The Mexico boys wrestling team is in a good position to win their first state title since 2018.
The Bulldogs have six wrestlers who advanced to the finals in the Class 2 Missouri State High School Wrestling Championships Wednesday at Mizzou Arena in Columbia. Mexico currently has a solid lead in first place with 76 points.
Ste. Genevieve is in second place with 64, Seneca is in third with 61.5 and Father Tolton Catholic is in fourth with 61.
Savannah (fifth, 59.5) and Odessa (sixth, 53.5) are just on the outside looking in for a state trophy, which goes to the top four teams, but are still in contention.
Below is a summary of the upcoming semifinal matchups that will take place today and how each wrestler got there.
106: Logan Rogersville sophomore Dawson Ritter, ranked No. 12, got a pin in the first round before he earned an upset 10-6 win over No. 1 seed Jace Amschler 10-6 in the quarterfinals to stay alive for a state championship. He will match up with Mexico freshman Trevor Cole, who improved to 48-0 following a 20-1 tech fall win over Chillicothe sophomore Marshall Boon in the second round.
Cassville junior Boni Lopez, ranked No. 11, advanced to the semifinals on the other side of the bracket following a pin of Hallsville junior Tyler Dumas. He will have a tough matchup with Oak Grove junior Kale Martin, ranked No. 1, who had pins in both his matches as he spent a total of 2:30 on the mat.
Semifinalists:
Trevor Cole of Mexico
Boni Lopez of Cassville
Dawson Ritter of Logan-Rogersville
Kale Martin of Oak Grove
113: Ste. Genevieve Kobe Fallert, ranked No. 7, punched his ticket to the semifinals following a 14-4 major decision victory over St. Joseph Benton junior Cristian Mora Perez. Fallert will take on Lutheran St. Charles sophomore Caleb Dyer, who is ranked No. 1. The sophomore took down Chilicothe freshman Riggin Isaacs by a 18-1 tech fall.
On the other side of the bracket, Mexico junior Carlos Juarez-Ramirez, ranked No. 2, will face Southern Boone Peter Heyen in the penultimate round. Juarez-Ramirez pinned Richmond sophomore Raiden Sullivan in the quarterfinals and Heyen, ranked No. 3, got a third-period pin against Oak Grove freshman Lex Johnson.
Semifinalists:
Kobe Fallert of Ste. Genevieve
Caleb Dyer of Lutheran St. Charles
Carlos Juarez-Ramirez of Mexico
Peter Heyen of Southern Boone
120: Savannah junior Landon Smith, ranked No. 6, rolled to a 14-0 win over Hollister sophomore Carter Whiteman in the quarterfinals to advance to the next round. He will see Pleasant Hill Victor Schmalz, ranked No. 4, in the semifinals. The senior pinned Maplewood Richmond Heights Chad Brauss in the second round to advance.
On the other side of the bracket, Hallsville senior Parker Crane earned his spot in the semifinals following a first-period pin over Clinton junior Evan Dubina. Crane will see Mid-Buchanan sophomore Colby Schreck, ranked No. 3, who made it to the semifinals after a 16-0 tech fall victory over Osage freshman Izaiah Vela.
Semifinalists:
Paxton Crane of Hallsville
Colby Schreck of Mid-Buchanan
Landon Smith of Savannah
Victor Schmalz of Pleasant Hill
126: St. Genevieve junior Brody Winters, ranked No. 2, won 11-4 against Excelsior Springs Logan Bates in the quarterfinals to punch his ticket to the final four. In his next match, he will take on Mexico sophomore Logan Hilderman, who pinned Logan Rogersville junior Zion Hibbert in overtime.
In the other semifinal, Father Tolton Catholic senior Christopher Ankenman will be going for his fourth state title, but will have to get by Richmond senior Brady Hyer. Ankenman pinned Cassville junior Rylen Holman in the quarters to advance and Hyer, ranked No. 5, got a second-period pin against Seneca freshman Hudsyn Russell.
