Michael Smith
Wrestlers from around the Midwest wanted to get in some good competition last Saturday.
That was especially the case since there hasn’t been a major wrestling tournament for most in the area since USA Wrestling Junior and 16U National Tournament in Fargo, N.D. in July.
Some were getting some reps in and preparing for the Super 32 Challenge that will take place from Oct. 21-22 in Greensboro, N.C. It’s one of the biggest Folkstyle tournaments for youth, middle school- and high-school aged competitors in the country.
Saturday’s Super Early 32 Tournament in Belton gave wrestlers the chance to compete and get some work in before the marquee event in October. Wrestlers from Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Texas participated in the event.
MissouriWrestling.com breaks down the top finishes by in-state high-school aged competitors for each weight bracket.
106: Francis Howell Central sophomore Chase Gray is not one to bask in the glory of victory. He was thinking of ways to improve even after taking first place in his weight division. He pinned Mat Prine of Des Moines, Iowa in the finals to earn a first-place medal.
“I think I wrestled decent but there is always room for improvement,” Gray said. “I have a lot to prepare for if I want to reach my goals.”
120: Odessa freshman Jet Brown is one of top wrestlers in the state and should be a force in his first year competing at the high school level in 2023-24. He had a tough bracket which featured state medalist Zac Bleess of Grain Valley, two-time state medalist Damien Moseley of Ozark and two-time defending state champion Ryder Shelton of Kearney.
Brown managed to get second place with a 13-11 win over Shelton in overtime and a 6-5 win over Blees to make it to the finals, where he would fall to Gage Spurgeon of Eddyville, Iowa, 2-1.
126: Sullivan sophomore Conner Roach went 4-0, including a 31- win over Tommy Banas of Channahon, Ill. In the semifinals and a medical forfeit in the finals from Colin Rutlin of Maryland Heights to take first place in his weight division.
He was coming off an MCL injury and a popped bursa sac in his left elbow and used the Super Early 32 Tournament to knock off some rust.
“I was out four months for my knees and about a month for my elbow,” Rutlin said. “I feel like my sweep singles and my leg riding is what scored me most of my points.
132: Francis Howell Central sophomore Noah Keen had a pair of tough matches to end his day. He edged Dillon Cooper of Mill Valley 5-4 in the semifinals and topped Curtis Borge of Richland, 2-1 in the finals to earn his spot atop the podium.
“I have been incorporating riding legs throughout the entire tournament,” Keen said. “I didn’t get to demonstrate that much in the finals but I felt like I was dominant on top and in neutral, no one could get past my defense.”
138: Liberty North senior James Lovelady went 3-0 to begin his tournament, including a 7-3 victory against Carson Weber of Joilet, Ill., but he ran into a buzzsaw in the championship match as he fell 8-1 to Joseph Knackstedt of River Forest, Ill.
144: Jackson Tucker, a defending state champion, rolled through his first three matches which included two wins by pin and a 9-1 major decision over Trae Rios of Moore, Okla. In the semifinals. But he ran into a tough on in the finals as he fell to Dorian Olivarez of Springs, Texas 9-0 in the finals, taking second place.
150: Smithville senior Alex Hutchcraft won his first two matches by major decision and pin to make the championship match. He had a tight one with Rockwall, Texas’ Jake Moon but fell 4-3 to take home a second-place medal.
157: Staley sophomore Corey Cronk had to just win one match to make the finals as he got a bye and defeated Smithville’s Shane Leary 5-2. However, he was pinned by Braylon Griffiths of Ottumwa, Iowa in the championship match as he took second.
165: Staley junior Merrick Murray said he’s debating on whether to compete in the Super 32 Challenge or the Preseason Nationals tournament in Iowa next month, but regardless, he was able to get some work in and prepare for those events on Saturday.
He had two pins and earned a matchup with Mexico’s Grant Van Horn in the finals, a match in which he edged his opponent 3-2 to take first.
“He’s a really good wrestler,” Murray said of Van Horn. “He’s long and he knows how to use it. He gained a lot of weight, a lot of that was muscle. He’s a good kid.
“Nothing worked well for me. I need to get back in the room and get my timing and footwork back.”
190: Calvin Gross of Lutheran High School took second place in his round-robin bracket as he went 2-1 with his only loss coming against Central Illinois’ Max Wiezorek as he was pinned in the third period. Gross had a pin and a 10-2 major decision in his two victories.
215: Lee’s Summit North’s Hank Natali said he hasn’t wrestled since July and he has some things to clean up after this tournament. It didn’t appear that way as he pinned all five of his opponents in his round-robin bracket in 2:11 or less as he took first.
“Both of my calves cramped toward by third match,” Natali said. “I was trying to be less aggressive toward the end of the tournament to have longevity.”
285: Hillsboro sophomore Griffin Morris had a pair of tough matches in his round-robin bracket but he topped Oklahoma City’s Gavin Gagnon 3-0 and got a late reversal to edge Carthage’s David Recinos to win 2-1 and take first.
“I wrestled my best and came out with the (win),” Morris said. “I just had to keep wrestling (against David Recinos). He’s beat me three times. I had to do something about that.”
