-ranked team in Class 4. 

Lambeth won by fall at 165, while Bradyn Tate earned a 7-2 decision at 132 and Trey Nye defeated Isaiah Hung 13-11 in overtime at 157.

 

NIXA 40, CARTHAGE 34

Carthage’s Lambeth pinned Dylan Rebura at 165, while Putt, Sales and Huntley all earned wins by forfeit.

Petticrew picked up a major decision at 150, while Castor and Trey Nye also won matches by decision. 

Carthage hosts Ozark on Jan. 5

WRESTLING: Carthage takes fifth at Farmington

The Carthage High School wrestling team finished fifth in the final team standings at the Farmington Invitational on Saturday. 

The top five teams were Hillsboro (284), Farmington (245), Jackson (216.5), Hannibal (213) and Carthage (206).

Rounding out the team standings were Poplar Bluff (116.5), Eureka (114), Pacific (78) and Lindbergh (45).

Carthage had two individual champions at the event, as Bradyn Tate won the 132-pound bracket and Davion King took first at 165.

In the title bout at 132, Tate won by fall over Farmington’s Zeke Moreland. 

King earned a 5-0 decision over Hillsboro’s Eddie Hines in the title match at 165.

Carthage’s Grey Petticrew was the runner-up at 150 pounds. He dropped a 4-1 decision to Poplar Bluff’s Lucas Robertson in the title match.

Also for the Tigers, Alberto Salas (113), Trey Nye (157) and David Recinos (285) all won third-place matches in their respective brackets.

Finishing fourth for the Tigers were Aydan Nye (126), Matthew Bysor (157) and Alexander Salas-Marquez (215), while Tanner Putt (106) and Gabe Lambeth (165) both took fifth.

Wyatt Hole (120) and Kip Castor (144) finished sixth in their brackets.

Carthage hosts Joplin at 6 on Tuesday night. It will be Senior Night for the Tigers.

WRESTLING: Neosho gives strong performance in sweeping Nixa, Joplin

NEOSHO, Mo. — The Neosho Wildcats swept their conference and district rivals Nixa (63-15) and Joplin (58-12) on Tuesday night.

Not counting forfeits, the Wildcats only lost three varsity matches on the evening in a commanding performance against their new Class 4 opponents.

Neosho, for the last 15 years a perennial state title contender and a nine-time state champion in Class 3, got bumped up to the state’s highest wrestling classification this season.

“It’s a good test for us,” Neosho coach Jeremy Phillips said. “Nixa is a solid program. We knew that going in. We had some adversity today. We had to do some shuffling with our lineup because our weight management isn’t exactly what it needed to be. That’s definitely something we’re going to have to improve upon.

“With adversity, I told them that how we deal with it will either make us or break us. If we use the adversity to come together and be stronger and intensify our fight, then it could make us into something special. That’s what I told them at the end. There are some young, tough kids and there’s some seniors that are very solid at leading us.”

The Wildcats picked up plenty of bonus points in their dual wins Tuesday and several members of their deep and talented freshman class stepped up in the spotlight.

Brody Mitchell (120 pounds) pinned Nixa’s Sam Mayes in 4 minutes and 54 seconds, Carter Howard (138) won a 6-4 decision against Aidan Ward, Josh Scheuerman (144) pinned Curtis Glossip in 3:05, Chase Kivett (15) pinned Owen Diemoz in 36 seconds, Jonny Chrisco (157) pinned Tobias Thompson in 2:43, Eli Zar (165) won by forfeit, Collyn Kivett (175) pinned Rylee Wright in 1:19, Ulysses DeLeon (190) pinned Ty Hartman in 3:19, Nico Olivares (285) pinned Charles Speake in 3:50, Connor Reiboldt (106) pinned Kaden Ulrich in 3:16, and Sam Fryar (113) won by forfeit.

Nixa’s Payton Link (126) won by forfeit, two-time state champion and University of Oklahoma recruit Zan Fugitt (132) pinned River Feagans in 3:15, and Brennan Carey (215) held on tightly for a 4-3 decision against Gabriel Busteed.

“We have some things we need to work on and Nixa’s not going to forget this, I’m for sure,” Phillips said. “We will see them down the road at conference, district, and state now. We’ve got to build on it, that’s the key. We can’t hang on to this win. We can’t think we’re where we need to be because we’re not. This challenge of Class 4 is one that we could be ready for, if we take this challenge for our growth.”

