By Kary Booher
Talk about a good problem to have.
For Joplin High School wrestling coach David Myers, the season opens not with the haunting questions of the past – such as can he find enough bodies to field a full team? – but of a question that says a lot, all of it positive.
As in, can Joplin build off last year’s finish when the Eagles qualified a program-best seven wrestlers for the Class 4 state tournament? Four of them return, with reinforcements on the way.
“In Joplin, we started out just building,” said Myers, now in his fifth season there. “The last couple of years, we improved a lot. The seven state qualifiers were as many as we had in our history (3) at one time. This year – you don’t want to get ahead of yourself – but we could have that many or more.”
The returning state qualifiers are Bobby Owens at 132, Jacob Bartlett at 170, Terrell Crawford at 182 and Soloman Garcia at 195.
“(Owens) was one of the most improved wrestlers on the team last year,” Myers said. “He’s kind of like a sponge. We can show him something and he’ll pick it up. He’s got one of the best work ethics on the team.”
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Bartlett and Crawford should bring a lot of leadership, too.
“As far as grit and toughness, Bartlett and Crawford are probably the toughest kids I’ve coached,” Myers said. “They do their best. And those guys, I’m having to wrestle in the room, and that’s no fun.”
Myers has certainly brought a new intensity to Joplin wrestling, but it’s to be expected. He was a three-time state qualifier and two-time state medalist at Class 1 power Seneca before graduating in 2002. He was at Diamond High School coaching for four seasons before taking over the Eagles program.
It shows now. While the four returning state qualifiers is nice, the Eagles are fortified with 220-pound sophomore Jadyn Withrow, 145-pound senior Nathan McCaulley and junior Treyvan Jackson from 113, 120 to 126. Jackson suffered a midseason illness last year and missed the rest of the season but is healthy now, Myers said.
Look for the 106-pound weight class with Rashawn Davis, sophomore Samuel Richardson at 113, sophomore Brenden Evans at 120, sophomore Brayden Williams 138, senior Nathan McCauley at 145, Glenn Wilber at 152, sophomore Lucas Kuehnel at 152, all-conference senior Gavin Merriman at 160, Bartlett at 170, Crawford at 182, Garcia at 195 and sophomore Jacob Booe at heavyweight.
Booe is stepping in after the team graduated Phillip Reitz, who placed fifth last season and now is on the Missouri Southern football team. Crawford may be Joplin’s best athlete, given he is the Eagles’ quarterback, too.
“He should win quite a few matches and make it to state,” Myers said.
Overall, it’s a group that has some depth, with about 35 wrestlers having committed by mid-October.
“Leadership is a big thing,” Myers said. “With the guys coming back, we could have a lot of success (in the room). And I think success breeds success. The mentality we have coming in is positively different than in years past.”
