All 10 of Hillsboro boys wrestling state qualifiers won their first-round matches as the championships got underway on Thursday at the Mizzou Arena in Columbia.
The Hawks led the Class 3 field with 34 points after the first day, two ahead of defending state champion Whitfield.
Gabe Barnett (106 pounds), Jordan Penick (113), Gavin Alexander (120), Jackson Tucker (126), Blake Jackson (132), Nate Barnett (138), Sam Richardson (145), Evan Morris (152), Eddie Hines (160) and Dalton Litzsinger (182) all wrestle for Hillsboro in the quarterfinals today (Feb. 18).
Other Class 3 winners in the first round from the JCAA were Windsor’s Brayden Belding (106) and Brice Henry (160), De Soto’s Foeller twin brothers, Asa (195) and Isaac (220), both won by fall, and Peyton Shaver (160) advanced for Festus, while teammate Austin Neff (126) lost his first match but stayed alive with a win in wrestlebacks.
Winners of the last two Class 4 state championships, Liberty led after Day 1 with 37 points. Staley, second in the state last year, is second with 32.5 points. Seckman pushed seven wrestlers to the quarterfinals after the first day and is third with 27 points.
Xander Harris (106), Mathew Cook (113), Draegen Orine (120), John Bamvakais (145), Cole Ruble (160), Jayden Ashlock (182) and Dylan Carlton (195) wrestle in today’s quarterfinals for the Jaguars. Moving on to the second round of wrestlebacks for the Jaguars are Aydan Cook (138) and Drake Jenkins (152). Wyatt Bamvakais (138) and Dominic Medeiros-Heil (220) were eliminated after two losses on Day 1.
Seven Northwest wrestlers qualified for state, but Owen Staat (106), Evan Porter (126), Landon Rogers (138), Lucas Ahrens (145), Tristan Staat (160) and Andrew Hinchey (285) all lost both matches and were eliminated. Hunter Melber (170) received an automatic berth in the quarterfinals after receiving a bye and is the last Lion in contention for a medal.
Cory Burris was the lone state qualifier for Fox and lost both matches at 170.
Lebanon seems determined to repeat as the champion at the fourth girls state wrestling championships with a healthy lead with 34 points after the first day. Northwest is doing much better on the girls side, and entered Day 2 in second with 18 points.
Lily Shaffrey (141), Olivia Buckley (174) and Abigail Chandler (194) all won Thursday for the Lions and are in the quarterfinals this afternoon. Taylor Accardi (149) and Anna Haas (159) are in the second round of wrestlebacks today.
Lee Ann Dobbs (100), Kirsten Klein (115) and Lauren Mills (130) gave Festus a clean sweep in the first round, Mills winning a 6-2 ultimate tiebreaker.
De Soto’s two state qualifiers, Hannah Eberhardt (149) and Ella Bradley (159), both pinned their opponents to advance to the quarterfinals.
After losing a 1-0 decision in the first round, Windsor’s Mya Hairston (100) stayed alive with a win by fall in wrestlebacks.