West Platte’s lone qualifier at the state meet, Thomas Tharp, was one win away from a state medal.
The senior went 2-2 in his first and only trip to the MSHSAA Wrestling Championships.
He drew a state-ranked wrestler in the opener, No. 3-ranked Monroe Mills of Father Tolton Catholic and lost in the first round by a pin.
Later on Thursday, Feb. 14, Tharp posted a pin in 44 seconds against Jacob Bader of Bishop DuBourg to stay alive.
On Friday, Feb. 15, Tharp pinned Colby Stephens of Warsaw, a quarterfinalist, with 14 seconds left in the second period.
RANDY SPEER/Warrensburg Star-Journal
West Platte’s Thomas Tharp, right, prepares to battle Father Tolton Catholic in the opening round of the Class 1 285-pound division on Thursday, Feb. 14 in Columbia, Mo.
That pushed Tharp into the third-round wrestlebacks, where he fell by a pin against Seneca’s Grant Durman.
Mills took third place and Durman was sixth in the weight class.
Tharp finished the year with a 32-13 mark. His effort helped the Bluejays tie for 36th place in Class 1 with six points.