Spoofhounds send 6 to state
JASON LAWRENCE/DAILY FORUM
The Maryville wrestling team qualified six wrestlers for the Class 1 state tournament next weekend in Columbia. From left: sophomore Matt Twaddle (152), senior Nathaniel Alexander (126), senior heavyweight Brendan Weybrew, junior Jacob Partridge (113), junior Trevor Zimmerman (160) and sophomore Cayden Dunbar (132).
First-year Maryville head coach Connor Kellerstrass’ squad made a big impression at the Class 1, District 4 Tournament over the weekend, finishing in fifth place and advancing six wrestlers to state — the Spoofhounds’ most since sending eight in 2008 — after finishing seventh last year and not cracking 100 team points.
“It’s really exciting,” Kellerstrass said. “It’s the six guys that were seeded. They did their jobs and punched their tickets to Columbia. That’s all we can ask for.”
Maysville won the team title with 151 points, 15 points ahead of Marceline. Maryville finished with 102 points, just two points behind fourth-place Trenton.
Seniors Nathaniel Alexander and Brendan Weybrew will be making their fourth and final appearances in Columbia, and will be joined by sophomores Cayden Dunbar and Matt Twaddle, who will be making their second appearances. Juniors Jacob Partridge and Trevor Zimmerman round out the Spoofhounds’ contingency and will be making their first state tournament appearances.
“The more the merrier. It’s going to be good to bring that many down to state,” Dunbar said. “… Hopefully, we can all bring some hardware home. It’ll be a good time.”
Alexander was the first to punch his ticket to the final meet of the season — and while he didn’t have as easy of a road as last year, he won his second straight district crown at 126 lbs.
“It means a lot, honestly,” Alexander said. “Last year was kind of a joke because everybody made fun of me because I was the kid that only had five kids in his district bracket. I was byed to the semis, won my semifinal match and got a forfeit in the finals. There were people out there that didn’t think I earned it, and we all just joked around about it. This year was definitely a lot tougher. I really did have to earn it.”
Alexander (38-6) won his semifinal match Saturday morning over Gallatin’s Rian Critten (27-13), who also advanced to the state tournament by wrestling back and finishing fourth, via fall before picking up an 8-5 decision in the finals against Cameron Wheeler (28-15) of Carrollton, all while wrestling on a separated right shoulder suffered last weekend at the Panther Classic in Oak Grove.
“He toughed it out,” Kellerstrass said. “… He was pretty cautious all throughout the day, but he did what it took to win. Again, he found a way to give himself a better chance down there (in Columbia).”
Weybrew (36-6) came up just short in his quest for three straight District 4 heavyweight titles, losing a 1-0 decision to Brookfield’s Trevor White (34-1) in the championship match after pinning his first three opponents of the tournament.
White scored an escape point in the second period and then held on for the win by keeping his weight on the Maryville senior, who elected to start in the down position for the final period to try and recoup the point.
“It’s definitely gonna serve as some motivation because I honestly shouldn’t have lost that,” Weybrew said. “I should have worked on more leg-riding stuff I guess … it typically doesn’t happen at heavier weights.”
Maryville’s other four qualifiers had even tougher roads, having to win in the bubble round after suffering setbacks in the semifinals.
Partridge (15-31) lost to district champion Dylan Wheeler (52-2) of Marceline in the semifinals, but won a wrestleback with a third-period fall against Trenton’s Brendon Johnson (16-19) to clinch a spot in the top four. He lost the third place match to Carrollton’s Chase Wheeler (33-13) on a 7-4 decision, but with the stakes the highest he came through with a spot in the state tournament.
“It’s win or go home at this point. I don’t wanna go home,” Partridge said. “… I’m pumped. Words can’t describe how excited I am.”
Kellerstrass said Partridge struggled at the beginning of the season with being one of the smaller 113-pounders, but has found ways to win when it mattered despite his disadvantages.
“He’s finally got it figured out,” he said. “He gives up size and strength, but he’s found ways around it and been very successful the past couple weeks. It’s a good time to turn it on.”
Zimmerman (29-19) won his 160-lb. quarterfinal match over Stanberry’s John Shanks (28-15) via fall before losing to Josh Frank (32-11) of Carrollton in the semifinals. Frank finished second in the district.
However, Zimmerman bounced back with a pair of decisions in the consolation semifinals and the third place match.
He won a 5-4 decision over Maysville’s Nick Evans (34-23) in the consolation semifinals to punch his ticket to his first state tournament and followed it up by beating Shanks for the second time in as many days, this time on the strength of a 10-8 decision, to claim third place.
“I’m really excited,” Zimmerman said. “It’s something new. It’s something I’ve always wanted to accomplish since I started wrestling.”
Dunbar (35-15) won his quarterfinal match before losing in the semifinals to eventual 132-lb. district champion Drew Rorebeck (35-8) of Trenton. Dunbar came back with a pin against Kevin Cooley (21-19) of Penney in the consolation semifinals to make it back to the state tournament.
