By Michael Smith (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
COLUMBIA – Nixa head girls wrestling coach Dustin Martin remembers the sting of his team’s experience at the Missouri State High School Girls Wrestling Championships during the 2023-24 season.
The Eagles just missed out on winning their first state title that season when they were outscored by Francis Howell Central in the team points 0.5.
Since then, Nixa has been trending toward a dynasty. The Eagles won the Class 2 state girls championship in 2024-25 and repeated as Class 2 state champions this season behind a key individual state title from Natalie Edmisson in the 155-pound bout as they scored 122.5 team points Saturday at Mizzou Arena.
Fellow southwest Missouri team Willard finished in second place with 114 points. Troy Buchanan was third with 96 and Liberty was fourth with 95.
“It feels completely different this year,” Nixa head coach Dustin Martin said. “There were a few more highs than lows. Last year, we won by a huge margin, and this year it was tight until the end.
“This gave us a lot of confidence from a program standpoint. We had some girls that were not expected to be in the state finals to make it there.”
Entering the tournament, Edmission said she had a feeling the tournament was going to go well for her. Even though it was her first time competing in the state tournament, she was full of confidence. She pinned all her opponents including Francis Howell Central junior Halen Phillips in 3:07 in the championship bout.
“It’s always been my goal to win it all,” Edmisson said. “I think I wrestled great. I dominated. I got the first takedown and I ended up pinning her. She took me to my back at one point, but I knew I could come back and get her.
Added Martin: “She beat the No. 2, 3, 4 and 5 girls in the tournament. She pinned them all. That was truly incredible.”
Other medalists for Nixa included Avery Muniz (190, fifth place), Ashton Mayes (110, sixth), Addison Harkins (130, second), Brylee James (135, fourth) and Kamryn Bourbon (145, second).
Willard finishes runner-up in team competition
Willard is starting to make a name for itself in the Class 2 high school wrestling scene.
That was evident in the Class 2 Missouri State High School Girls Wrestling Championships Saturday at Mizzou Arena.
The Tigers gave defending state champion Nixa a run for its money for the overall team title, but they finished in second place with 114 points, just 8.5 behind the rival Eagles.
Willard was powered by two state champions and three medalists that helped it capture its first state trophy in the history of the program.
In the offseason, Willard junior Emily Brixey (170) said she didn’t find a lot of success in freestyle and folkstyle tournaments.
In fact, she didn’t win a single match.
Her fortunes, however, took a turn during the high school season after she put in more time in the wrestling room. She finished her season 41-3 and defeated Timberland senior Chandi Banks 7-0 to earn her first state title.
“I will always remember this moment,” Brixey said. “After losing every match I had this summer, I locked in and put in the work. It feels great to find success.
“I was scared coming into the season after the summer. But I saw my weight class got easier because of all the seniors that graduated.”
Brixey admitted it was difficult to score points in her match with Banks due to her opponent’s strength. However, Brixey managed to get a takedown in the second and third periods to create distance.
“I could have totally lost,” Brixey said. “She had really good technique. I feel like I fought harder.”
Freshman teammate Scout Puryear had an idea what her opponent wanted to do in the championship.
She wrestled against Harkins, a defending state champion in the title match of the Class 2 District 3 Tournament and fell 4-3.
This time, she was prepared. Puryear (130) got redemption for the previous loss to Harkins, and earned a 7-1 win by decision to win her first state title Saturday at Mizzou Arena.
“It helped, but it also made me nervous because I know she has been working to beat me,” Puryear said. “It kind of helped for sure, because I have wrestled her two times before.
“I tried to fight as hard as I could. I went out there with a positive attitude.”
Puryear said she enjoyed being on the big stage at the state tournament, and said she hopes to be back next season.
“It was really cool,” Puryear said. “I think every wrestler should experience this. It was really awesome to be out there.”
Other Tigers wrestlers to earn a medal were Harmony Moore (190, third), Lynnae Dixon (115, third) and Chlow Kirksey (100, sixth).
James become first Carthage girls wrestler to earn state championship
Falling short of a state championship in the 2024-25 season fueled Carthage sophomore Kaylee James to not let that happen again.
Last season, she made it to the championship match at state and fell to three-time state champion Kailey Benson of Francis Howell Central by a 19-3 tech fall.
This time, James broke through in the 140-pound weight division. She dominated in her championship match against Staley junior Ja’Ziya Miles and took a 16-3 major decision to earn her spot atop the podium. She is the first girls wrestler in school history to win a title.
“It feels great to be the first Carthage girls wrestler to win a state title,” James said. “My technique was great. I just wanted to shoot, shoot, shoot, and I got those points on her.”
James had a tough match leading up to the championship as she had to take on Fort Osage freshman Ariel Biggs, who came into the tournament with a 48-2 record. James and Biggs split a pair of bouts earlier in the season, and James ended up taking the rubber match as she edged Biggs 6-5.
“I just told myself I have to wrestle smart,” James said of her match with Biggs. “I thought, ‘Don’t do anything dumb,’ and that’s what I did.”
Republic’s Rogers finishes perfect season with a state championship
It’s difficult for any high school wrestler to win a state championship.
It’s even more difficult to complete a full season unbeaten.
That’s exactly what Republic freshman Mabel Rogers did as she dominated her championship match in the 115-pound weight class against Branson sophomore Alyssa Salemie as she rolled to a 16-0 tech fall win.
Rogers (42-0), who is the first girls state champion in Republic history, joined Liberty senior Alexis Stinson as the only two Class 2 girls wrestlers to finish with a perfect record.
“I thought it was pretty crazy for me to finish with zero losses,” Rogers said. “That’s pretty exciting for me.”
The freshman said changing her mentality helped her adapt to wrestling at the high school level, and it was also a factor in finishing unbeaten.
“When I was younger, I used to get in my own head a lot,” Rogers said. “It was really bad. I think my mentality is key in me being confident and not cocky.”
Winning state is not the end for Rogers. She plans on going right back to the wrestling room to practice on Monday as she prepares for the freestyle season in the spring and summer.
“I wrestle every single day in the offseason,” Rogers said. “I go crazy. I think I may even try Greco this summer.”
Class 2 girls medalists
1st – 115 – Mabel Rogers, Republic (42-0)
1st – 130 – Scout Puryear, Willard (46-4)
1st – 140 – Kaylee James, Carthage (51-1)
1st – 155 – Natalie Edmisson, Nixa (42-7)
1st – 170 – Emily Brixey, Willard (41-3)
2nd – 115 – Alyssa Salemie, Branson (32-4)
2nd – 120 – Millie Waterman, Republic (44-6)
2nd – 130 – Addison Harkins, Nixa (43-4)
2nd – 135 – Addison Brown, Waynesville (45-6)
2nd – 145 – Kamryn Bourbon, Nixa (46-4)
2nd – 235 – Sophiea Quinn, Lebanon (40-3)
3rd – 115 – Lynnae Dixon, Willard (36-11)
3rd – 190 – Harmony Moore, Willard (40-5)
4th – 125 – Savannah Bratten, Republic (29-3)
4th – 135 – Brylee James, Nixa (40-12)
5th – 105 – Hannah Herrera, Kickapoo (49-2)
5th – 120 – Dakota Nix, Waynesville (39-4)
5th – 190 – Avery Muniz, Nixa (42-10)
6th – 100 – Chloe Kirksey, Willard (34-10)
6th – 110 – Ashton Mayes, Nixa (35-12)
6th – 235 – Mackenzie Booth, Webb City (33-12)