Busteed, who had the full support of his teammates and coaches on the sideline as well as the student section on one side of the gymnasium and Neosho parents and fans on the other, made Carey earn his victory in their match Tuesday.

“That match with Busteed at 215 was a heckuva match,” Phillips said. “He’s got the heart of a champ. That loss was really a win for us because that kid (Carey) is a returning third-place medalist and national champion. I used Busteed as one of my motivational factors going into tonight. There wouldn’t be a guy I’d rather stick out there in a fight, like an underdog in a David and Goliath matchup.

“That heart of a champion is something that I want all of them to have. We’ll continue to use that, because we will be underdogs this season. I kinda like that. They’re not giving us much respect, but that’s okay. We’ve got to go earn it. Hopefully, they’ll use this momentum and do just that.”

In the 58-12 win Tuesday against Joplin, Fryar (113) won by forfeit, Howard (132) pinned Andrew Burke in 2:00, Hunter Butler (138) won a 5-1 decision against Freddy Cerrato Martinez, Chase Kivett (144) pinned Alex Short in 4:54, Chrisco (150) won a 19-5 major decision against Orion Norris, Kade Lawson (157) pinned Cole Gandy, Zar (165) won by DQ against Ethan Bentz, Collyn Kivett (190) pinned Drew VanGilder in 5:23, Anthony Boettger (215) won a 6-1 decision against Draven VanGilder, Olivares (285) pinned Justice Rogers in 1:42, and Reiboldt (106) won by forfeit.

Nixa defeated Joplin 66-12 in the first dual of the evening — Bentz (165) pinned Logan Elmer in 1:13 and Drew VanGilder (190) pinned Hartman in 2:53.

Neosho competes Friday and Saturday in the Missouri Duals in Jefferson City.

Joplin, meanwhile, hosts Cassville on Thursday and goes to Arkansas on Saturday for a tournament hosted by Bentonville West.

WRESTLING ROUNDUP: Neosho wins own tourney, McDonald County hosts girls invite

 

HOSTS WIN NEOSHO TOURNAMENT

NEOSHO, Mo. — The host Wildcats captured the team championship at the 35th annual Neosho Wrestling Tournament on Saturday.

The top five teams were Neosho (193.5), Farmington (185), Willard (129), Belton (116.5) and Kearney (108). There were 15 teams in attendance.

Neosho’s Carter Howard (132) and Eli Zar (165) claimed individual championships. 

Finishing second in their brackets for the Wildcats were Brody Mitchell (113), Fisher Butler (120), Collyn Kivett (175), Ulysses DeLeon (190) and Nico Olivares (285). 

Taking third were Sam Fryer (106) and Chase Kivett (144), while River Feagans (126) finished fourth. 

Also for Neosho, Johnny Chrisco (150) and Everson Tomlinson (215) finished fifth and Hunter Butler (138) placed seventh. 

 

MCDONALD COUNTY HOSTS GIRLS TOURNAMENT

ANDERSON, Mo. — McDonald County hosted the Lady Mustang Invitational on Saturday.

There were 20 teams in attendance.

The top five teams were Ozark (127), Monett (97), Butler (83), Kickapoo (75) and Claremore (74). 

McDonald County (63), Diamond (52) and Joplin (43) finished sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively. 

Joplin’s Ericka Washom was the champion at 140 pounds. She won by fall over Diamond’s Hallie Crisp in the bracket’s title match.

Joplin’s Ilannah Burtrum was the runner-up at 190 pounds and Mya Ndedi-Ntepe placed seventh at 170.

Carl Junction’s Isabella Montez was the champ at 135, winning both of her matches by fall. CJ’s Sarah Tyler took third at 170.

McDonald County had two champions—Stacy Lopez-Apolinar (155) and Gisel Aragon (190). 

Taking third for the Mustangs were Rylie Huston (135) and Jaslyn Benhuemea (115). Jazmynn Brewer (145), Candy Martinez-Mazariegos (155) and Helen Martinez-Mazariegos (170) all finished fourth and Kiera Pulliam (170) took fifth. 

Monett’s Mary Jastal (110) and Londi Torres-Ramos (120) claimed individual titles, while teammates Lizeth Rameriz (105) and Jenna Spencer (115) both took second.