Semifinals:
Brody Winters of Ste. Genevieve
Christopher Ankenman of Father Tolton Regional Catholic
Logan Hilderman of Mexico
Brady Hyder of Richmond
132: Clinton freshman Tianta Mcnack advanced to the semifinals after getting a third-period pin over Knob Noster senior Raef Braman. He will take on Seneca junior Caden Broom, who pinned St. Charles West freshman Colton Harris in 2:21.
On the other side of the bracket, Father Tolton Catholic Graden Anderson, ranked No. 1, will compete in the semifinals as he advanced following a 16-1 tech fall win over Herculaeum junior Lucas Aslinger in the quarterfinals. He will see Monett sophomore Kade Adams, who edged St. Joseph Benton sophomore Coltyn Hollingsworth 11-10.
Semifinalists:
Graden Anderson of Father Tolton Regional Catholic
Caden Groom of Seneca
Kade Adams of Monett
Tianta Mcnack of Clinton
138: Moberly freshman Logan Banker advanced to the next round after a 13-5 major decision over Maplewood Richmond Heights Leon Lungu in the quarters. Banker will see Odessa sophomore Makai Smalley in the semifinals. Smalley earned a 13-3 major decision against Owensville senior Steven Buddemeyer.
In the other semifinal, Seneca senior Eli Manley, ranked No. 1, will face off with Savannah junior Lawson Francis, ranked No. 2. Francis got a 19-3 tech fall win over Father Tolton senior Martin Harrison and Manley got a third-period pin over Excelsior Springs junior Carson Vandoeemalen.
Semifinalists:
Logan Banker of Moberly
Eli Manley of Seneca
Makai Smalley of Odessa
Lawson Francis of Savannah
144: Richmond freshman Ryan Sharp, ranked No. 4, earned a spot in the semifinals after a 10-6 victory over St. Genevieve senior Cameron Vogt. Sharp will face Seneca junior Brant Laughlin, ranked No. 1, who defeated Odessa junior Kamden Hooper 13-4.
On the other side of the bracket, Knob Noster Elijah Avery made it to the semifinals after an 8-2 win over Owensville freshman Bo Buddemeyer. The No. 5-ranked Avery will take on Excelsior Springs senior Cooper Collins, who won by a 17-1 tech fall Clinton junior Connor Brammell.
Semifinals:
Brant Laughlin of Seneca
Cooper Collins of Excelsior Springs
Ryan Sharp of Richmond
Elijah Avery of Knob Noster
150: St. Genevieve Drake Meyer, ranked No. 4, will have a chance to win a state title on Thursday. He advanced to the semifinals following a pin in just 26 seconds over Hollister junior Cole Escobar. Meyer will face Osage senior Brock Aarowood, who won a high scoring match with Kirksville senior Justin Schutter 19-15.
In the other semifinal, Father Tolton senior Benjamin Schroder will go against two-time state champion Jet Brown of Odessa. Schroder, ranked No. 6, took a 16-8 major decision over Seneca sophomore Dawson Manley. Brown made it to the next round following a pin in 1:01 over Winfield senior Ayden Amos.
Semifinalists:
Drake Meyer of Ste. Genevieve
Benjamin Schroeder of Father Tolton Regional Catholic
Brock Arrowood of Osage
Jet Brown of Odessa
157: Mexico junior Kyler Carr, ranked No. 3, will have a chance to win his first state championship as he advanced to the semifinals with a 15-5 major decision over St. Joseph Benton senior Gage Snodgrass. Carr will have to try and get by Fulton senior Andrew Currier, who earned an upset win over Odessa junior Lake Waters in a 10-5 decision.
On the other side of the bracket, No. 1-ranked Grant Leininger will take on Savannah sophomore Caylor Schrick. Leininger pinned Oak Grove sophomore Amos Parks in 3:19 to advance, while Schrick won by fall in the third period in his match with Clinton junior Brody Barnhart.
