There has not been a team that is more synonymous with winning in the Missouri high school wrestling scene more than Liberty as of late.
The Blue Jays won their sixth consecutive state championship in Class 4 back in March as they finished with 187 points, which was 30 points ahead of second place Columbia Hickman.
Can Liberty make it seven in a row in 2025-26?
Well, if you ask head coach Dustin Brewer, his team may face their stiffest challenge yet with the Kewpies on the rise and St. Pius, a two-time defending state champion, likely being bumped up to Class 4, it may not be a given for Liberty to win it all again.
“We don’t have as much experience that we have had in the past, but we got a good group of young guys coming in,” Brewer said. “I think we are in the mix there. I think this is going to be one of the toughest state tournaments that we have had in a long time. Hickman and Pius are really, really good. We are excited to put it all on the line and see where we are at.”
Liberty graduated three state champions in 2025, including Devon Harrison, Trenton Bindel and Peyton Westpfhal.
Even after losing so many talented wrestlers, Liberty will still bring back wrestlers with plenty of big tournament experience.
Seniors Cade Dunn, Donovan Hodges and Will Pfiefer will be leaders on the team, Brewer said, and they all had success in 2024-25. Dunn earned his third all-state honor last season as he took fifth in a loaded 126-pound bracket and finished with a 35-10 record. Hodges captured his first state medal after placing sixth in the 175-pound weight class. Pfiefer qualified for state but did not place.
Junior Roman Stewart was the only non-senior for the Blue Jays to win an individual championship. He defeated then No. 1-ranked Colin Rutlin of Christian Brothers College and he finished with a 47-4 record.
Going into his junior season he’s looking to improve some aspects of his offense.
“I want to continue to kick up the pace and get to my shots,” Stewart said. “I want to move around and get to my attacks.”
“I have been working to get better on top and bottom and getting to my reattacks. I am always a few seconds late on that stuff, so if I can shore that up, that’s going to be a game changer.”
Junior Mason Bindel and sophomore Ross Davis also come back after finishing as runner-ups in their weight classes last season. Bindel finished 21-8 and lost to Lafayette-Wildwood’s Carter Brown in the championship match in the 215-pound weight division. Davis had a breakout campaign as he went 34-9 and fell to Parkway South’s Camron Duffield by tech fall.
“I am really working on getting in a better position and do better on bottom,” Bindel said. “I am working on my arts and crafts and doing everything I can to be a better wrestler.”
Other returning state qualifiers for Liberty are sophomores Rowdy Angst, Dominic Stinson and Justice Williams and junior Gavin Shelton.
The Blue Jays also welcomed a big addition in junior Cooper Kirkham, who transferred to Liberty from Mid-Buchanan. He was a runner-up in the Class 2, 157-pound weight class as he finished 42-5. He was a state qualifier as a freshman.
“Cooper works really hard and we like what we have seen so far,” Brewer said. “We are excited to see him go against some competition.”
Added Stewart: “Kirkham is a great practice partner. It’s good to drill with him. He just flows.”
Girls
The Liberty girls team finished with its best season in the history of the program last season as it finished in second place as a team in Class 2.
The Blue Jays totaled 88 points and finished in a tie with Francis Howell Central. Nixa ran away with first place with 139.5 points.
They had three state champions as now seniors Lilly Breeden (100 pounds), Sandy Breeden (105) and Alexis Stinson (235) all stood atop the podium.
Liberty also bring back one of its three state qualifiers in Heaven Patton.
“Every time you can return three state champions, that’s a good thing,” Brewer said. “They have a lot of experience. They have added some girls who didn’t have a lot of experience coming back. I think they are looking pretty good.”
Senior sister Lilly and Sandy Breeden both earned their second career state championships in 2024-25. Sandy defeated Francis Howell North’s Isabelle Apple 12-6 and ended with a 47-2 record at 105 pounds.
She has competed in multiple freestyle tournaments in the offseason, and has worked on sharpening her skills for a run at a third championship.
“I have been working on fixing my technique with hand fighting and shots and staying in a good position,” Sandy Breeden said. “I am working on the little things.
“I want to continue how well I did on offense. I am usually really heavy on offense. I want to continue to control the match.”
Lilly attended those same tournaments as Sandy and she’s gained valuable experience while traveling to Greensboro, N.C., Fargo, N.D. and Las Vegas.
“They all went really well,” Lilly Breeden said. “I had bigger goals set for myself at Fargo. But I still did really well and I was happy with how I did there. I think I will be going back this summer. I like how those tournaments have helped me grow.
“I have been working on my hand fighting and setting up my shots rather than just rushing in and diving in on them. Offense is a big thing I have been working on.”
Liberty will have multiple new girls in the lineup including senior Angel Patton and freshmen Kariann Robinson, but the Blue Jays still have some confidence that they can make a run at a state title.
“With how hard we are working and with the bond we have, I think we can push ourselves to get that state championship,” Lilly Breeden said.