By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
The Mid-Buchanan boys’ wrestling team is a Class 1 state champion for a second straight year.
The Dragons finished at the top of the Class 1 race with 171.5 points at the MSHSAA state wrestling tournament at Mizzou Arena in Columbia. The Dragons had two state champions in freshman Spencer Cunningham at 106 pounds and junior Wade Stanton at 195 pounds.
Stanton finished his season with a 44-2 record, while Cunningham was 34-2. Of the 13 boys who qualified for state, seven came home with a state medal.
All other area state medalists
Class 1 113 - Mid-Buchanan’s Dallas Grippando medaled third. The senior finished his year at 27-5.
Class 1 126 - North Andrew’s Dawson Fansher medaled 2nd - his highest finish in his fourth year at state. He ended his senior season with a 31-1 record, falling in his title match in a 3-1 decision. Mid-Buchanan’s Clancey Woodward medaled 5th at 126 as well.
Class 1 145 - Maysville’s Kaleb Jestes medaled 2nd. The junior was 46-10 this year.
Class 1 160 - West Platte’s Cameron Williams medaled 3rd. The senior ended his season at 40-10. Mid-Buchanan’s Colton Kirkham medaled 5th at 160. The sophomore has now medaled at state twice.
Class 1 170 - Mid-Buchanan’s Zach Kelly medaled 5th, ending his junior year at 41-7.
Class 1 182 - Mid-Buchanan’s Denton Biller medaled 2nd. Meanwhile, Logan Bottcher of Gallatin medaled 4th and David Brown of West Platte 6th.
Class 1 195 - West Platte’s Lane Scott medaled 6th.
Class 1 285 - Mid-Buchanan’s Seth Cruz medaled 3rd for his second state medal. He beat Stanberry’s Austin Colven, who medaled 4th.
In Class 2, Cameron finished 4th in the team standings with 95 points and five state medalists.
Class 2 113 - Cameron’s Caleb Husch earned his third career state medal, finishing second. Savannah’s Gage Schottel medaled at state for a second straight year, coming home 5th.
Class 2 120 - Cameron’s Ryker Smith finished 3rd after medaling 2nd last year. Smith ends his senior year with a 41-1 record.
Class 2 126 - Cameron’s Tanner Riley medaled 2nd, ending his senior season at 49-4.
Class 2 138 - Cameron’s Brecken Gates medaled 4th after finishing 6th last year. Gates ends his senior year at 46-8.
Class 2 145 - Benton’s Bishop Rush got his first career state medal, coming home 4th. Cameron’s Chase Short medaled 5th.
Class 2 160 - Lafayette’s Jay Griener is a state champion after a 1-0 decision in his title match. Greiner, a junior, had medaled 2nd at state in both his freshman and sophomore seasons. Greiner ends the year at 61-1 - setting a state record for most wins in a single season.
Class 2 182 - Savannah’s Cooper Burnsides medaled 6th.
Girls' wrestling results
100 - Lafayettes' Isa'Bella Mendoza placed 6th, ending her senior year at 28-7. She'll go onto wrestle collegiately at Chadron State College.
110 - Mid-Buchanan's Haley Sampson placed second in her fourth state appearance. She finished her senior year at 36-7.
141 - Mid-Buchanan's Layson Hafley earned her second career state medal, placing 6th. She ends her senior year at 36-7.
174 - Plattsburg's Payge Fuller medaled at state for a third straight season, placing fourth. She ends her senior year at 24-4.
194 - Cameron's Hollie Hedgpath placed 6th after medaling at state last season. Her junior year ends at 32-10.