By Pat Dailey (For OzarkSportsZone.com)
JOPLIN — A handful of Neosho wrestlers and their team manager bleached their hair leading up to this weekend’s Class 4 District 3 action. It made for a new look for the Wildcats, but a very familiar outcome.
Neosho repeated as district team champions Saturday and earned the Wildcats’ seventh district title over the past nine years. Coach Jeremy Phillips’ team totaled 218 points, beating runner-up Ozark by 55.5 points.
Neosho’s Sebastin Ioanis, Lincoln Howard, Kaymon Rhone and Chase Kivett collected individual championships. Ioanis and Kivett were among the Wildcats who bleached their hair. So did runners-up Kelton Shaffer and Carter Howard.
“It’s a team bonding thing, to remind ourselves we’re more than a team, we’re a family, a brotherhood,” Ioanis said. “Mine doesn’t look so good. But I think everyone else’s turned out really well.”
Leading up to next weekend’s state tourney, Rhone is debating whether to bleach his hair, as well.
“My teammates want me to do it. I’m still thinking about it,” Rhone said. “I like my hair. I don’t want to ruin it. But I might hop on that boat.”
Ioanis was Neosho’s headliner Saturday. He earned his first state berth in grand fashion by recording two mighty upsets in dramatic fashion at 120 pounds. In the semifinal, he beat Branson’s Ryzen Isringhausen (42-3) 8-6 in a tiebreaker. In the final, he edged Ray-Pec’s Kamdon VonHolten (35-5) 8-5 in sudden victory.
“The past two years I didn’t even come close to placing (at districts). My teammates helping me in the off-season made me better,” Ioanis said. “Even though they have their own goals, they’re always there for me. I’m really thankful for them.”
Isringhausen is a former Class 3 state champ and VonHolten beat Ioanis in all four of their matchups last season.
“I was scared going into (the Isringhausen) match and against (VonHolten), I didn’t expect to go that far into the match, since he beat me four times,” Ioanis said. “But I didn’t want to go down that way, I wanted to pick everyone up and help bring a championship home. No one was going to stop me, even if (VonHolton) had beaten me four times in a row.”
Rhone (29-4) took the 175 championship by winning 10-5 against Nixa’s Owen Diemoz (42-7). Rhone rallied from a 3-0 deficit.
When they met earlier this season, Diemoz won 3-2. That loss weighed heavily on Rhone’s mind. But his recent memory of Diemoz was seeing him fall 15-3 to Kivett in the 190 final at the COC Tournament three weeks ago.
“I don’t think I would have had the confidence to go against him without Chase,” Rhone said. “Chase beating him and knowing how me and Chase compete, gave me confidence.”
Kivett (43-4) followed up his COC title with a district championship. He needed just 2:32 to go up 16-1 and win by technical fall against Republic’s Ethan Montiel (35-7).
“It went how I expected. I dominated,” Kivett said.
Lincoln Howard (41-4) pinned Lee’s Summit’s Austin Cornett (35-4) in 1:13 in the 165 title tilt.
History-making week continues for Glendale
After the Glendale boys basketball team beat Nixa for the first time in 19 years earlier in the week, the Falcons had four wrestlers qualify for state Saturday. That’s a high for the program in at least 20 years, according to coach Bud Donnell.
Going to state for Glendale are Ethan Kelly (39-3) at 132, Nazsier Johnson (33-8) at 175, Deric Washington (32-10) at 190 and Reed Jackson (36-11) at 285.
“To experience this and qualify for state as a senior is a blessing,” said Washington, who fell one win short of state the past two years.
Washington added he feels Donnell’s enthusiasm and energy make the Falcons want to work hard for him.
“The way he coaches rubs off on us,” Washington said. “I want to see him be happy. All of us making state gets him excited.”
Kelly won the 132 championship by downing Ozark’s Andrew York (38-11) 9-6 in their title tilt. For Kelly, it avenged a 5-4 loss to York at the Kinloch Classic in December.
“I wanted that match back, after I lost against him,” Kelly said. “I knew I was going to win. Now, I’m ready to go to state and take it all.”
Ozark’s Hansen and Wilson capture championships
Revenge was a common theme in the final round. Ozark’s Colton Wilson (30-2) won his first district championship by claiming the 138 title, thanks to 6-5 tiebreaker victory versus Neosho’s Kelton Shaffer (35-8).
Shaffer pinned Wilson at the COC Tournament and also won their matchup at districts a year ago.
“It was nice to be able to go against him again. I wanted to face him,” Wilson said. “I feel like I controlled most of the match. I was on him with my pressure and made sure I was wrestling my match.”
The Tigers’ Parker Hansen (29-2) completed a hat trick against Neosho’s Marztian Ioanis (38-7) by beating him for the third time this season. Hansen won their 106 title tilt 7-0.
Chiefs’ Cookman captures 113 championship
Kickapoo’s Garrett Cookman (38-4) made sure there would be no revenge for Ozark’s Taiga Kwon. Cookman posted an 8-4 win against Kwon (34-11) in the 113 final.
At the Kinloch Classic, Cookman beat Kwon 11-2.
“I was pretty confident,” Cookman said. “I don’t want to be cocky and want to stay humble. But I know I can dominate anyone on the mat.”
Cookman is hoping to cap his sophomore season by placing at state and having his name added to a banner in Kickapoo’s wrestling room recognizing the school’s state medalists.
“There’s not many (names) up there. When I can get my name up there, it will be special,” Cookman said.
Republic’s Overcast extends gap on 144 rival Stearns
Republic’s Keaton Overcast (31-1) followed up his 12-11 COC Tournament title tilt win against Waynesville’s Lincoln Stearns (38-3) by rolling to a 16-5 major decision victory in their rematch Saturday for the 144 championship.
Overcast won big, despite sporting a black eye he absorbed in Friday’s first round and feeling a twinge in his right shoulder in the second period against Stearns.
Overcast, who suffered torn ligaments in his shoulder a year ago, prides himself on not letting pain be a factor.
“You have to wrestle like you’re 100 percent, no matter how bad something hurts,” Overcast said. “You have to block it out of your head. I’ve been able to teach myself to perform better under pressure. With my ability, even when I’m not at 100 percent, I’m better than most of the guys out there.”
Nixa’s Chainey, Waynesville’s Camelin claim championships
Rounding out the area champions were Nixa’s Peyton Chainey (34-14) at 150 and Waynesville’s Joseph Camelin (42-5) at 215.
Chainey (pinned Lee’s Summit North’s Kale Lepert (35-6) in 3:31. Camelin pinned Washington in 1:03.