Diamond’s Crisp (140) and Callie Montgomery (135) both finished second in their brackets, while Allison Calentine was third at 145 and Mekia Gainuss was sixth at 125.

Webb City’s Layla Espinoza placed sixth at 140 pounds.

WRESTLING ROUNDUP: Carl Junction tops Joplin; McDonald County beats Seneca

 

CARL JUNCTION 57, JOPLIN 18

The Carl Junction Bulldogs won seven matches by fall on their way to a 57-18 win over Joplin on Thursday night. 

Carl Junction’s Carter Foglesong (106), Lukas Walker (120), Sam Melton (126), Marcus Lopez-Durman (157), Dexter Merrell (165), Cody Berry (190) and Cayden Bollinger (285) all won their respective matches by fall.

Winning matches by fall for Joplin were Alex Short (144) and Draven VanGilder (215). 

At 132 pounds, Joplin’s Andrew Burke earned a 10-7 decision over Keaton Colburn, while CJ’s Max Matthews recorded a 9-3 win over Freddy Cerrato-Martinez at 138. Joplin’s Orion Norris defeated Nevan Challenger 4-2 at 150 pounds.  

CJ’s Cole Beezley (113) and Tony Stewart (175) won by forfeit.

 

MCDONALD COUNTY 42, SENECA 39

McDonald County edged Seneca 42-39 on Thursday night in a boys wrestling dual.

Mustangs coach Josh Factor told SoMo Sports that he believes this is McDonald County’s first ever dual win over Seneca.

Seneca’s Paxton Bruegal (106), Keatin Burleson (126), Eli Manley (132), Brady Roark (138), Trentyn Raney (144) and Andrew Manley (150) all won their matches by fall. 

Seneca’s Hunter Hanes edged Robinson Yoshino 15-13 at 113 pounds. McDonald County’s Colter Vick won by fall at 190 pounds.

McDonald County’s Paden Vance (120), Levi Smith (157), Brady Bogart (165), Huxley Wardlaw (175), Samuel Murphy (215) and Jayce Hitt (285) all won their matches by forfeit.

The Mustangs also defeated Diamond 45-22.

At 144, Mac County’s Blaine Ortiz earned a tech fall, 20-4, over James LaFever. Ortiz earned his 100th career victory. 

Also for the Mustangs, Smith won by fall at 157 and Vick earned a major decision, 14-2, at 175.

Eberson Perez (106), Kevin Blancas (126), Bogart, Murphy and Hitt all won by forfeit.

Diamond’s Braydon Pelt earned a tech fall, 18-2, at 113, while Connor Pelt won by fall at 120 and Alex Stevens earned an 8-4 decision over Yeison Lopez-Duenas at 132.

Diamond’s Cody Neal (150) and Brayden Clement (190) both won by major decisions.

Seneca defeated Diamond 57-12.

The Indians received pins from Bruegal, Hanes, Eli Manley, Andrew Manley, Nash Crane and Gentry Barnes. Raney defeated LaFever 8-6 at 144 and Jace Renfro won by DQ at 190. 

Diamond’s Brandon Calentine won by fall at 157.

 

GIRLS RESULTS

McDonald County and Seneca tied 24-24 in a girls dual. 

Winning matches by fall for Seneca were Louzella Graham (120), Tessa Kinslow (135) and Liberty Cornell (155). Isabella Renfro won by forfeit at 235.

Winning by forfeit for Mac County were Jaslyn Benhumea (110), Kimberly Torres-Blancas (115), Jazmynn Brewer (145) and Helen Martinez-Mazariegos (170).

McDonald County defeated Diamond 30-18. 

In the lone contested bouts, Diamond’s Callie Montgomery (135) and Allison Calentine (145) won their matches by fall over Rylie Huston and Brewer. 

Seneca beat Diamond 21-6.

In contested matches, Seneca’s Kinslow defeated Montgomery 12-8 and Cornell won by fall over Calentine.

WRESTLING PREVIEW: Neosho primed for another state title run

Under the direction of Jeremy Phillips, the Neosho Wildcats have developed into one of the best high school wrestling programs in Missouri.

The Wildcats earned team state championships in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2020, highlighting 15 straight years of bringing team hardware back home from Mizzou Arena in Columbia, the traditional site of the state tournament.

