Michael Smith
Could the Excelsior Springs girls wrestling team be a contender for a state plaque this season.
If Wednesday’s Western Missouri Girls Wrestling Tournament at Center High School is any indication, the Tigers could be.
Video Interviews:
- Asha Pearson, Center (100)
- Avery Clay, Lathrop (235)
- Killian Evans, Blue Springs South (105)
- Bailey Reynolds, Harrisonville (120)
- Vada Burton, Excelsior Springs (130)
- McKayla Knight, Lathrop (140)
- Kenley Moore, Polo (135)
- Maddy Ally, Blue Springs South (125)
- Valorie Gabrielli, Polo (155)
- Venus Ogunyemi, Ruskin (145)
- Karalena Steinhauser, Lexington (170)
Despite having just one wrestler win their weight bracket, Excelsior Springs dominated the team score, taking first place out of 14 teams with 271 points, 77.5 points ahead of second-place Polo and 84 points ahead of third-place Blue Springs South.
Vada Burton (130 pounds) was the lone Tiger to win her weight bracket as she earned a hard-fought 13-10 decision against Raytown’s Amaya Johnson in the championship round. Burton got pins in her other four matches to make it to the finals.
Going into the tournament, Burton said she was recovering from an illness and was underweight because of it.
“I came in at 126 (pounds) vs. 130 today,” Burton said. “I was sick with a cold. I just wasn’t very hungry and my throat is a little sore.
“I think (Johnson) wrestled very good. She’s a very hard wrestler. She worked me a lot and I need those matches to prepare me to go to state.”
Other Excelsior Springs girls wrestlers to finish in the top three for the team were Izabella Morgan (third, 106), Justus Sutton (second, 110), Jaylenn Hudlemeyer (third, 120), Alyssa Betts (second, 125), Bailee Baxter (second, 135), Lauren Park (second, 145) and Adrien Crawley (third, 170).
Below is the summary of how the winner’s results in each weight class:
