Tyler Harrald Seven seconds. That’s the amount of time it took between the opening and final whistles of the first match of the first Class 2 boys session. Pleasant Hill’s Victor Schmalz tore out of the gates with a seven second pin for the Roosters while the rest of the boys team shined, advancing seven into the quarter finals. After the first round, the rest of Pleasant Hill’s night was a mixed bag. While four of the Roosters made it into the semifinal matches, a familiar face was missing. Three time state champion Sam Ewing lost a tough quarterfinal bout to Gavynn Carpenter of Hallsville. The Roosters also had nearly a twenty team point deficit heading into day two. Pleasant Hill would need to be near perfect on day two if they wanted a shot at three state straight titles.
The Roosters came into day two looking to make up the deficit, and the aforementioned Ewing got them started off on the right note. Ewing pinned his opponent on the backside to guarantee himself a medal and the boys were off. Senior Garrett Lyons stormed into the state final match after dominating his opponent, fellow Senior, Hunter Jennings of Southern Boone, in a proper rout, winning 17-6 and giving the Roosters a major decision win to eat away at some of the deficit. Junior Lane Snyder’s semifinal match was happening simultaneously to Lyons’ and just like his teammate at 150 pounds, Snyder punched his ticket to the state finals, pinning his opponent, Dominic Cahalan in the second period. Junior Brayden Bush was next up for Pleasant Hill at 190 pounds, and facing a familiar foe in Mid-Buchanan Senior, and defending Class 1 state champ at 195 pounds, Wade Stanton. Bush took Stanton the distance and then some, as the match was locked at 3 after 6 minutes. The pair went to sudden death, where Bush scored a takedown, and took home the win for the Roosters. The fourth and final semi finalist was Senior Jacob Hanes at 215 pounds. Hanes faced a 37-3 JaDontae Ray from Fulton, and promptly sent him to the backside with a 4-0 win, making it four Rooster finalists….