Neosho finished third in Class 3 last season, won a district title, placed fourth in the Central Ozark Conference tournament, won the Missouri Duals and the Neosho tournament titles, and went 6-3 overall in duals against Joplin (72-12 W), Nixa (40-32 W), Collinsville, Okla. (45-24 L), Republic (68-6 W), McDonald County (45-18 W), Carthage (38-31 L), Ozark (50-19 L), Marshfield (47-24 W), and Carl Junction (44-30 W).

The Wildcats return seniors Eli Zar, Collyn Kivett, Nico Olivares, Gabe Mabrey and Ulysses DeLeon, juniors Wyatt Black, Jon Chrisco and Jack Lankford, and sophomores Bostyn Patterson and Fisher Butler. They also welcome a deep, talented and decorated freshman class that might be able to make a sudden impact at the varsity level and help continue the tradition of excellence for Neosho wrestling.

“We have a solid senior group, a decent returning core and an amazing freshman class joining them,” Phillips said. “They have the potential to be exciting to watch come together, grow and compete for the goals we have in front of us.

“There are several factors to our success, but none of them will I predict,” Phillips said. “If we decide to work together, have persistent efforts, and learn daily I believe we will do well. Trusting in the process, in ourselves, and the team will be key this year for all of us. Our success could surprise some people if the large number of talented younger kids and the older wrestlers looking to take their success to the next level can become a family within our process, keep the faith, and remain hungry and humble along the journey.”

Zar, who has verbally committed to NCAA Division II program Maryville (a school in St. Louis where former Neosho High stalwarts Nate Rodriguez and Joey Williams enjoyed much success), won state, district, and conference titles and posted a 50-4 overall record last season at 170 pounds.

Zar became the 39th individual state champion in program history, and he could join nine other Neosho wrestlers before him who earned at least two state titles.

Additionally, Butler finished 33-19 and fifth overall at 113, Black 22-24 overall and a state qualifier at 120, Chrisco 30-23 and sixth overall at 126, Patterson 26-19 overall and a state qualifier at 145, Kivett 37-18 and fourth overall at 160, and DeLeon 26-23 and a state qualifier at 195.

Lankford and sophomore Trey Hardin won JV conference titles last season, sophomore Tyce Hardin also picked up varsity experience last season, and sophomore Hunter Butler returns after a year off from wrestling.

The freshman class includes MO USA state medalists Gabriel Busteed, Everson Tomlinson, Carter Howard, Chase Kivett, Skiler Shideler, Kaymon Rhone, and Dayton Kivett.

Other wrestlers in the varsity mix are River Feagans, Sam Fryar, and Brody Mitchell.

The Wildcats open their season on Saturday with the 35th annual edition of their home tournament and their December schedule includes a triangular Dec. 6 with COC rivals Joplin and Nixa before the Missouri Duals in Jefferson City (Dec. 9-10), the KC Stampede in Kansas City (Dec. 16-17), and the William ‘Red’ Schmidt Holiday Wrestling Tournament in Granite City, Illinois (Dec. 28-29).

Neosho prepares for the conference tournament near the end of January with a series of duals and the Branson Tournament (Jan. 14).

District and state take place in February. 

WRESTLING PREVIEW: McDonald County to rally around five returning state qualifiers

The McDonald County boys wrestling team has 10 starters and five state qualifiers returning for the 2022-23 season, numbers sure to bring a certain level of excitement to any program.

The Mustangs can build around 120-pound junior Jose Mendoza, 138-pound senior Blaine Ortiz, 150- or 157-pound senior Levi Smith, 215-pound junior Samuel Murphy, and 285-pound junior Jayce Hitt, their five returning state qualifiers.

Murphy, Hitt, and Ortiz have earned a combined four state medals during their high school careers so far, including a state runner-up for Ortiz at 113 pounds in 2021 and Murphy a third-place finish last season.

Move-ins Emmit Houston (from North Park HS in Walden, Colo.) and Nathaniel McLaughlin (Arkansas) have been thrown into a mix that also features other returning starters in senior Cross Spencer (150 / 157), sophomore J.T. Clemons (150 / 157), sophomore Brady Bogart (170), sophomore Alex Bogart (190), and sophomore Malosi Sosef (190).

