Six Panther wrestlers headed to state
Six members of the PHS boys wrestling team advanced to the MSHSAA championships after their performances during the Class 1, Sectional 1 competition in Palmyra Saturday.
Palmyra’s Kaden Crane wrestles during Saturday’s sectional tournament.
Palmyra’s Collin Arch wrestles during Saturday’s sectional tournament.
Only the top three in each weight class advanced to state, and Palmyra had three place first, two second, and one third.
Kaden Crane (106), Brayden Stevens (126) and Collin Arch (132) went 3-0, while Nolyn Richards (195) and Luke Triplett (220) won their first two before losing title matches.
Hayes Miller (160) won his first match, lost in the semifinals and faced elimination before winning his wrestleback match and the third-place match.
The six will now compete at the MSHSAA championships to be held Wednesday, March 10, at Cable Dahmer Arena in Independence.
Palmyra’s Brayden Stevents wrestles during Saturday’s sectional tournament.
Crane won his first match by fall at 0:23 over Chris Coffer of Central (New Madrid County), won his semifinal match by a 6-3 decision over Paxton Martin of Hallsville, and his title match by an 8-3 decision over Weston Ward of Centralia.
After earning a first-round bye, Stevens defeated Carson Safranski of North Callaway by fall at 1:01 in the semifinals and won his title match by fall at 0:53 over Zane Dubes of Centralia.
Arch also earned a first-round bye, and defeated Justice Martin of Father Tolton by fall at 0:55 and won his title match by an 11-3 major decision over Gavynn Carpenter of Hallsville.
Palmyra’s Hayes Miller wrestles during Saturday’s sectional tournament.
Richards won his quarterfinal match by fall at 0:34 over Lift of Life Academy Charter, won his semifinal match by fall at 1:56 over Andrew Burlage of Brentwood, but lost his title match by fall at 0:39 to Hunter Phillips of Centralia.
Palmyra’s Luke Triplett wrestles during Saturday’s sectional tournament.
Triplett won his quarterfinal match by fall at 1:00 over Owen Willers of Bishop Dubourg, won his semifinal match by fall at 1:19 over Jacob Galbreath of Valle Catholic, but lost his title match by fall at 1:37 to Sam Lynn of Centralia.
Miller won his quarterfinal match by fall at 1:33 over Ty Blakey of Central New Madrid County, lost his semifinal match by fall at 1:32 to Cody Hughes of Brentwood, and won his wrestleback match by fall at 2:40 over Timothy Okenfuss of Valle Catholic before winning the third place match by fall at 4:22 over Lucas Hulett of Hallsville.
Sectional qualifiers Grayson Stevens (138) and Zxavier Battaglio (285) also wrestled for Palmyra but did not advance to state.
Grayson Stevens lost his first match by fall at 0:22 to Xavier Lane of Brentwood, won his first wrestleback match by fall at 0:21 over Jayce Bales of Valle Catholic, but lost his second wrestleback match by fall at 2:51 to Stone Martin of Brentwood.
Battaglio lost his quarterfinal match by fall at 3:31 to Jacob Bader of Bishop DuBourg, and won his first wrestleback match by fall at 1:00 over Augustus Bennett of Lift for Life Academy but lost his second wrestleback by fall at 4:50 to Pedro Garduno of Missouri Military Academy.
