Missouri state wrestling championships preview (Boys Class 1-2, Girls Class 1)

The new-look Missouri State High School Activities Association wrestling championships kick off on Wednesday with three classes – Class 1-2 for boys and Class 1 for girls – competing at Mizzou Arena.

The event will be the fifth for the girls but the first one where there will be two classes. That led to a change from the traditional three-day tournament to two two-day long tournaments, with the Class 3-4 boys and Class 2 girls competing on Friday and Saturday. 

The opening two days on Wednesday and Thursday will be for Class 1-2 boys and Class 1 girls. The Class 1 boys start the events at 8 a.m. and the Class 1 girls follow at 1 p.m. and finally the Class 2 boys at 6 p.m.

Class 1 Boys

There will be a new champion in Class 1 this year as Mid-Buchanan was bumped up to Class 2 in the offseason. Also moving up is St. Michael the Archangel, which finished fourth last winter.

That leaves the door open for Centralia and Brookfield, the second- and third-place teams a year ago, respectively, left to battle for supremacy. St. Pius X (Kansas City), Trenton, Father Tolton Catholic, Gallatin and Maysville could also be contenders for a trophy.

Wrestlers to Watch

Collin Arch, Palmyra 

Arch won the title at 138 pounds last year and will compete at 150 pounds at state. He is 48-1 on the season and ranked 22nd at 150 pounds in SBLive's national wrestling rankings. 

Brayden Dubes, Centralia 

The returning champion at 120 pounds, Dubes returns to state with a 38-1 record.

Noah Gonzalez, St. Pius X Kansas City 

The state champion at 126 a year ago, Gonzalez (38-4) returns as a 132-pounder.

Seth Hasekamp, Centralia 

After finishing second at 285 pounds a year ago, Hasekamp is undefeated this season at 46-0 and looking to win a title at 285.

Peyton Parn, Brookfield 

Par won the title at 113 pounds a year ago but is competing at 126 this time. He is 44-2 on the season.

Brendin Patrick, Butler 

Patrick drops down to 144 pounds after winning a state title at 152 a year ago. He enters the state tournament with a 41-0 record this season.

Brayden Shelton, Centralia 

The state champion at 160 pounds a year ago, Shelton will compete at 165 pounds. He is 31-0 so far this season. 

Kyden Wilkerson, Centralia 

The state champion at 145 pounds a year ago, Wilkerson moves up to 157 this time. He is 35-0.

Class 2 Boys

Class 2 already has a very rugged run to a state title most years with state powers like Pleasant Hill, Kirksville, Seneca and Cameron always a contender to bring home a trophy.

This year, the field is even tougher with the addition of the two Class 1 trophy teams – Mid-Buchanan and St. Michael. Mid-Buchanan has won the last two Class 1 championships.

Add in Odessa, Hallsville and Blair Oaks, there will be plenty of schools battling for the four trophies.

Pleasant Hill has won the last two titles and have brought home trophies the past three years. Seneca has brought home six trophies since 2015. 

Wrestlers to Watch

Cole Blattner, Fulton 

Blattner is 46-0 this season and looking to improve on his third-place finish at 106 pounds last year.

Spencer Cunningham, Mid-Buchanan 

After winning the championship at 106 in Class 1 a year ago, Cunningham moves up to 113 pounds for the Class 2 championships. He is 34-2 this season. 

Sam Ewing, Pleasant Hill

Ewing, who has signed to wrestle at the University at Buffalo next year, is aiming for his fourth straight title this year after winning at 132 a year ago. He is 47-4 this season and wrestling at 144 pounds. 

Jay Greiner, St. Joseph Lafayette 

After winning the state title at 160 pounds a year ago, Greiner is undefeated at 55-0 this season and will wrestle at 165 pounds.

Simon Hartline, Monett 

The 106-pound champion a year ago, Hartline moves up to 120 this year. He is 43-3 this season. 

Ryan Meek, St. Clair

Meek (39-1) won the state title at 113 pounds a year ago but moves up to 120 this year where he could face Monett's Hartline, who won the 106-pound title last year.

Zach Rackers, Blair Oaks 

Rackers, who finished sixth at 152 pounds a year ago, is 50-0 this season and will wrestle at 165 pounds. 

Brady Roark, Seneca

Roark is 52-0 and will look to win a third state title for the Indians competing at 132 pounds. The South Dakota State signee enters the state meet with a career record of 191-4 and has been the finals each year of high school so far.

Wade Stanton, Mid-Buchanan 

Stanton won the Class 1 title at 195 pounds a year ago and now moves up to Class 2 and moves down to 190. He enters the state championships with a 38-2 record.

Sampson Stillwell, St. Michael the Archangel

A sophomore ranked as the No. 19 wrestler at 285 pounds in the SBLive national rankings, Stillwell won the Class 1 title at 285 pounds a year ago and enters the state championships with a perfect 47-0 record.

Brock Woodcock, St. Clair 

Woodcock is undefeated this season at 49-0 and moves up to 157 pounds after winning a state title at 145 a year ago.

Class 1 girls

This will not be the first year of the Class 1 girls event but most of the larger schools and smaller schools aren’t battling for the same six spots on the medal stand.

Team-wise, the fight for the title will be wide open with all four trophy teams from last year now in Class 2: Lebanon, Nixa, Lafayette (Wildwood) and Park Hill.

According to MissouriWrestling the top 10 teams in Class 1 feature Brookfield, Cassville, Holden, Wright City, Kearney, Knob Noster, Seneca, Harrisonville, Cameron and Festus.

Cameron and Rockwood Summit both tied for sixth place last year.

With the split in classes, there are also very few returning state medalists in Class 1, as most either graduated or got bumped up to Class 2.

Of all the matches, perhaps the most intriguing in the first round is in 125.

Undefeated Lauren Mills of Festus, 35-0, will face Chloe Herrick of Harrisonville, who is 42-7. Mills was third last year at 130 pounds, while Herrick was the runner-up at 120 pounds. She was a champion in 2021 and was a runner-up in 2020.

Wrestlers to Watch

Cassidy Benwell, North Point 

The reigning state champion at 120 pounds, Benwell is 23-0 so far this season. 

Justice Brewer, Cameron 

Brewer, who is 51-1 this season, finished second at 149 pounds a year ago but should be one of the top contenders wrestling at 155 pounds.

Breanne Gibbs, Moberly 

Gibbs arrives at the state championships with a 43-0 record this season. She will compete at 145 pounds.

Chloe Herrick, Harrisonville 

One of the top contenders at 125 pounds, Herrick finished second at 120 last year.

Lauren Mills, Festus 

After taking third at 130 pounds a year ago, Mills returns with an undefeated record (35-0) and will wrestle at 125 pounds.

Annie Moore, Cassville 

Last year's runner-up at 115 pounds is back for another shot at the title. She is 40-5 this season. 

Isabella Renfro, Seneca 

After taking second at 174 pounds a year ago, Renfro returns with a spotless 43-0 record and will wrestle at 190.

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