Dunbar lost a 12-0 major decision to Gallatin’s Wyatt Bird (34-9) in the third place match, but is excited to get back to Columbia and improve on his performance from a season ago.
“It was good to get a feel for it last year,” Dunbar said. “I didn’t do as well as I would’ve liked to last year, but my goal is this year to go down there, win a few matches and hopefully bring a medal home.”
Twaddle (22-11) returned from a back injury sustained in the first round of the MEC Tournament in Cameron on Jan. 24 to make it back to the state tournament in what Kellerstrass called a “tough weight class.”
“All of the top four kids are all neck and neck and neck, they’re all really close,” Kellerstrass said. “This is the first time he’s competed in three weeks, so it was great for him to get back out there.”
Twaddle won a 6-2 decision over Stanberry’s Clayton Stoll (22-14) in the quarterfinals before suffering a setback against Maysville’s Reid Steiner (41-10), who finished second at 152 lbs., in the semifinals. Twaddle responded with a 7-1 decision over Gallatin’s Corbin Toney (10-9) in the consolation semifinals, lifting a weight off the sophomore’s shoulders, even though he still isn’t in as good of shape as he’d like coming off the injury.
“I think it helped in the long run,” Twaddle said of his absence, which held him out of an additional six duals and a pair of tournaments. “I don’t have very much pain anymore, but it hurts the condition that I’m in because I’m not in as good of shape right now, but all-in-all, it’s nice to get healthy.”
Twaddle lost the third place match to Carrollton’s Luke Staton (36-16) on an 8-6 decision, but expects to build on his progress at the final tournament of the season next weekend.
“It’s nice to get back down there,” Twaddle said. “It’s a stress relief, a big weight off my shoulders, but when I get down there I expect to get back to business, win a few matches and hopefully place.”
Maryville nearly had seven state qualifiers as freshman 145-pounder Alex Thompson (4-14) picked up as many wins in districts as he did during the regular season before losing a 12-1 major decision in the bubble round to Polo’s Jake Leonard (32-20).
Thompson pinned Albany’s Billy Quigley (17-33) and Brookfield’s Garrett Gardner (4-28) in the second and third rounds on the consolation side of the bracket, but couldn’t quite keep his storybook tournament alive.
“I wish he would’ve turned it on a little earlier, and so does he, but it was great,” Kellerstrass said. “He knows what it takes now, and he’ll be ready for next year.”
Maryville’s six participants will take part in the 85th annual MSHSAA Wrestling Championships beginning Thursday, Feb. 19 and running through Saturday, Feb. 21 at Mizzou Arena on the campus of the University of Missouri in Columbia.
“We’ve punched our ticket down there,” Kellerstrass said. “We’ve got another week to get better.”
JASON LAWRENCE/DAILY FORUM
Maryville senior Nathaniel Alexander pushes down on Gallatin’s Rian Critten’s head to keep him from getting a solid hold in their 126 lb. semifinal match Saturday morning. Alexander pinned Critten and won the Class 1, District 4 championship with a 8-5 decision over Carrollton’s Cameron Wheeler — Alexander’s second straight district title at 126 lbs.
Maryville sophomore 220-pounder Ryan Owens tries to keep Trenton’s Jeremiah Chipps in check during their consolation match Saturday morning. Chipps won a 7-1 decision to advance into the consolation semifinals, and ultimately the state tournament.
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Maryville senior heavyweight Brendan Weybrew snaps Stanberry’s Elroy Anderson in their semifinal matchup at the Class 1, District 4 Tournament Saturday. Weybrew pinned Anderson in the second period and eventually finished second in his weight class to move on to next weekend’s state tournament.
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Maryville junior 113-pounder Jacob Partridge tries rolling Trenton’s Brendon Johnson onto his back during their consolation semifinal match. Partridge pinned Johnson in the third period to advance to the third place match, which he lost 7-4, but still advanced to his first-ever state tournament.
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Maryville sophomore Matt Twaddle, back, throws Gallatin’s Corbin toney to the mat in their 152 lb. consolation semifinal match. Twaddle won a 7-1 decision to advance to the state tournament. He finished fourth in the 152 lb. weight class.
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Maryville junior Jacob Partridge tries to break free of the grasp of Carrollton’s Chase Wheeler during Wheeler’s 7-4 win in Saturday’s Class 1, District 4 113 lb. third-place match.
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Maryville assistant coach Kemper Kellerstrass congratulates 126 lb. senior Nathaniel Alexander after he won his second straight district title, with a 8-5 decision over Carrollton’s Cameron Wheeler.
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Maryville 160 lb. junior Trevor Zimmerman hoists Stanberry’s John Shanks onto his back before taking him down in their third-place matchup at Saturday’s Class 1, District 4 Tournament. Zimmerman held on for a 10-8 decision victory.
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Maryville senior Brendan Weybrew tries to take control of Brookfield’s Trevor White in the Class 1, District 4 title match. White claimed a second-period escape to account for the only point in his 1-0 decision victory over Weybrew, which denied the Maryville heavyweight of his third straight district crown.
