Phillip George led the way for the Tiger wrestling squad in Columbia Saturday, winning his weight class and helping Republic finish third out of 16 teams at the Hickman Boys Invitational wrestling tournament. The Tigers finished with 216.5 points, behind champion Hickman (265.5) and runner-up Edwardsville (237.5).
George was Republic’s only bracket winner, winning the 113-pound weight class with a pin of Hickman’s Hogan Benter in just 36 seconds. George pinned all four of his opponents Saturday, and it took him a total of five minutes and 23 seconds to do it.
Keaton Overcast (132 pounds) also made it to the championship round, but dropped his final on a 9-3 decision to Braden Werdehausen of Jefferson City.
Corbin Massey (106), Chase Hicks (175), and Maddox Wilkins (190) all finished third. Manning Wilkins (157) was fourth.