By Cody Thorn (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
WILLARD — Ten became a prominent number out of the Class 3 Sectional 3 wrestling tournament held Saturday at Willard High School.
Ten different schools had at least one state qualifier, while many of those same 10 schools also felt the pain that came with a loss in the third-place match, which meant a chance to go to the state meet went away under the new MSHSAA postseason structure this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The biggest No. 10 association though belonged to Lebanon, which will be sending 10 state qualifiers to the MSHSAA State Wrestling Championships next month in Independence.
The Yellowjackets outpaced defending Class 3 champion Neosho in terms of state qualifiers by two but those two teams dominated the competition for the most part in terms of state qualifiers.
“With us, Neosho, Willard and Camdenton, I was looking at it on paper and it never will go the way you want, but I thought best-case scenario we would have 12 (qualifiers) and it came out close, we got 10,” Lebanon coach Randy Roark said. “We got 10 through so we can’t complain, but I’d like to have had a couple more.”
Willard finished with five qualifiers, while McDonald County and Camdenton had four each. Carl Junction, Branson, Marshfield, Rolla and Webb City will also have at least one qualifier for the finals on March 12 at Cable Dahmer Arena.
Freshman Canon Roark and senior Colt Adkins won sectional titles for Lebanon, which was the team state runner-up last year.
Roark pinned his first two opponents before getting a 12-2 major decision against Neosho’s Landon Kivett (120) in the fourth meeting between the two this year. Roark improved to 3-1 this year against Kivett, a sixth-place finisher last year at 113.
“I thought it would be a little bit closer, but I thought I wrestled the match well,” said Roark who is now 41-3. “He knew what I was going to do and I knew what he was going to do, so it was a little bit tougher match.”
Adkins, a state runner-up at 170 last year, will head back to state in that weight class after a 3-0 run at sectionals. He fell behind 2-0 against Neosho’s Eric Holt, before rallying for a 73 win. Adkins is now 33-2.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME
Andrew Bowling (106/2nd), Quentin Long (113/2nd), Davis Joiner (126/3rd), Robert Garner (138/3rd), Cade Muscia (160/3rd), Jake Henson (195/3rd), Jayden Hubler (220/2nd) and Zachary Smith (285/3rd) will all be at state for Lebanon.
The Yellowjackets had a close call from Cole Patton, who took fourth after falling by a pin against Marshfield’s Damian Dockery in the second period.
“One of our state medalists was sicker than a dog today and got beat in the third-place match,” Roark said of Patton, who was third last year 138 pounds. “Losing that third-place match, it is different this year. Everyone knows going in you have to win that match to go to state.”
Looking at results from throughout the state, the Yellowjackets will have among the most qualifiers in the state. Hillsboro has 12, while five-time Class 1 champion Whitfield will have 11 in its first appearance in Class 3. Fort Zumwalt South and Lebanon will each have 10.
Those numbers will put quite an onus on Neosho, who has won nine Class 3 titles since 2010 – including the past two, to keep the state title run going.
Neosho did double the number of sectional champs – four – compared to Lebanon.
Raymond Hembree (106), Hayden Crane (132), Cayden Auch (160) and Jeremiah Larson (182) each took first place. The latter two stayed undefeated on the season in their quest to repeat as state champions.
Hembree (106) beat Lebanon’s Bowling in the finals by a 9-0 major decision, finishing the day 3-0. A runner-up in the weight class last year, Hembree avenged an earlier loss by pin against Dowling.
“It was a good match, I really needed it,” said Hembree, 39-6. “He ended up beating me earlier in the season and pinning me. I think he is one of the toughest in the state so it gives me a good idea how tough the weight (class) will be at state.”
Crane (132) pinned McDonald County’s Levi Smith in the first period for another Neosho title.
Auch improved to 46-0 with two pins and an injury default. He pinned Willard’s Ryder Heimbach (160) with a second left in the first period. Larson (195) beat Webb City’s Jacob Ott, 7-1, in the finals. Larson (41-0) started his day with a pin in only 16 seconds against Rolla’s Chance Mickem.
Kivett (120/2nd), Eli Zar (145/3rd), Trent Neece (152/2nd), Holt (170/2nd) will also be at state for Neosho.
Other districts champions were McDonald County’s Blaine Ortiz (113), Branson’s Kyshin Isringhausen (126), Camdenton’s Grant Garrett (138), Rolla’s Alexander Sederburg (145), Rolla’s Nathan Pulliam (152), Carl Junction’s Jesse Cassatt (182), Marshfield’s Daylon Kanengieter (220) and Camdenton’s Dakota Davis (285).
The biggest win on the day, arguably, belonged to Isringhausen, who defeated reigning state champion Christian Finley of Willard, 4-2. This was the fourth match between the two this year, with Finley winning one, Isringhausen winning one and then having to medical forfeit out of another matchup
Finley got a 6-2 decision over the Pirates sophomore in the Central Ozark Conference championship on Jan. 30.
“We have been back and forth,” said Isringhausen, now 32-2 with his only two losses to Finley. “I had a feeling I would see him again at sectionals. I always enjoy the matchup. I was a little nervous and a little excited.”
The finals was tied 2-2 going into the final period. With 15 seconds left, Isringhausen got a reversal to secure the win.
Pulliam and Cassatt kept their perfect seasons going as well.
Pulliam (26-0) built a 5-0 lead over Neece in the first period and held on for a 7-3 victory.
“I wanted to get the pin,” said Pulliam, last year’s 145-pound champion. “I had that pin streak going and I would love to win by pin, but I wanted to go out there and win.”
Cassatt improved to 46-0 with a 6-3 win over Rolla’s Hayden Fane. The match was close late, 4-3, before Cassatt got a takedown with 12 seconds left to get a little buffer to secure the victory. He will now head to state with a chance to become the school’s second-ever two-time champion.
