Michael Smith
The Hannibal Pirates have six wrestlers currently ranked in the top six of their respective weights class in the MissouriWresrling.com individual polls. Not only that, they are ranked No. 3 in the team poll behind Whitfield and Hillsboro.
In Saturday’s Platte County Invitational , there were teams featured that were ranked in the top 10 of their Class poll such as St. Michael The Archangel Catholic and Mid-Buchanan. Even with some tough competition, Hannibal came out on top, taking first place with 366.5 points.
“The goal for this team at the end of the year is to be No. 1,” Hannibal senior Tristen Essig said. “We have a lot of potential in the room and a lot of hard workers.”
Platte County took second with 327.5 points and St. Michael was third with 314.5.
The Pirates had seven wrestlers who placed in the top three of their weight classes Saturday.
Hannibal sophomore Austin Brown (113 pounds), ranked No. 1 in Class 3, showed why he’s a top contender for a state championship. He controlled his match with No. 2-ranked Parker Lutz (in Class 2) from start to finish and came away with a 6-0 victory in the championship match to take first place.
Wrestler Interviews:
- Platte County’s Jaxson Shute (106)
- Hannibal’s Austin Brown (113)
- Excelsior Springs’ Cooper Collins (120)
- Hannibal’s Tristen Essig (132)
- Mid-Buchanan’s Spencer Cunningham (126)
- Carthage’s Bradyn Tate (138)
- Hannibal’s Cody Culp (144)
- Blue Springs’ Greg Dillon (150)
- Smithville’s Alex Hutchcraft (157)
- Helias Catholic’s Eli Homan (165)
- Mid-Buchanan’s Colton Kirkham (175)
- Helias Catholic’s Logan Montoya (190)
- Platte County’s Jake Fernandez (215)
- St. Michael’s Sampson Stillwell (285)
“I wrestled him at (the Kansas City) Stampede,” Brown said. “It was a really close match. He’s a really physical wrestler who likes to headbutt, so I had to be more physical.
“I felt like I scrambled pretty well.”
The 52nd Annual Platte County Wrestling Invitational is underway in the best Fieldhouse in the state! pic.twitter.com/v86iVjQrgd
— PIRATE ACTIVITIES (@PCHSAthletics1) January 19, 2024
Essig, like Brown, had an impressive victory in the championship match. He’s ranked No. 2 in his division in Class 3 and he pinned Excelsior Springs junior Ryne Marcum in 1:29 in the championship bout.
“I have wrestled him before and he kept going in and out,” Essig said. “As soon as I saw him reach across with that arm, I hit a drag and from there on I had the match.”
No. 3-ranked Cody Culp (144) of Hannibal had a marquee matchup in his championship match against No. 6-ranked Brennen Green of Smithville and he came away with a 10-2 major decision.
“I was just getting to my stuff and making it happen any way I can,” Culp said.
Other Hannibal wrestlers to finish in the top three were Ryan Ross (285, third), Reign Creech (120, second), Korbin Howe (126, second) and Peyton Elliot (150, second).
Below is a breakdown of the championship matches of the other weight classes not already mentioned:
106: No. 4-ranked Jaxson Shute of Platte County had a tough match against St. Michael sophomore Landon Lane, ranked No. 2, but he grinded out a 5-3 decision to earn a gold medal.
“I just had good fakes and good ties,” Shute said. “I was able to hit the drag and get some points out of the ties, too.”
120: Excelsior Springs Cooper Collins, ranked No. 2, had a big match with No. 3-ranked Creech and he put it away in 3:30 with a win by fall to earn first place.
“I think I drank too much water,” Collins said. “My stomach is not feeling the best. I got it done, though. I got a good takedown in there. He fell for the same move twice and I got him the second time with the spladle.”
126: Mid-Buchanan junior Spencer Cunningham, ranked No. 2 in Class 2, rode out Howe, ranked No. 5, in the third period to hang on for a 4-3 victory.
138: Carthage senior Bradyn Tate, ranked No. 5 in Class 4, didn’t allow No. 6-ranked Ryder Coons of Mid-Buch get in much offense in their title bout as he came away with an 8-1 decision.
150: Blue Springs senior Greg Dillon improved to 26-6 on the season following a 6-2 victory against Elliot.
157: No. 1-ranked Alex Hutchcraft of Smithville continued his strong season as he pinned Vance Provost of Olathe North in 5:51 to earn a gold medal and winning the outstanding wrestler award
165: Helias Catholic sophomore Eli Homan, ranked No. 6 in Class 3, pulled off an upset of No. 3-ranked Darrius Paige of Van Horn in the championship match as he edged his opponent 6-4.
“My game plan worked,” Homan said. “I stayed low so his single leg couldn’t get to me. I kept a low stance and blocked with my head. My leg riding scored most of my points today.”
175: No. 1-ranked Colton Kirkham’s match with No. 2-ranked Lucas Estes of St. Michael was a potential preview of the state championship match in their division. Kirkham controlled the match and ended up with a 7-2 decision to keep his top rank.
“I think I stayed in good position and scored some points,” Kirkham said. “I look forward to wrestling him again maybe in the district finals and the state finals.”
190: Helias Catholic senior Logan Montoya continued his stellar season. Ranked No. 1, Montoya dominated his match against fourth-ranked Brodie Purtle of St. Michael and got a pin in 4:44.
215: Former state champion Jake Fernandez, ranked No. 2, of Platte County had a marquee matchup against No. 3-ranked CJ Nelson of Van Horn and his second-period takedown held up in a 3-1 decision victory.
285: No. 1-ranked Sampston Stillwell of St. Michael made his match look easier than is should have been. He used a cradle to pin Blue Springs senior Conor Tindle, ranked No. 3 in Class 4, in 1:38.
