The Excelsior Springs High School boys wrestling team showcased their skills and determination during the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Boys Class 2 District 4 Wrestling Tournament on February 16th and 17th, 2024. This event, crucial for qualification to the state championships, was held on their home turf at Excelsior Springs High School.
The top four competitors from each weight category earned their spots for the Missouri State Championship Tournament, which will take place from February 21st to 22nd, 2024. Among the standout performers from Excelsior Springs were Wyett Shipman, Cooper Collins, Micah Danner, Ryne Marcum, and Hunter Scoma, all securing their places in the state competition. The boys joined Excelsior Springs girls Adrien Crawley and Analese Happy, who punched their tickets to the state tournament the preceding week.
The boys’ tournament featured intense matches across various weight classes.
In the 106 lb class, Wyett Shipman had a bye in his first round, then wrestled 4 matches. He won his first match against Wyatt Ford from Odessa, MO, in a 3-0 decision. In his next match, he lost to Landon Lane, who attends Saint Michael the Archangel (SMA) Catholic School, by Fall at 3:06. He moved to the losers bracket and faced off against Kale Martin of Oakgrove, MO, and defeated Martin by Fall at 1:37. In the 3rd place match, Shipman lost to Lawson Francis of Savannah in a close 6-5 decision.
In the 120 lb weight class, Cooper Collins, who won a state title in the 113 lb class in 2023, began with a bye. He faced off against Brian Bailey from Cameron, MO, winning by Fall at 1:38. Collins then faced Austin Stevick of SMA Catholic School and won by a 5-0 decision. In the final match, Collins faced off against Blaine Wallace of Odessa, MO, and unfortunately lost in a 5-1 decision.
In the 126 lb weight class, Micah Danner started with a bye, then faced Davion Wilson of Center High School, who he defeated in a close 3-2 bye. In his next match, Danner lost to Jet Brown of Odessa, MO, by fall at 1:24 of the match, sending him to the consolation bracket where he faced off in the 3rd place match against Cayden Morris of Richmond, MO, winning an 11-6 decision, sending him to the 3rd place match where he was pinned by Creighton Cook at 3:49 in the match, and finishing in 4th place.
Wrestling in the 132 lb class, Ryne Marcum began his day with a bye. His first match of the day was against Cash Dew, hailing from Maryville, MO who he defeated by Fall at 1:51 of the match. Marcum defeated Cooper Kirkham of Mid-Buchanan in a 3-2 decision to advance to the championship round. Marcum lost by Fall at 1:57 in the match to Kamden Hooper of Odessa, finishing in second place.
In the 138 lb class, Gaige Carr started with a bye. In his first match, he faced Deagen Pasley from Savannah, losing by fall at 3:39. In the consolation bracket, Carr defeated Cameron Chisholm of Oakgrove by fall at 2:31, Hunter Mumm of Plattsburg by fall at 1:38 but he ultimately fell short of the 3rd place match and his shot at advancing to the State Tournament succumbing to Trevor Green of SMA Catholic in a hard-fought 12-5 decision.
144 lb Freshman Carson VanDoremalen lost in his first round to Savannah freshman Kaiden Phillips by fall at 5:15 in the match. Moving to the consolation bracket, he won his next match by fall at 3:43 against Landon Thompson from Chillicothe. VanDoremalen ended the tournament, falling to River Meadows of Cameron in a 5-2 decision.
150 lb Senior Gage Peterie lost two matches by fall, the first to Kraton House of Mid-Buchanan and the second to Brock Baylor of Oakgrove.
After a bye in the first round, Sophomore Desi Perez fell quickly to Gage Jones of Cameron forty-two seconds into their match, sending Perez to the consolation bracket where he fell to Mid-Buchanan Senior Nick Stewart, ending his run in the 157 lb class.
In the 165 lb class, Junior Kota Triplett lost two matches by fall, knocking him out of the tournament.
In the 175 lb class, Junior Hunter Scoma defeated Oakgrove Senior Daniel Seymour in a 4-0 decision and Savannah’s Braylon in a 6-0 decision before falling to Colton Kirkham, a Senior from Mid-Buchanan at 4:58 of their match. Moving to the consolation bracket, Scoma defeated Blake Gillespie of Odessa to wrestle in the 3rd place match against Chillicothe Senior Cayden Larson. Scoma fell to Larson at 3:13 in the match, finishing in 4th.
In the 190 lb class, Junior Anthony Circo lost his only two matches of the tournament. The first was a quick pin by eventual class champion Jackson Perkins of Lafayette High School, and the second was a 15-6 decision versus Diego Barron of Benton.
The 285 lb class saw Junior Justin Wright fall to his first opponent, Marcas Eaton, from Cameron at fifty-nine seconds into their match. Wright defeated Jovelus Herring from Lafayette High by fall at 2:44 and Trystan Chadwick in a 1-0 decision before ending the tournament with a loss to Plattsburg Senior Dakota Rankin.
The Excelsior Springs community and The Excelsior Citizen extend their best wishes to Wyett Shipman, Cooper Collins, Micah Danner, Ryne Marcum, Hunter Scoma, Adrien Crawley, and Analese Happy as they advance to the state tournament. Good luck, Tigers!
*match outcomes obtained from trackwrestling.com
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