The KCI Conference had a solid outing at state wrestling as Mid-Buchanan won another state title as a team and West Platte made program history.
For the first time in his wrestling career, Cameron Williams (160) became a state medalist as the senior had the best finish among the four Blue Jays. Williams earned third place with a 12-3 major decision over Jeramiah Smith (Summit Christian Academy) as the senior finished the season with a 40-10 overall record.
“Cameron had a tough loss – and sometimes you get to that tough stage in semifinals, and you put a lot of pressure on your shoulders - but he bounced back after that and really stepped up to get third place,” West Platte Head Coach Brett Swope said. “He ended his senior year with a phenomenal record, anytime you are in that 40-win club, it’s pretty awesome.”
West Platte Head Wrestling Coach Brett Swope, above, pumps his fist after the Blue Jays earn three state medals for the first time in program history,
David Brown (182) and Lane Scott (195) helped West Platte make history as they both finished in sixth place in their weight classes – making it the first time the wrestling program had three state medalists. Brown earned his medal with a 4:44 pin by Butler’s Tristan Trumbore and Scott finished his final match with a 5-4 decision loss to Notre Dame’s Trey Schreckenberg.
“It’s a pretty great accomplishment and I’m really proud of these guys because they all believed, and they all worked their tails off. I’m just happy that they can get that reward because they deserve it,” Swope said.
Brown lost his opening match against Jakson Wimberly (St. Michael the Archangel) when the Blue Jay was pinned in 3:13. Brown bounced back with win by fall, a pair of decision victories and a medical forfeit by an opponent to reach the fifth-place match.
For Scott, the 195-pound wrestler pinned Henrey Ritter from Brentwood in 3:06, before losing on a 6-4 decision in the quarterfinals to Landon Clement from Diamond.
“David got fourth in districts and just came out here and believed and kept fighting and ended up medaling, so we are pumped for him and will probably be back here next year with him. Lane had a couple of tough calls in some close matches there where he could have been in the finals if not third place, but he did a good job as well and is one of the hardest workers in our wrestling room, so it paid off for him,” Swope said.
Peyson Chandler had a tough run in the 138-weight class, losing both of his matches and being eliminated on the opening day. Chandler was pinned in 3:54 by Justus Martin (Father Tolton Regional Catholic) and fell in 1:59 against Riley Humphrey (North Callaway).
The Mid-Buchanan boys’ wrestling team had eight state medalists – two of which are from North Platte since it is a co-op team – to help the Dragons win their second consecutive state championship. North Platte sophomore Colton Kirkham (160) ended in fifth place and junior Seth Cruz (285) finished in third place.
On the girls’ side, Haley Sampson barely snuck into the state tournament when the North Platte senior was the fourth place – and final state qualifier – in districts. When the 110-pound wrestler entered state play, she had to take on a No. 1 seeded wrestler.
Sampson was matched up with South Calloway sophomore Dalayana Hargis who entered Mizzou Arena with a perfect 10-0 record. While Sampson entered the match as the underdog, she left it as the winner when the senior won on a 12-9 decision.
“The very first match I had was against a girl who won her district and that was a hard match, but I pulled through,” Sampson said. “I just had to keep telling myself that I had it won to keep me going mentally and it worked out that way.”
In the quarterfinals, once again the Panther had to take on a higher seeded wrestler when No. 2 seeded Rose Le from Parkview was the opponent. Although Le was 27-3 on the season, Sampson gave the 110-pound wrestler her fourth loss of the year with a quick pin (fall 0:32).
Sampson matched up with a similar seed as herself – No. 4 – in the quarterfinals. Jailyn Ebert (Ft. Zumwalt North) was unable to outlast the North Platte senior as a 1:34 pin was the deciding factor.
In the 110-weight class championship, Sampson was in a battle with Faith Cole from Lafayette (Wildwood). Cole ended up pinning Sampson in 2:56 and the senior Panther finished with a silver medal.
“It’s pretty crazy from going from fourth to the first-place match, I didn’t expect to make it to the finals, but I did. It feels like a good way to end my wrestling career,” Sampson said.