For the first time since moving to Class 4, the state’s largest classification, in 2020, Republic has earned two state wrestling medals in the same season. Senior Chase Hicks (215 pounds) captured fourth place and junior Keaton Overcast (138 pounds) secured sixth place at the state tournament.
Hicks pinned his first two opponents on day one, defeating Kaden Updike of Oakville in 1:02 and Garo Sams of Francis Howell Central in 4:33. In the championship semifinals, he fell to Liberty’s Masen Bindel in a 4-2 decision before rebounding with a 4-1 sudden victory over Triston Abram of Christian Brothers College in the consolation semifinals. Willard’s Porter Talbot pinned Hicks at 1:49 in the third-place match.
Overcast also started strong with a pin of Connor McBride of Marquette in 2:57, followed by a 5-3 decision over Brady McMurtry of Hickman in the quarterfinals. He lost his semifinal match to Liberty’s Ross Davis 4-0 and dropped his consolation semifinal to Brody Kell of North Point in a 4-1 sudden victory. In the fifth-place match, McMurtry avenged his earlier loss with a 6-3 decision.
Coach Eric Nolan praised both wrestlers for their performances. “I’m proud of our team and the fact that we finished strong. You get to this level and things get to be razor-thin in terms of your margin for error,” Nolan said. “Both Keaton and Chase had a chance to make the finals. We just came up a little bit short, but they bounced back and continued to battle throughout the tournament.”
The dual state medal performance by Hicks and Overcast is our Performance of the Week.
