The stakes were a little bit higher than usual at the wrestling sectionals tournament last weekend because, due to COVID restrictions, only three wrestlers in each weight class would advance to the state tournament instead of the usual four.
But that didn’t stop Republic seniors Wyatt George and David Honeycutt. George lost to Zan Fugitt of Nixa in the championship match to grab a second-place finish and Honeycutt took down Capitol City’s Bahshi Traylor to secure a third-place finish and a trip to state.
George has already been to state twice in his career, but this will be his last shot at a state title.
“In previous years, I told myself ‘I’ve got next year.’ Obviously, I’m a senior, so this year I don’t have that, he said”
Both wrestlers felt good about their performances in sectionals and hope that that momentum can continue into the state tournament.
“It feels really good,” Honeycutt said of qualifying for his first state tournament. “I’ve been working for this since seventh grade and I’m just happy for myself I actually made it, finally.”
George thinks that a trip to the championship might go through Fugitt, and he hopes that he’s learned how to beat him after battling him twice already.
“I think today was good. I did my job… to do what I needed to do to make state,” George said. “Then that finals match, Zan is really good. So I just kind of go out there to have fun and slowly work my way to figuring out what I can do to beat him… Hopefully, I make the finals with him, and then I come out on top this time.”