On top of that, Beau Bennett (Pittsburg HS, Baker University), Joshua Tyler (Springdale Har-Ber HS, Williams Baptist), and Reid Davis (Butler HS) have joined the coaching staff.

“I feel like it’s going to be an exciting season for both our girls and boys teams,” McDonald County coach Josh Factor said. “We have a very talented group on our boys team and yet we have never won any hardware in the Big 8 Conference, district, or state tournaments. It’s always fun to strive to accomplish something for the first time as a team. As for our girls team, we’re still working on getting our first girl to the state tournament.”

Last season, Murphy finished third and Hitt fifth at state at 220 and 285, as the Mustangs finished 17th overall in Class 3 with 39 points.

The Mustangs finished seventh in Class 3 District 3 with 118 points and Ortiz, Murphy, and Hitt each won district titles.

McDonald County also finished third in the Big 8 and Ortiz, Smith, and Murphy each claimed individual conference titles.

Murphy put together a 47-2 overall record and Ortiz finished 41-7, Smith 42-10, Hitt 24-6, and Mendoza 18-21.

Spencer went 15-30 last season, Clemons 9-27, Brady Bogart 1-9, Alex Bogart 17-26, Sosef 4-6, and Houston achieved a 24-10 overall record during his freshman season in Colorado.

On the girls side, McDonald County returns Jaslyn Benhumea at 105, Stacy Apolinar-Lopez at 145, and Gisel Aragon at 170.

The Mustangs open the season on Thursday with a dual against Big 8 powerhouse Seneca, winners of four straight Big 8 tournament titles. The Mustangs went 12-15 in duals last year.

“Concerns will be how will our teams respond to competing in tough tournaments throughout the season,” Factor said. “We will have several tough tournaments, but the Kansas City Stampede on Dec. 16-17 and the Thrasher Tournament on Jan. 27-28 will both be good tests for our boys team and our girls will be challenged at every event they attend.

“For our teams to succeed this year, we have to remain healthy and be able to compete at our best in February. If we can do those two things, I believe success will be the result.”

The KC Stampede brings together some of the very best wrestling programs from Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma, as well as some ringers from states like Texas, Georgia, and Iowa. Murphy highlighted McDonald County’s performance last year with third place, successfully rebounding after his first loss of the season.

Francis Howell hosts the Kyle Thrasher Memorial Tournament and last season’s event brought in 37 teams from across the state of Missouri.

McDonald County will compete in the Big 8 Tournament for the girls Jan. 18 at Nevada and the boys Jan. 20 at Cassville.

District and state competition are in February for boys and girls.

WRESTLING PREVIEW: Carthage to build around eight returning starters

The Carthage Tigers return eight starters from a team last season that finished 8-2 overall in dual competition and placed fifth in the Central Ozark Conference, fourth at districts, and 17th at state.

Class 4 state runner-up Davion King headlines the Tigers’ returning wrestlers for veteran head coach Kenny Brown, who enters his 20th season at the helm of the Tigers.

Brown said that around 70 wrestlers went out for the team at the start of practice and the Tigers are looking to bring that number down to 56 before the start of the season in an effort to maximize their opportunities to develop their JV wrestlers.

“We did have a successful season last year, but definitely came up short of where we wanted to end up,” Brown said. “We wrestle some very talented competition just within our conference. The boys know what we have returning and are looking forward to the opportunity to test themselves against those programs.

“With gas prices this last year, we chose not to attend any camps this summer and just worked in our own room. We focused on more high-level technique that our boys are more likely to see at some of the tougher tournaments.

“Our goals this season are the same as every season. We want to continue to improve throughout the course of the season to give us the best opportunity to challenge for a district championship and set ourselves up for a run during the state tournament.”

King finished 38-5 overall last season, won a district title, and finished second in the COC at 160 pounds. He also placed fifth at 145 his sophomore year and qualified for state at 138 his freshman year.

“Davion placed second last year at state,” Brown said. “He had some health issues that kept him from putting on any weight and he ended up wrestling his finals match way undersized. Davion has worked hard putting on muscle this offseason and will be a tough match for just about anyone he sees this year.”

King plays key roles for the Carthage football team as defensive back and wide receiver. A deep playoff run for the Tigers in football would impact their basketball and wrestling teams.

