West Platte went to a tiebreaker for a second time this year but came out on top this time around.
In the fifth-place matchup of the Polo Dual Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 10, the Bluejays beat the hosts 31-30 on H criteria — the team who scored the first points in the majority of matches. There were only six matches wrestled, and West Platte won four — all by fall (Brayan Rodriguez 132 pounds, Noah Conway 145 pounds, Jacob Brown 152 pounds and Thomas Tharp 285 pounds). The Bluejays also took a forfeit at 126.
Polo won two head-to-head matches by fall but also received three forfeits.
West Platte had just seven wrestlers at the tournament but also beat Lafayette County and East Atchison during pool competition. The Bluejays were 2-2 in pool to end up in the fifth-place match.
In a 42-24 win against East Atchison, Conway (145), Brown (152), Mason Taylor (170) and Tharp (285) won by fall. All four of the Wolves’ wins were by forfeit. West Platte also beat Lafayette County (33-24) with Blake Davidson’s 17-13 decision over Nick Strathman the key win.
In the Lafayette County dual, there were only three head-to-head matchups with Davidson and Julian Trelow (138) winning matches for West Platte, which lost to Brookfield and Stanberry during the pool competition.
Lee’s Summit North Invitational
Park Hill South brought only six wrestlers Saturday, Dec. 10 to Lee’s Summit, Mo., still finishing tied for 12th with St. Joseph Central out of 16 teams in the final standings. They were just a half point ahead of 14th-place Raytown.
Cameron Gillespie (160) recorded the only top-four finish for Park Hill South, placing third. He went 4-1 in his pool before losing an 8-0 major decision against Ethan Locke of Kearney in the semifinals.
Gillespie came back to with a second-period pin against Warrensburg’s Chance Hillsman in the third-place match.
Park Hill South 42, William Chrisman 36
Payton Keedy took a forfeit at 106 in the final match to give Park Hill South the win Tuesday, Dec. 6 as part of a triangular dual Tuesday, Dec. 6 at Park Hill South High School. The Panthers benefited from four opens, while only winning three of the head-to-head matches.
Gage Baska, a freshman, had a second-period pin, while Andrew Mikuls (138) and Gillespie (160) both had falls in the first period for Park Hill South.
Raymore-Peculiar 54, Park Hill South 21
Park Hill South suffered its first dual loss of the season Tuesday, Dec. 6 at Park Hill South High School in Riverside, Mo.
Coming off a Red Division title in the Park Hill Duals over the weekend, Park Hill South couldn’t overcome three opens with other key contributors still missing. Raymore-Peculiar won the first three matches and five of the first six.
Baska had a second period pin at 120 while leading 6-0 for Park Hill South’s lone win in that span. Mikuls (138), Andre Anderson (145) and Kevin Nollet (152) all won decision to close Park Hill South within 30-15.
Park Hill South’s final win came from Trace Weatherford at 220 in a wild match. He scored a pin with 36 seconds left in regulation.
All nine of Raymore-Peculiar’s wins were by forfeit or fall.
Pembroke Hill 31, West Platte 30
The Raiders won on the tiebreaker of most matches won, taking six to West Platte’s five on Thursday, Dec. 8 in Weston, Mo.
With three double forfeits, the dual came down to the final match. West Platte led 30-18 when Pembroke Hill’s Daniel Duffy earned a first period pin at 182. Hank Graves then took a forfeit to tie the score and give the Raiders’ their sixth win.
West Platte had a forfeit for Tharp at 285 and Rodriguez at 132. Davidson (126), Howard (152) and Devin Driskell (160) all had pins.
Hogan Prep 42, West Platte 24
The Bluejays had four wins in their other dual as part of a triangular Thursday, Dec. 8 in Weston, Mo.
Davidson (126) and Driskell (160) won by forfeit, while Conway (145) and Howard (152) had pins. Rodriguez suffered his first loss of the season in the 132 match.