The 2022-23 season is the first one in which the girls division was separated into two classes.
That allowed some of the smaller schools to have a better chance at winning a team state title at the Missouri State High School Girls Wrestling Championships.
With Lebanon, a team that has won three out of the last four state championships, moving to Class 2, that opened the door for Kearney to swoop in and get its first state title.
The Bulldogs didn’t have a single first-place finisher but edged Brookfield 75.5-70 to take home a first-place plaque Thursday at Mizzou Arena in Columbia. Brookfield took second, Cassville was third with 62 points and Cameron was fourth with 57 points.
Wrestler Interviews:
- 2023 Class 1 Girls, 3rd place: Aleah Conard, El Dorado Springs
- 2023 Class 1 Girls, 5th place: Louzella Graham, Seneca
- 2023 Class 1 Girls, 3rd place: Lauren Phillips, Oak Grove
- 2023 Class 1 Girls, 5th place: Charlie Gregg, Holden
- 2023 Class 1 Girls, 5th place: Noellie Parrott, Smithville
- 2023 Class 1 Girls, 5th place: Madisynn Crawford, Kirksville
- 2023 Class 1 Girls, Sophomore State Champ: Mid-Buch’s 1st girls state champ: Delanie Smith, Mid-Buchanan
- 2023 Class 1 Girls, Freshman State Champ: Jayden Keller, Brookfield
- 2023 Class 1 Girls, Freshman State Champ: Jade Brundige, Savannah
- 2023 Class 1 Girls, Undefeated Sophomore State Champ (2x champ): Cassidy Benwell, North Point
- 2023 Class 1 Girls, Undefeated Freshman State Champ: Brenne Gibbs, Moberly
- 2023 Class 1 Girls, Senior State Champ: Kali Schuster, Mid-Buchanan
- 2023 Class 1 Girls, Sophomore State Champ: Amitria McNack, Clinton
- 2023 Class 1 Girls, Senior State Champ: Iasiah Turrentine, Harrisonville
- 2023 Class 1 Girls, Junior State Champ: Justice Brewer, Cameron
- 2023 Class 1 Girls, Senior State Champ: Alayna Ray, Sikeston
Kearney had four wrestlers take home medals including Riley Walker (105, fourth), Bailey Martin (110, third), Savannah McDowell (120, fourth) and Hailey Romero (170, second)….