Semifinalists:
Grant Leininger of Southern Boone
Kyler Carr of Mexico
Andrew Currier of Fulton
Caylor Schrick of Savannah
165: Postosi junior Carter Pyatt, ranked No. 4, earned a spot in the semifinals following a 13-2 major decision over Maryville junior Bryce Bennett. Pyatt will see Hollister senior Bryson Whitman, ranked No. 3, who won a tight battle with Kirksville senior Austyn Hunter, ranked No. 1, 6-5.
On the other side of the bracket, Cassville senior Tristan Thompson will see Savannah senior Deagen Pasley. Thompson, ranked No. 2, won by fall over Gateway Science Center junior Trevon Bledsoe in 1:25, while Pasley earned a 19-1 tech fall over St. Genevieve junior Owen Roth.
Semifinalists:
Carter Pyatt of Potosi
Tristan Thompson of Cassville
Bryson Whitman of Hollister
Deagen Pasley of Savannah
175: Clinton senior Payton Goth, ranked No. 6, will get to compete in the semifinals as he made it there after a 18-1 tech fall victory against Normandy Collaborative senior Chrishod Sims. Goth will see No. 3-ranked Savannah junior Kaiden Phillips, who pinned Monett junior Henry Reed in 1:08.
On the other side of the bracket, Mid-Buchanan senior Galen Christiansen will take on Cassville senior Colton Roark, ranked No. 1. Christiansen got a 16-1 tech fall win against Eldon senior Canon Copeland, while Roark took down Maryville junior Kendrick Watkins in 45 seconds with a pin.
Semifinalists:
Colton Roark of Cassville
Payton Goth of Clinton
Kaiden Phillips of Savannah
Galen Christiansen of Mid-Buchanan
190: Chillicothe senior Tucker Slattery advanced to the semifinals by getting a pin in 3:51 of Moberly senior Landon Smith. He will have to get past Odessa junior Michael Scott, ranked No. 4, who got a pin in the third period against Boonville Clayton Schuster.
In the other semifinal, Mexico senior Grant Walker, ranked No. 3, will face Seneca senior Jace Renfro, ranked No. 1. Walker won 4-1 over Oak Grove senior Elliott Atwell and Renfro also earned a 4-1 victory of his own over Savannah senior Braylon Ellis.
Semifinalists:
Grant Walker of Mexico
Jace Renfro of Seneca
Michael Scott of Odessa
Tucker Slattery of Chillicothe
215: Maryville senior Sadler Viau, ranked No. 8, punched his ticket to the semifinals after he grinded out a 3-2 ultimate tiebreaker win over Ste. Genevieve senior Madden Wolk. He will take on St. James senior Joshua Carpenter, ranked No. 3. Carpenter pinned Winfield junior Alexavier Bennett in 1:53 to make it to the final four.
On the other side of the bracket, Nevada senior Dj Glidewell, ranked No. 2, will see Boonville sophomore Bryce Newham. Glidewell got a 17-1 tech fall win over Fulton sophomore Hijratullah Mashai, while Newham, ranked No. 1, earned a 12-2 major decision vs. Harrisonville senior Bryson Cecil.
Semifinalists:
Bryce Newham of Boonville
Dj Glidewell of Nevada
Joshua Carpenter of St. James
Sadler Viau of Maryville
285: Mexico junior Travis Schramek advanced to the semifinals as he won by fall in 1:59 over St. James sophomore Lucas Jackson. He will take on Normandy Collaborative freshman Nicholas Turner, who took down Moberly sophomore Carter Bloss by pin in the second round.
In the other semifinal, Father Tolton junior Myles Nuzum will compete against Ste. Genevieve senior Jacob Warren. Nuzum blanked Nathan Morefield-Crayt of North County 7-0, and Warren, ranked No. 3, won by fall over Maryville junior Kaden Watkins in 2:44.
Semifinalists:
Jacob Warren of Ste. Genevieve
Nicholas Turner of Normandy Collaborative
Myles Nuzum of Father Tolton Regional Catholic
Travis Shramek of Mexico