COLUMBIA – The Liberty boys wrestling team looks like its well on its way to a sixth straight state title.
The Blue Jays have a comfortable lead after day one of the Missouri State High School Wrestling Championships Friday at Mizzou Arena as they are in first place with 90.5 points. Columbia Hickman is in second place with 74 points, Neosho is third with 73.5 and Lafayette Wildwood is fourth with 66.
Staley is outside the top four as it is in fifth with 62 points.
Cade Dunn (126), Devon Harrison (132), Ross Davis (138), Roman Stewart (144), Peyton Westpfahl (190), Masen Bindel (215) and Trenton Bindel (285) are all in the semifinals for Liberty. Rowdy Angst (100) and Gavin Shelton (113) are still alive for a state medal and are in the consolation bracket.
Below is a breakdown of those who made it to the semifinals and what the matchups will be on Saturday
106: Christina Brothers College freshman Kosta Hatzgeorgiou made a strong debut in his first state tournament, He won 6-2 against Angst to advance to the semifinals. In his next match, he will go against Francis Howell North sophomore Wyatt Dannegger, who earned a 10-1 major decision against Park Hill sophomore Caden Brayfield.
In the other semifinal, Lafayette Wildwood sophomore Max Rowe will take on Staley senior Gunner Dahms. Rowe won by fall over Neosho’s Marztian Ioanis in 2:35, while Dahms took a 11-1 major decision against Seckman freshman Kaemen Orine.
113: Park Hill junior Mason Brayfield will get a shot at winning his first state championship. He won 10-3 against Christian Brothers College freshman Wylon Burress to advance. He will take on Northwest senior Lucas Meier in the next round. Meier won 9-1 against Liberty sophomore Gavin Shelton in the quarterfinal.
On the other side of the bracket, Seckman sophomore Dorrian Clark will lock up with defending state champion Kaison Schreier of Fort Osage. Clark had a 16-0 tech fall victory over North Point junior Brody Apenbrinck, while Schreier won by tech fall against Lafayette Wildwood senior Jackson Tenny.
120: Lafayette Wildwood sophomore Riley Sumner made his way to the semifinals after winning a 10-0 major decision against Raymore-Peculiar junior Kamdon Van Holton. In the penultimate round, he will take on Columbia Hickman sophomore Hogan Benter, who edged Liberty junior Will Pfiefer 7-5 in the quarters.
Jackson junior Grady Rice will be in the other semifinal as he made it after squeaking by Glendale senior Shawn Lang 3-2. He will see Park Hill senior Erik Egstad next. The Trojan senior pinned Seckman freshman Carson Owens with 5 seconds left in regulation to advance.
126: Ft. Zumwalt North senior Nathaniel Provost, who took fourth at 120 pounds last season, will have another chance at winning a state title. He went on to the next round after pinning Lafayette Wildwood junior Calum Brown. He will face off with Staley senior Zayne Reynolds, who edged Carthage sophomore Caden Groom 5-4 in the quarterfinals.
On the other side of the bracket, three-time state champion Hank Benter of Columbia Hickman will face off with Liberty junior Cade Dunn. Benter won by a 18-2 tech fall against Antonio Martinez of Fort Osage, while Dunn earned a 16-5 major decision against Ozark senior Keaton Hurst.
132: Lafayette sophomore Caleb Frankenberger made it to the semifinals after he won by fall in 5:47 against Ozark freshman Colton Wilson in the third round. He will have a tough matchup in the semifinals against Liberty senior Devon Harrison, who pinned Francis Howell junior Dalton Lilledhal in 26 seconds.
On the other side of the bracket, Hickman freshman Quincey Crawford will go against Neosho sophomore Kelton Shaffer. Crawford snuck by Grain Valley junior Zac Blees 3-1 and Staffer took a 7-3 decision against Jackson junior Kade King.
138: Parkway South sophomore Camron Duffield is the favorite to win his bracket. He showed why as he won by major decision, 17-4, over Ft. Zumwalt North sophomore Patrick Provost. He will run into Ozark senior Caden Harrington in the penultimate round. Harrington got a takedown in overtime to defeat North Point’s Brody Kell 7-4.
At the bottom of the bracket, Republic junior Keaton Overcast will wrestle Liberty freshman Ross Davis. Overcast got a late reversal in his match to win 5-3 against Hickman sophomore Brady McMurtry. Davis took a 10-0 major decision over Christian Brothers College’s Michael Poulette.
144: Christian Brothers Colin Rutlin is the favorite to win his weight class, and he looked strong on Friday as he won by tech fall, 22-6, over Park Hill South sophomore Landen Mcdowell in the quarterfinals. Rutlin will have to get by Willard senior Caleb Caldwell in the next round. Caldwell won by a 4-1 decision against Hickman sophomore Shane Oswald.
