Michael Smith
The Hannibal wrestling team has had nine state trophies in the history of the program.
None of those, however, were that state championship trophy.
That could change on Saturday as the Pirates head into the second day of the Class 3 Missouri State High School Wrestling Championships in first place with 70 points Friday at Mizzou Arena in Columbia. Carl Junction is right behind them in second place with 61.5 points. Defending state champion Hillsboro is third with 53 and Fort Zumwalt South is fourth with 50.5.
The Class 3 wrestlers competed all the way through two rounds of wrestle backs and into the semifinals in the winner’s bracket. Hannibal has six wrestlers in the semifinals, while Carl Junction has five.
Below is a breakdown of the semifinals matchups and how each wrestler made it there:
106: No. 3-ranked sophomore Aiden Hahn of Farmington made it to the semifinals as he took down Rolla freshman Tristan Ace 11-1 to keep his state title hopes alive. In that bout he will take on Platte County freshman Jaxson Shute, whose ranked No. 4. Shute pinned Washington freshman Gable Ohm to make it.
On the other side of the bracket, Helias Catholic freshman Daemen Duemmel will take on Branson freshmen Ryzen Isringhausen. Duemmel edged No. 1-ranked Zayden Teson of Warrenton 3-1 to pull off the upset. Isringhausen topped Hillsboro sophomore James Penick 5-0 to make it to the final four.
113: Warrenton junior Manny McCauley ranked No. 4, punched his ticket to the semifinals after beating Hillsboro sophomore Evan Litzsinger 5-1. In that match, he will take on Carl Junction junior Carter Foglesong, who is ranked No. 2 and pinned Fort Zumwalt South junior Kanyon Shurtz in the quarterfinals.
In the other semifinal, Hannibal sophomore Austin Brown, ranked No. 1, will take on Winnetonka sophomore Tyrre Broom. Brown, who placed third at state last season, will have a chance to get his third state title. He pinned McDonald County sophomore Eberson Perez in the first period to get closer to that achievement. Broom edged Jefferson City junior Makoa Castillo 5-3 to advance.
120: No. 1-ranked Carter Wallis of Hillsboro, a sophomore, went one step closer to winning a state title as he advanced to the semifinals following a pin in 2:19 against Pacific senior Caden Browning in the quarters. In the semis, Wallis will see Hannibal senior Reign Creech, ranked No. 3. Creech won by fall over Platte County senior Cade Hulett to advance.
In the other semifinal match, Kearney junior Ryder Shelton will take on Carl Junction senior Sam Melton. Melton beat North Point freshman Brody Kell 6-4 to make it to the final four. Shelton, ranked No. 2, and a two-time state champion pinned Whitefield sophomore Jackson Bassett in 20 seconds to make it.
126: Farmington junior Presely Johnson, ranked No. 2, made it to the semifinals as he beat Hannibal sophomore Korbin Howe 8-3 in the quarters. He will see Fort Zumwalt South senior Zack Tihen, ranked No. 3, who won by fall in just 48 seconds against Webster Groves senior Bradley Holder.
On the other side of the bracket, Whitfield senior Porter Matecki is knocking on the door to being a four-time state champion. He is one step closer to that after bearing Hillsboro junior Jordan Penick by a 18-3 tech fall. Matecki, ranked No. 1, will take on Warrenton senior…
