Photos by Cody Thorn
Zach Dickens is the lone Tiger still standing at the Class 3 state wrestling tournament in Columbia. Dickens won his first two matches––one Thursday and one Friday. In Friday’s quarterfinal, Dickens won a 4-3 decision over Sage Smart of Platte County. The win guaranteed a medal for Dickens, even after he lost the semifinal to undefeated Hunter Yeargen of Willard, a favorite to win the state championship in the 195-pound weight class.
Dickens will wrestle Carlos Cubas of Van Horn in the consolation bracket tomorrow. The winner of that match will wrestle for third place.
The season ended in disappointment for three other Tigers on Friday. Shayne Piles lost his quarterfinal match to William Samuels of Raytown South, 3-2 — then lost his next match to Jordan Williams of Oak Park in overtime. Piles finished with more than 40 wins as a senior.
Johnathon Beckett also ended his season with more than 40 wins. Beckett won two wrestleback matches after losing his opener — but eventually was eliminated by Gannon Millard of Neosho.
Brandon O’Connell, widely praised by his teammates for his leadership and motivation in the wrestling room, also wrestled his last match as a Tiger Friday. He lost a 5-2 decision to Edxel Morales of Carthage.