Out of six young men representing Trenton High School at this weekend’s Class 1 state wrestling championships, two were eliminated on Friday night, two more find themselves in the fourth-round of wrestlebacks, assuring themselves of a state medal, while two more Bulldogs, Caleb Johnson and Hunter McAtee, will be in the championship matches of their respective weight classes tonight (Saturday night).
Johnson, in Friday night’s semifinal round at 220 pounds, squeaked out a 3-2 decision against Luke Triplett of Palmyra, sending Caleb into the title match against talented freshman Rylan Kuhn of St. Pius X of Kansas City. It will be a battle of youth against experience, as Johnson, a senior, has a record of 37-3 for the Bulldogs, with Kuhn, a freshman, taking a 39-1 record into the title match.
At 138 pounds, Trenton junior Hunter McAtee will wrestle unbeaten junior Collin Arch of Palmyra in the championship duel, after McAtee defeated Conner Quinn of Marceline in the semifinal round match, 7-4. McAtee’s season record is 31-3, with Arch a perfect 39-0.
Trenton junior Sam Gibson had his hopes of a championship match performance at 195 pounds end at the hands of Landon Clement of Diamond High School in Friday night’s semifinals, with Clement winning by a final score of 4-3. The loss dropped Gibson into the fourth round of wrestlebacks, and a Saturday match against 33-3 senior Trey Schreckenberg of Notre Dame Cape Girardeau. A win will send the 36-3 Gibson into the third place match, with a loss dropping him into the 5th place duel.
Coleman Griffin, after falling in Thursday’s opening round at 152 pounds (pinned by Butler’s Brendin Patrick), has rallied into the fourth-round of wrestlebacks, with a pin of Carson Safranski of North Callaway, followed by wins over Nathan Hyde of Mid-Buchanan (5-1) and Ryder Gooch of Marceline (4-2). Griffin will begin his Saturday with a match against Isaiah Myers of Lafayette County, with a win sending Coleman into the third place match, and a loss dropping him to the fifth place match.
At 160 pounds, Trenton senior Kaden Owen saw his Bulldog career came to a close on Friday afternoon, with a pin at 1:31 into his match against Kyle Flieger of Versailles. Owen’s final record was 24-10, with wins at state over Michael Martin of Knob Noster and James King of El Dorado Springs, and a first-round loss by a 3-2 decision over Cameron Williams of West Platte.
On the opposite end of the experience spectrum, THS freshman Mason Rongey had his first state championship experience end on Friday afternoon, with a loss in the third-round of wrestlebacks to Canaan Wright of Marceline, with a 4-1 decision for the Tiger junior. Rongey lost by 5-2 decision in the opening round of Frank Ruether of Tolton Catholic, before rebounding with a pin (3:22) over Jon Halfmann of St. Pius X (Festus) and a pin (2:34) against Blake Eads of Sherwood. Rongey ends his 9th grade season with a mark of 36-15.
Here are other area highlights coming into the championship rounds on Saturday from across the area:
106 pounds : Alex Martin of Penney and Drew Griffin of Marceline lost in the semifinals, both in fourth-round wrestleback competitions on Saturday
113 pounds : Peyton Parn of Brookfield will wrestle in the state championship match
120 pounds : Mason Hamilton of South Harrison lost in the quarterfinal round, will be in fourth-round wrestleback competition on Saturday
132 pounds : Draken Bennett of Maysville lost in quarterfinal round
145 pounds : Kaleb Jestes of Maysville won in semifinals, will wrestle Kyden Wilkerson of Centralia in state championship match, after Wilkerson beat Jace Bixenman of Marceline in semifinals
170 pounds : Mason Barnett of Marceline will wrestle Jaden Abongo of Brookfield in the state championship match
182 pounds : Logan Bottcher of Gallatin lost in the semifinals to Tanner Leonard of Lawson, will be in fourth-round of wrestlebacks on Saturday
Heavyweight : Gabe Parker of Gallatin lost in quarterfinals, will be in fourth-round of wrestlebacks on Saturday
Photo credit – Trenton High School Athletics / Facebook / Columbia, MO
