By: Chris Geinosky
Liberty drills neighboring Bulldogs in a matchup of state contenders
KEARNEY – There are statements. Then there’s what Liberty High School did to one of the most decorated wrestling programs in the state of Missouri.
Over the past two decades, few teams can match the outstanding success enjoyed by Kearney, a state powerhouse that has 11 all-state team trophies to its credit in the past 12 years – and 17 consecutive campaigns of cracking the top 10 at the state tournament. But none of that made the Blue Jays even blink Tuesday, Dec. 10, at Kearney High School.
Nationally ranked Liberty put on an absolute clinic in what turned into a stunning 67-3 beatdown in a highly anticipated early-season match between reigning Missouri state runner-ups – Liberty in Class 4 and Kearney in Class 3. It’s safe to say that all wrestling fans in attendance understand why the Blue Jays are currently ranked No. 26 in the nation according to Intermat.com’s Fab 50 Team Rankings.
“This was a good test for us,” Liberty head coach Dustin Brewer said. “Kearney always has tough kids, and we knew we were going to get in some matches where we were going to have to push ourselves. I’m super proud of the way we wrestled.”