Farmington wrestlers win district meet

By DONN ADAMSON/Daily Journal Sports Editor

FARMINGTON - Thirteen schools were represented in the Class 3, District 1 wrestling tournament held in Farmington's Civic Center over the weekend with 144 wrestlers participating in the 14 weight classes, all with hopes of advancing on to the state tournament starting this Thursday. Only the top four wrestlers in each weight class qualify for state.

When the final match finished up, the Farmington Knights claimed the district championship with a total score of 202.5 points. Eureka was second at 193, and Pacific finished third at 120.5. Washington placed fourth at 111.5, and North County took fifth at 107.5, followed by 6. Hillsboro - 88.0, 7. Union - 78.5, 8. Cape Central - 66.5, 9. Poplar Bluff - 63.5, 10. Rockwood Summit - 59.5, 11 Webster Groves - 45.5, 12. Sikeston - 33.0, 13. Gateway - 23.0.

Farmington also will have the most wrestlers from the district going to state with nine, three first-place winners, four seconds, and two thirds.

North County will have five going to state with three first-place winners and two third places. Eureka will have eight going with the most first-place winners at four.

FARMINGTON

Bradley Wisdom (45-2) made sure of his trip to state by winning a 6-1 decision over Jesse Knott of Pacific in the 103 weight class championship match. Not long after Wisdom's match, Craig Wilson (125) also won first place by tech fall, 26-11, over Cape Central's Matt Latham. Wilson is undefeated at 48-0 on the year.

The third first-place finisher for the Knights was Tyler Epstein (275), who won by a 3-1 decision over Eureka's Reo Taylor. Epstein is now 13-1 in an injury-shortened season.

Nicholas Hoehn (130) took second losing only by a 2-1 decision. Also placing second were Justin Hill (135) who lost by a score of 7-4, Michael Zaricor (140) who lost 5-3, and Jacob Hise (215) who lost by a fall in 1:43.

Kevin Pothetos (152) took third with a wild 15-13 decision over Gavilan Bland of Sikeston, and Kendall May (189) won his third-place match with a fall in 3:37 over Cory Hubenthal of Union.

Farmington had four wrestlers finish just one match short of qualifying. Connor Kellogg (119), Scott Kaligian (145), Derek Smallen (160) and Kelly Burch (171) all finished with a 2-2 record.

NORTH COUNTY

Cody Compton (130) won first place for the Raiders with a 2-1 decision over Nicholas Hoehn of Farmington for a 33-1 record. Cameron Dugger (145) took first by outlasting Jacob Rice of Union, 16-11, and Jason Winckel (171) pinned Jon Summer of Eureka in 1:28. Dugger's record is now 28-5, and Winckel is 36-1.

Tayler Decker (135) placed third with fall of Washington's Tyler Knickmeyer only three seconds into their second period. Jake Vogt (140) followed with a fall of Justin Lawrence of Pacific in 1:36.

CLASS 2, DISTRICT 1

ST. CLAIR - The Ste. Genevieve Dragons won first place in the Class 2, District Tournament. The Dragons finished with 190 points with the host team St. Clair coming in second at 178, and Windsor finishing third at 172.5. The Central Rebels took eighth place in the 13 team tournament with 52 points.

Ste. Genevieve had nine wrestlers qualify for state with four firsts, one second and four fourths. Central will have two wrestlers making the trip to Columbia on Thursday.

CENTRAL

Brandon Lindsey will be returning to state after he won first place with a 10-1 major decision over E.J. Wagner of St. Clair in the 130 weight class. Mike Carolyn (171) will also be making the trip with a fourth place finish losing third place by only a 7-3 decision.

STE GENEVIEVE

Curt Gegg (119), Adam Johnson 135), Taylor Huck (171) and Tanner Wolk (189) all won first place for the Dragons. Wolk was state champion in 2004 and placed second in 2005.

John Vogt (152) placed second, and Gary Schenz (112), Chris Petty (130), Vince Wolk (140), and Tyler Thomure (145) all took fourth place.