When your last name is Stark, you’d better be good at sports at Northwest.
Sophomore Cohenn Stark is just the latest to carry the family flag in Lion athletics.
In a 1998 soccer game against Pacific, Debbie Stark, Cohenn’s aunt, netted seven goals for the Lions. That’s still the school record and tied for 13th for goals in a game all-time in Missouri.
Highly sought after by Division I schools, Debbie played at Missouri State University in Springfield from 1999-2001. Her name is etched in the school record books, third in career points with 44 and tied for second in career goals with 18.
Stark’s son, Cohenn’s cousin Hayden Hatley (class of 2021), played soccer for Northwest in a four-year career that produced 52 goals, including 24 as a senior.
Cohenn’s dad, Ryan, and mom, Ashley, were accomplished athletes at Northwest in football and softball respectively. Ryan’s sister (and Cohenn’s aunt), Stephanie, played softball and soccer and brothers Rob and Rick won state medals in wrestling.
Ryan, who also graduated from Missouri State, owns Stark Roofing LLC. His office in Cedar Hill is just a javelin’s throw from the high school.
While Ryan said Debbie might be the best athlete among them all, she could well be challenged by Cohenn, a three-sport athlete in football, wrestling and track and field.
“(Cohenn) has played football, baseball and wrestling since he was little,” Ryan said. “He’s always excelled at every sport he’s tried. He was a very good baseball player. But he did really well at the javelin and he’s got big goals for that. I like watching him play football the best.
“He’s talented enough to do anything. He’s been a straight-A student his whole life. He stays out of trouble and is involved in lots of activities at school.”
Ashley and Ryan’s younger son, Carter, is in eighth grade, two years behind big brother Cohenn, and already a committed athlete as well.
“My wife and I don’t have a lot of hobbies because the boys play all year round and we travel a lot,” Ryan said. “(Cohenn) has competed all over.”
Cohenn qualified as a freshman at 165 pounds for the Class 4 state wrestling championships at Columbia’s Mizzou Arena in February. An individual state championship would be a first for the entire Stark clan.
Last week, after the Lions finished practice under co-head coaches Ron and Bob Wilhelm, Stark stayed with teammates and wrestlers from other schools to work under Tyler Stegall, who won the state title at 138 in 2017, his senior year at Northwest. Stegall’s brother, Chase, was a state champion at 220 in 2020.
Anyone who thinks doubling up on wrestling practice is a good idea must want to join the Stegalls as Lion state champs.
“Kids from Seckman and St. Pius come in,” Stark said. “We only wrestle for an hour, but we get after it. It gives us a second chance to perfect what we already know.”
Stark is 9-0 this season at 190 after winning the Union Tournament Dec. 14, helping Northwest take the team title with 254 points. Ste. Genevieve, a close second at 225, finished tied for fourth in the state in Class 2 last season.
None of Stark’s opponents have stayed on the mat with him for the full six minutes. At Union, he won by technical fall before pinning his next three opponents.
“Before Union, I hadn’t had a match get out of the first period, so I wanted to wrestle more,” Stark said.
In the first round, Hazelwood Central junior Marvin Johnson lasted until 4:22 when Stark won 15-0. “I couldn’t manhandle him,” Stark said. “I had to rack up points from neutral (position).”
In his next match, Stark led Mexico junior Hayden Hodge 7-0 before pinning him at 1:33. “(Hodge) was short and strong, but super scrambly, so I couldn’t be sloppy because I knew he’d catch me.”
Stark quickly planted Fox sophomore Ryan Joggerst in the semifinals before facing Winnetonka senior Doone Taylor for the title. Stark led 6-5 going into the second period and completed the pin at 2:39.
“That kid was super-tall and strong,” he said. “I gave up a takedown and rolled him over and put him on his back. I got over easy there.”
Ryan said he tried wrestling his freshman year but gave it up because he got too nervous before matches. He’s noticed that less and less in Cohenn.
“I’ve been in wrestling since I was 5 and there was never a match I (wasn’t) nervous for,” Ron Wilhelm said. “I’ve coached some wrestlers who are freak-out nervous. That’s not Cohenn. When the whistle blows, he goes, because he’s such a great athlete. Being nervous isn’t bad. It tells you that you are preparing for something important.”
Stark is wrestling at his football weight of 190 after standing out at quarterback, running back, safety and defensive end this fall. He scored nine touchdowns on 1,711 yards total offense (848 passing, 863 running) and registered 38 tackles (five for loss) and four sacks. He even handled the punting duties, averaging 37.5 yards per kick.
Wilhelm said Stark might be more naturally suited to wrestle at 175.
“Cohenn is a natural pinner,” Wilhelm said. “Some guys have that ability to pin an opponent. Some people can get people to their back, but can’t hold them. When Cohenn gets you there, he understands body positioning so well. He keeps you there.”
Walking through the tunnel onto the mats at Mizzou Arena for the first time can be daunting for any wrestler, especially a freshman. Stark remembers it well.
“Being in a huge arena, with kids in the other classes, it’s fun to be with the kids who also qualified. To compete there is an awesome feeling.”
When wrestling season ends in March, Stark will join the track and field team to continue his pursuit of a qualifying throw for the Class 5 state championships in Jefferson City at the end of May. He finished fourth in his district last spring with a throw that would have won in many districts; only the top three qualify for state.
Also last spring, Stark briefly held the school record in the javelin at 50.55 meters, but it was broken at the district meet by 2024 graduate Luke Powell at 53.41 meters. The first time Stark threw the javelin, he didn’t think twice about giving up baseball. He also competes in the long jump and 4x100 and 4x200 relays.
“Cohenn is such a talented athlete, that he could excel at almost anything in track and field,” Northwest boys head coach Ken Campbell said. “The javelin school record is in trouble, but it may be the first of many to fall. After watching him in wrestling and football, it’s obvious that this young man is truly special. Cohenn’s ability in the javelin is limitless.”
“I fell in love with track the first year I did it,” he said. “It’s a free-for-all. I started doing sprints. The first time I threw the javelin, it didn’t go 20 meters; the second time it went twice that far.”
By the time he graduates, Stark might stand alone in the family athletic pantheon, especially with his football prowess. Halfway through this past season, Stark moved from running back to quarterback. It made a big difference as the Lions, under head coach Scott Gerling, finished 5-5 – their first non-losing season since 2021 – and hosted a district playoff game.
“I’d always been a running back in little league,” Stark said. “I’m still new to this quarterback thing. My freshman year, I was a very raw passer.
“My passing expanded greatly this year. I really focused on that. I already have natural running ability. This year I trusted the process of my receivers getting open and that led to big plays.”
Most would-be tacklers are probably unaware they’re trying to take down an all-state wrestler.
“I’ve always been a bigger kid for my age. If you don’t want to get hit, hit them first. I can put a move on you if I need to.”
In the Stark family, they always have the right moves.