The Republic wrestling squad finished 13th out of 24 teams competing at the Kinloch Classic at Parkview High School this weekend. The Tigers had 223.5 points during the tournament, just behind Bolivar and Bentonville, Ark. Willard edged out Carthage for the tournament championship.
The Tigers were led by Justin Rogers, Zach Jester and Shayne Piles. Jester advanced to the 3rd place match before an injury forced him to scratch and settle for 4th. Rogers also wrestled for 3rd, falling in that match to Larry Danforth of William Chrisman. Piles wrestled for 5th place against Willard’s Austin McMillen, and picked up a victory in that medal match.
“Last year at this time, this specific tournament, I got double-eliminated there in the morning. So it’s a pretty big jump, being in 5th place, so I’m pretty proud of that,” says Piles.
Jester says despite the injury that knocked him out, he’ll use the tournament to improve later in the season.
“”These early tournaments are just to see who you’re going to wrestle at districts,” he says. “You’ve always got to think if somebody beat you, what do you have to do to counter that?”
Here’s how the other Republic wrestlers finished:
7th Place Match (106)
Hunter Powell (Republic) 9-7, So. over Joshua Schroeder (Ozark) 4-4, Fr. (Fall 3:00).
3rd Place Match (113)
Larry Danforth (William Chrisman) 15-5, Sr. over Justin Rogers (Republic) 11-5, Sr. (Fall 1:10).
7th Place Match (120)
Luke Brandon (Bentonville) 15-8, Fr. over Jonathon Beckett (Republic) 9-7, So. (Fall 3:50).
9th Place Match (138)
Kyle Vanorsdel (Ozark) 5-3, Jr. over Kyle Powell (Republic) 10-7, Jr. (Dec 9-3).
11th Place Match (145)
Paden Lucero (Republic) 10-6, Sr. over Cody Bell (Blue Springs) 7-11, So. (Fall 2:15).
13th Place Match (152)
Pedro Lopez (Republic) 8-8, Fr. over Zane Heiter (Blue Springs) 4-8, Jr. (Dec 5-1).
13th Place Match (160)
Austin Noblitt (Republic) 5-7, So. over Grant Thornton (Springdale Har-ber) 7-14, Jr. (Dec 6-2).
15th Place Match (170)
Robert White (Springdale Har-ber) 4-10, So. over Macrae Murray (Republic) 5-11, So. (Dec 6-1).
15th Place Match (182)
Austin Gibson (St. James) 3-7, Sr. over Blake Wojciechowski (Republic) 5-9, So. (Inj. 0:00).
3rd Place Match (220)
Micah Ragsdale (Marshfield) 9-2, Sr. over Zach Jester (Republic) 12-4, Jr. (Inj. 0:00).
5th Place Match (285)
Shayne Piles (Republic) 10-4, So. over Austin McMillen (Willard) 8-7, Jr. (Fall 3:19).
Joey Guzman 24th (132)
Brandon O’Connell 19th (126)