<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615438664365.jpeg" alt="Members of the Mid-Buchanan wrestling team pose for photos with their medals and team championship trophy. The Dragons had nine wrestlers medal and had two individual champions Wednesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Members of the Mid-Buchanan wrestling team pose for photos with their medals and team championship trophy. The Dragons had nine wrestlers medal and had two individual champions Wednesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostINDEPENDENCE - First a conference championship. Then districts. An unbeaten record in duals, and a record number of qualifiers.It seemed only right that a state title was next for Mid-Buchanan boys' wrestling.The Dragons capped off a historic season by taking home the Class 1 team championship on Wednesday at Cable Dahmer Arena in Independence.Out of the school-record 12 athletes who qualified, nine came home with state medals, including sophomore Wade Stanton (182) and senior Creed Webster (195), who both won championships."We knew we could do it," Mid-Buchanan head coach Daniel Kountz said of his team's effort. "Just getting down here and getting the job done and watching them just work together. We drop a match here, they come back and answer right back and pick each other up. We'd just get on rolls and just keep winning."Stanton, who finishes 38-1 on the season, earned a third-period pin after his title match was scoreless after two periods."It feels pretty great," Stanton said at the end of his day. "It's hard to explain, but it feels amazing."Webster, who finishes at 39-1, had a first-period takedown and a third period escape to win his title bout, 3-0. He took first after medaling 4th as a junior last year. "It's a weight off my shoulders," he said. "I feel like all season we've really pushed to win as a team. For us to win as individuals, now it's done. It's a good feeling."The Dragons ran away with the team race Wednesday, finishing with 181 total points. Centralia was second with 144.As if Mid-Buchanan's run this season wasn't impressive enough, the boys' wrestling championship is the first team title for any boys' sport in school history."I'm proud of our kids, coaches, administrators, our community, everybody," Kountz said gratefully. "It took everybody to get it done. Hard work all the way around. We take a lot of pride in everything at Mid-Buch. Just proud of the whole situation."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615438140074.jpeg" alt="Mid-Buchanan's Creed Webster takes control during his title match on Wednesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Mid-Buchanan's Creed Webster takes control during his title match on Wednesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615438476701.jpeg" alt="Mid-Buchanan's Wade Stanton celebrates after winning his semifinal match at the Class 1 boys' state wrestling championships in Independence Wednesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Mid-Buchanan's Wade Stanton celebrates after winning his semifinal match at the Class 1 boys' state wrestling championships in Independence Wednesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>In all, 15 wrestlers from the KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area came home with medals in the Class 1 boys' state meet. Here's how the rest of the area wrestlers fared.285 &nbsp;Maysville’s Cole Gripka, a future wrestler for North Dakota State, won another state title Wednesday after rolling through his bracket. Gripka tallied three pins Wednesday - all of them coming in the first period.He ends his high school career, having won his last 75 matches in a row."It was kind of nice," Gripka said, reflecting on his last two seasons. "It's finally kind of sunk in. I'm not ready for it all to be over, but I guess it's too late for that. It's kind nice to cap off a season and a career like that, especially. I'm ready to go up to North Dakota and get to work."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615438587475.jpeg" alt="Maysville senior Cole Gripka salutes the crowd after winning his second state wrestling championship on Wednesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Maysville senior Cole Gripka salutes the crowd after winning his second state wrestling championship on Wednesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>106 Mid-Buchanan’s Ryder Coons comes home 4th after getting pinned in his final match. The freshman ends the season at 30-7.113 Mid-Buchanan sophomore Clancey Woodward comes home second after getting pinned late in the first period of his title match. Woodward ends an impressive season at 33-7.120 North Andrew junior Dawson Fansher comes home 5th after getting a 17-0 tech fall in his final match. Fansher finishes the year at 27-2.132 Maysville’s Brendan Barton finishes 4th after a 6-3 loss in his final match. Barton ends his freshman year at 30-11.138 Mid-Buchanan’s Butch Walters comes home 5th with a pin in his final match. Walters ends his senior year at 32-4.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615421867030.jpeg" alt="Butch Walters." />
 <figcaption>Butch Walters.</figcaption>
 </figure>145 &nbsp;Gallatin’s Draven Wright comes home 5th with a 15-3 major decision in his final match. A sophomore, Wright ends the year at 28-8.152 Mid-Buchanan’s Colton Kirkham is a 3rd place medalist with a 6-1 win in his final match. Kirkham, a freshman, ends his season at 28-10.Also in 152, Gallatin junior Rodell Sperry comes home second after falling 5-0 in his title match. Sperry ends the season with a 30-1 record.160 Mid-Buchanan’s Chase Davidson comes home 3rd, ending his day with a pin. Davidson ends his senior year at 35-2.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615438737606.jpeg" alt="Chase Davidson during his medal match." />
 <figcaption>Chase Davidson during his medal match.</figcaption>
 </figure>170 Mid-Buchanan’s Denton Biller also comes home 3rd after a 10-0 win in his final match. The sophomore Biller ends the year at 35-5. 195 &nbsp;Maysville’s Blayke Kolb finishes 4th with a 3-1 loss in his final match. Kolb finishes his senior year with a 23-7 record.285 Mid-Buchanan’s Seth Cruz comes home 4th after a tough 3-2 loss in his final match. Cruz ends his sophomore year at 29-11.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Mid-Buchanan wins state wrestling title, Stanton and Webster win gold medals