Slated to wrestle at 132 his junior season, Bradyn Tate finished 31-12 last season at 126 and qualified for state at 113 his freshman campaign.

“Bradyn had a very consistent season for us last year as a sophomore and qualified as a freshman for the state tournament,” Brown said. “Bradyn spent a lot of time on the mats this summer and preseason, competing in multiple tournaments.”

Grey Petticrew went 25-10 overall at 145 last season and he could have an even more successful senior season.

“Grey did a tremendous job for us last year qualifying for state for his first time,” Brown said. “He was wrestling at a better weight last season for himself and the team. He is going to pull back down to 150 and we are looking at him with a legitimate shot at the podium.”

Dylan Huntley finished 25-14 overall at 113 last season and he’s moving up in weight for his junior season.

“Dylan Huntley will be looking to fill our 120-pound spot,” Brown said. “He just missed out on qualifying for the state tournament last season and we are looking for him to punch his first ticket to the state tournament this year.”

Tanner Putt recorded a 6-4 mark at 106 his freshman season.

“Tanner really came on strong towards the end of last season,” Brown said. “He was undersized all year at 106 and we are hoping to see continued improvement now that he is an actual 106-pounder. He spent most of the summer in the wrestling room and competed in a few tournaments this summer as well.”

Other returning wrestlers from last season are 138-pound senior Kip Castor (23-13 at 132), 157-pound senior Gabe Lambeth (11-12 at 170/182), and 285-pound sophomore David Recinos (11-6 at 285).

The graduation of five seniors from last season, including state medalist Braxdon Tate, has opened up a few spots in the Carthage lineup.

“Trey Nye started wrestling as a freshman and has come a long way in the three years he has wrestled for us,” Brown said. “He has been stuck behind some of our best wrestlers the past two years and we need for him to find a spot in the varsity lineup.”

Brown said that 10 wrestlers are in competition to replace Bradyn Tate at the 126 spot.

The Tigers open their season with a dual Tuesday against conference rival Carl Junction. They compete in the Farmington Duals (Dec. 10), Harrisonville (Dec. 16-17), Excelsior Springs (Jan. 7), and Platte County (Jan. 20-21) tournaments, as well as being the host of the Carthage Varsity Duals on Dec. 28.

Carthage’s schedule especially picks up in intensity in January, between the tournaments in Excelsior Springs and Platte County, as well as the Tigers’ annual Black and Blue Brawl Jan. 17 against longtime rival Neosho.

The Tigers defeated Neosho 38-31 on their home mat last season for their first win in the Black and Blue series since 2007, a victory secured by Recinos’ win by pin at 285 in the final match of the night.

Carthage competes Jan. 28 in the conference tournament and districts and state both follow in February.  

 

WRESTLING PREVIEW: Carl Junction excited for new season with six returning state qualifiers

The Carl Junction Bulldogs started making noise last season in head coach Mike Frizzell’s third season at the helm, finishing 15-3 overall in duals, placing second in the Central Ozark Conference tournament, and qualifying seven wrestlers for the Class 3 state tournament.

Carl Junction returns six of the seven qualifiers in seniors Lukas Walker, Chance Benford, and Cayden Bollinger, juniors Sam Melton and Max Matthews, and sophomore Tony Stewart. Melton finished second at 113 pounds and Walker third at 106 at state.

The Bulldogs also return sophomore Carter Foglesong and juniors Dexter Merrell and Arlen Wakefield, with freshmen Cole Beezley and Markus Lopez both in the mix for mat time.

“We have been excited for the upcoming season and building off of last season’s accolades,” Frizzell said. “We had a great offseason with several kids wrestling freestyle and Greco during the spring and summer months and beating some good quality competition.

“We have high expectations and have set some hefty goals for this season. With the number of returning state qualifiers/placers, we expect to be a contender for the Class 3 team title, but it will take a ton of hard work and consistency to be competitive.”

The Bulldogs have a strong trio of seniors in Walker, Benford, and Bolinger.

Walker finished 43-5 overall last season with district and conference titles in addition to his third place at state. He also qualified for state at 106 during his sophomore year.

Benford went 40-12 overall, won a conference title, and placed fourth in districts at 182, while Bollinger finished 38-17 overall, won a conference title, and placed fourth in districts at 220 last season.

