Michael Smith
Tuesday was the end of an era in Missouri High School wrestling.
Five Liberty seniors that helped build a dynasty that won the last three Class 4 state championships teamed together for the last time in the 30th annual Metro Classic at the Mabee Fieldhouse at Avila University.
The event is an annual event that features some of the best senior boys wrestlers from the Kansas and Missouri sides of the Kansas City metro area.
Liberty seniors Easton Hilton (132), Kyle Dutton (138), Logan Rathjen (145), Jeremiah Halter (170) and Wentric Williams III (195) competed together for the last time and four of them came up with wins to help Team Missouri take a 40-18 victory.
“It hasn’t hit me yet, but it’s going to hit me in the future,” Rathjen said of wrestling with his senior teammates for the last time. “I am going to savor every moment of this because I love those guys.
“We’ve trained together every day. It’s probably going to hit me when I go to college.”
Williams had similar sentiments.
“It is definitely what you would call bittersweet,” Williams said. “It’s my last time going with these guys. It’s something we will remember for the rest of our lives.”
Hilton mentioned that the five Liberty seniors carpooled to every practice leading up to the Metro Classic.
“It felt like the last mission for this season,” Hilton said. “It was awesome to still practice with them. I think we may still train together over the summer.”
