By Kary Booher
Over the years, Ozark Tigers wrestling has been competitive. The usual storyline was that several would qualify for the state tournament, some would place and one or two would come home with championship hardware.
For second-year coach Shawn Kellis, the program could well be trending back toward that storyline again after last season, when only a senior and sophomore qualified for the Class 4 state meet.
His reasons? Hear him out.
“We have very high expectations, and we have a very large junior class, so we should be strong the next two years,” Kellis said, and later added, “All the juniors we have, I coached them since they were in the seventh grade. This is the year we are supposed to return to the Ozark we used to be.
“But we have work to do.”
When Ozark opened its season, it did so with new digs – the district built a new wrestling room after tearing down the old one last year – and a number of guys with experience. While 113-pound Jake Nickols is its only returning state qualifier, Ozark has nine other returning lettermen off a team that won 16 of 23 duals.
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The projected lineup looks like this: freshman Wyatt Snyder at 106, Larry Zelaya at 120, open at 132, Cooper St. John at 138, Preston Sundlie at 145, Barrett Beaird at 152, and Nicky Gladkov at 160. In the upper weights, the lineup could be either Tyson Albright or Ryan Taylor at 170 and 182, with Nathanial Burlage at 195, Stephen Gladkov at 220 and Jace Gorn at 285.
It’s a group Kellis knows well, given this marks his 11th year as a wrestling coach in Ozark. His connection with the wrestlers led to a nice summer, in which about 30 would turn out for open mats. Now that football is in full swing, he still managed to draw about 15 to the weight room.
Among the intriguing storylines is that of Sundlie, one of Ozark’s best athletes. He missed last season while nursing a back injury.
“He’s got the fire burning,” Kellis said. “He’s one of those athletes who can do whatever sport he wants. But 145 is the toughest weight class in the state. It is a combination of quickness of the lower weights and the strength of the upper weights. But has the speed of a 113-pounder. And he’s fun to watch.”
He isn’t the only storyline, of course. Snyder had some success in USA Wrestling. Nickols participated in the Fall Brawl in Kansas City in mid-October. Nicky Gladkov “showed the most improvement in the summer,” Kellis said, “so he can compete with anybody.”
Gorn likely is a man on a mission this year. While he showed promise midseason last year, he was forced to miss the district tournament after being diagnosed with an ailment.
“I see him earning a medal at state,” Kellis said.
Ozark is eager to gain some momentum early. It has two home duals, against Waynesville and Lebanon, the first week of December. However, the Tigers don’t have a scheduled meet again at home until January.
Kellis expected 53 to be on hand for the first week of practices, but figured that number will fall to about 40 as the season takes shape.
“They’re motivated to get going,” Kellis said. “The room is getting so competitive that guys are nervous if they’re going to see the mat.”