“Experience is on our side this season,” Frizzell said. “We have a great senior class of leaders that have helped shape the culture in the wrestling room over these last few years and it is starting to pay off big with our confidence and expectations.”

Melton put together a 40-6 overall record with a second at state and conference and district titles last season.

Matthews finished 23-21 overall and qualified for state at 120, Stewart 36-17 overall and qualified for state at 170, Foglesong 29-8 overall at 106 as Walker and Melton also wrestled at 113 and 120, and Merrell and Wakefield both return as two-year varsity lettermen, while Beezley and Lopez both enjoyed success at the youth level.

“Mental toughness is always a key component in wrestling when competing at a high level,” Frizzell said. “We need to make sure we keep a competitive edge against our opponents when we walk out on the mat to compete and keep that edge throughout the match. Always manage the match to give yourself a chance to win.

“Being consistent day in and day out and staying healthy. It’s a long season that can be hard on your body both physically and mentally. Staying focused on the task at hand will be important to reach our goals.”

The Bulldogs graduated one of their state qualifiers, heavyweight Kameron Bennett.

Carl Junction opens the new season on Tuesday at conference rival Carthage.  

The Bulldogs open at home Dec. 1 against Joplin and their schedule plays out with a dual at Seneca (Dec. 6), their own CJ Classic (Dec. 10) with Blue Springs, Bolivar, Monett, Nixa, Seneca, Webb City and Willard joining the Bulldogs, a dual at Webb City (Dec. 13), a tournament in Harrisonville (Dec. 16-17), the Kinlock Tournament (Dec. 29-30) hosted by Parkview in Springfield, a tournament in Jenks, Okla. (Jan. 6-7), the Branson Tournament (Jan. 14), the Pacific Tournament (Jan. 21), a home dual against Marshfield (Jan. 24), a home dual against Neosho (Jan. 26), the conference tournament in Webb City (Jan. 28), a dual at McDonald County (Feb. 2), and a dual at Pittsburg, Kan (Feb. 3).

District and state take place in February.

WRESTLING PREVIEW: Five returning starters to lead Joplin

The Joplin Eagles return five starters, including one Class 4 state qualifier, for the upcoming season in seniors Draven VanGilder, Drew VanGilder and Alex Short and juniors Johnny Williams and Johnathon Burke.

The Eagles graduated 182-pound Brayden Thomas and heavyweight Gunner Price, and their newcomers include freshman Andrew Snider and sophomores Brennan Washington and KeyShawn Peavler.

Joplin finished 7-8 overall in dual competition last season.

“We have the potential to be pretty good if we get strong leadership from our upperclassmen and our young guys and gals learn and grow up in a hurry,” Joplin’s fifth-year head coach Jeremy Finley said. “We have strong leadership from our senior class. The VanGilders do an excellent job of bringing energy everyday into the practice room and get everyone going. Alex Short has been involved with wrestling for a very long time. We are looking for him to turn the corner this season.”

Draven VanGilder, an outstanding three-sport star fresh off a senior season in football when he made 145 total tackles (98 solo, 47 assist) in 10 games, qualified for state at 195 pounds and posted an 18-11 overall record last season.

Price was Joplin’s other state qualifier last season, and he managed a pair of wins before bowing out in the third consolation round.

Draven’s twin brother Drew, who rushed for nearly 400 yards and scored five touchdowns at running back his senior season, finished 14-8 last season and just a couple victories shy of also qualifying for state at 170.

Short finished 11-18 overall at 126 and Burke 14-15 overall at 145.

There will be less-experienced wrestlers surrounding the five returning starters.

“We will have to fill a few varsity weight classes with some underclassmen,” Finley said. “In order for us to be successful, they must grow up and adapt to varsity high school wrestling.

“Like any year, we hope to get as many kids in the room as possible. Usually if we can get them to show up, they will stay. We need as many as we can get. For us to be successful, we must obtain and keep kids interested and focused throughout the year. We have plenty of athletes walking the halls of JHS that do nothing in the winter. We need to turn these athletes into wrestlers.”

The Eagles open their season on Tuesday at home against Webb City and their schedule includes tournaments at Bentonville West, Columbus, Republic, and Columbia Hickman.

Webb City hosts the Central Ozark Tournament on Jan. 28.

District and state take place in February.