North Point senior Leo Buchheit will be in the semifinals at the bottom of the bracket and will face off with Liberty sophomore Roman Stewart. Buchheit won 9-0 against Raymore-Peculiar junior Evan Gatlin, while Stewart won by fall over Neosho’s Fisher Butler in 2 minutes.
150: Seckman sophomore Chance Ruble didn’t give up a single point in his semifinal match with Willard senior Noah Rogers as he took a 4-0 win. He will take on a familiar opponent in Fort Osage senior Colby Gray, who edged North Point senior Kaden Purler 7-6 in the quarters. Gray and Ruble split a pair of matches earlier in the season, with each winning one.
On the other side of the bracket, Hickman junior Jordan Fincher will see Nixa sophomore Reed Wilson in the semifinals. Fincher won by fall over Staley junior Lester Brown in 5:18, while Wilson grinded out a 3-2 win over Lafayette Wildwood senior Aidan Schoen.
157: Rolla senior Kayden Kinder will get a chance to win his first state title as he will take on Lee’s Summit West junior Grady Mortensen in the next round. Kinder won 6-1 over Blue Springs South sophomore Cy Wilmes to advance, while Mortensen earned a 15-0 tech fall win over Hickman junior Taryn Nichols.
In the other semifinal, Lafayette Wildwood senior Jeremiah Drake will clash with Staley senior and defending state champion David Gleason. Drake got a penalty point in overtime to edge Neosho’s Carter Howard 2-1. Gleason earned a 18-3 tech fall over Francis Howell North junior Cole Dillon to seal his spot in the final four.
165: Staley senior Merrik Murray is looking for his first state championship and he set himself up with a chance to do that by winning 21-5 over Troy Buchanan senior Blake Tharp. He will go against defending state champion Luke Hayden of Hickman. The Kewpie sophomore won by fall over Liberty freshman Justice Williams in 1:46 to move on.
Francis Howell North senior Collin Conley will be in the other semifinal match with Park Hill senior Sammy Mormino. Conley pinned Neosho sophomore Lincoln Howard in 4:37 to advance and Mormino got a pin of his own in 2:55 over Christian Brothers College junior Tanner Faulkner.
175: Hickman sophomore Beau Waldron will take aim at his first state championship. He advanced to the next round after earning an 8-4 decision over Northwest sophomore Cohenn Stark. He will take on Neosho junior Kaymon Rhone next. Rhone won by fall in 1:43 over Liberty junior Donovan Hodges.
Francis Howell Central sophomore Samuel Golden will get a crack at a state championship as he advanced to the semifinals after a 4-1 win in overtime over Jackson sophomore Joah Moore. He will try and take down Fort Osage junior Isaac Ward, who won 20-12 against Ozark senior Dayton Moison.
190: Christian Brothers College junior Trey Craig had little trouble advancing to the semifinals. He pinned Lee’s Summit junior Michael Held in 40 seconds to make it to the next round. He will have a tall task in the semifinals. He will face former teammate Peyton Westpfahl of Liberty. The senior pinned Liberty Wentzville’s Mason Hueber in the quarters.
On the other side of the bracket, Ft. Zumwalt North junior Deacon Moran will wrestle Neosho junior Chase Kivett. Moran won by fall in 2:47 against Kirkwood senior Sutton Ivy, while Kivett won by injury forfeit over Lee’s Summit North senior Tyler Andrade.
215: Lafayette Wildwood sophomore Carter Brown will take a swing for his first state championship as he advanced to the semifinals. He took a 15-0 tech fall win over Lee’s Summit North junior Barrett Lawless to move forward. He will see Willard junior Porter Talbot next. Talbot won by fall in 45 seconds against Staley senior Maer Deng.
In the other semifinal, Republic senior Chase Hicks will take on Liberty sophomore Masen Bindel. Hicks won by fall in 4:33 over Francis Howell North’s Garo Sams. Bindel got an escape in overtime and rode out Ozark’s Ruben Arvizu to take a 2-1 win in overtime.
285: Neosho junior Everson Tomlinson is aiming for his first state championship. He won 4-1 over Jackson junior Brysen Wessell to make it to the next round. He will have a tall task coming up in the semifinals as he will face two-time state champion Elmotie Williams of Liberty North. Williams pinned Lee’s Summit West junior Noah Patton in 1:40 to keep his chances of a third state title alive.
On the other side of the bracket Liberty senior Trenton Bindel will clash with Staley senior Kamaha’o Grace. Bindel won by fall in just 42 seconds over Ozark’s Isaiah Collins. Grace got a takedown in overtime to edge Willard’s Brady Griffin 4-1.
