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Seneca’s Trey Smith may take the unusual – but preferred – path of never winning his district tournament, but being a two-time state champion.
Smith will try to duplicate last season’s result – runner-up at districts, winner in the state finals – when he meets undefeated Father Tolton Catholic junior Jarrett Jacques (44-0) in the Class 1 152-pound finals.
A Smith victory would also bolster Seneca’s hopes to repeat as Class 1 state champions. The Indians enter Saturday in second place (116) in the Class 1 team standings, 10.5 points behind leader Whitfield.
PHOTOS: CLASS 1 STATE WRESTLING
“That’s been our goal since last year when we walked off,” Smith said. “We don’t want to be satisfied. We want to come out and wrestle to the best of our ability. We want to be pinners. Those extra bonus points are everything for us.”
On paper, Smith-Jacques is one of the most intriguing matches – regardless of Class – in Saturday’s title bouts.
Smith won the 145-pound title in Class 1 last season and was runner-up at 126 two years ago.
Jacques won Class 2 state titles at Kirksville (132, 2015) and Owensville (138, 2016) before transferring to Father Tolton. He has won 134 straight matches and owns a career record of 141-1.
Jacques (44-0 overall) even has a recent win over Smith during his streak, beating the Seneca senior 4-2 for a district title last weekend.
But Smith has been in this scenario before. A year ago, he lost to Blair Oaks’ Frankie Falotico at districts before returning the favor in the state finals.
“We’re coming back, looking for the same upset we had last year as a team. I’m looking for the same result I had last year in the state finals,” Smith said. “I lost in districts last year, I won state. I lost in districts this year, my plan is to win (state).”
Smith (56-1 overall) pinned Marceline’s Alex Cupp (43-7 overall) in his semifinals match on Saturday. He worked in some early offense, leading 7-4 after the first period.
“My plan was to take him down a few times and try to break him,” Smith said. “He got a takedown right off the bat, so I had to push a little harder until I broke him and was able to pin him in the third period.”
Smith said he was motivated by watching teammates earn victories in preceding matches.
“They had been getting the bonus points they wanted, so I had to go get some for our team, too,” Smith said.
Two more Seneca wrestlers will join Smith in the finals on Saturday night. Levi Connelly, a 44-7 overall sophomore, battles Lathrop freshman Tanner Dalinghaus (49-3 overall) for the 106-pound title.
Connelly defeated Whitfield’s Connor McAteer 6-1 in the semifinals. Connelly had a takedown in the first, two-point nearfall in the second and a reversal late in the third.
Seneca sophomore Dalton Hembree (52-4 overall) goes for the second state championship of his career, after winning at 120 last season.
Hembree faces Maysville’s Dalton Wade, a 39-13 overall junior, in the 126 finals. Hembree won his semifinal by major decision on Saturday, defeating North Andrew sophomore Drake Eychaner (40-5 overall).
Seneca also sees Max Roark (113), Dawson Stephens (120), Dayton Fields (132) and Lance Hymer (160) still alive on the consolation side.
Warsaw sophomore looking to add to program’s legacy
Warsaw wrestling has a tradition-rich history, and sophomore Kolby Estes knows a lot about it.
His dad was a wrestler in the program. His current coach was a state runner-up during his wrestling days as a Wildcat.
“There’s been a lot of great people come through here,” Estes said.
Estes is adding his name to the Warsaw wrestling history book this weekend.
A year after going a forgettable 1-2 and taking an early exit at state, Estes showed quite the one-year turnaround as he earned a spot in Saturday’s 145-pound finals.
Estes (48-4 overall) defeated Plattsburg senior Dalton Schlie (37-8 overall) in the semifinals. Estes got an early takedown then scored two more on a reversal late in the second period.
“I’ve wrestled hard every time. Last year, I think I let the nerves get to me,” Estes said. “I was a freshman and I wrestled a senior in my first match. I didn’t know what to expect. This year, I came out ready to wrestle and just laid it all down.
“I let the nervesget past me this year. I knew I’m a good enough wrestler that if I just wrestle, I’ll be able to beat some of these kids.”
Estes will be an underdog in Saturday’s final. His opponent is undefeated Father Tolton Catholic junior and two-time defending state champion Brock Mauller, who won at 132 last year and 126 two years ago.
Smith lone Buffalo rep in state finals
Hopes were high for Buffalo entering Saturday night’s semifinals. The Bison had four wrestlers entered, each one win shy of a spot in a state finals match.
The Bison now instead hope sophomore Ethan Smith can bring gold back to Dallas County.
Smith converted his third pinfall victory of the tournament, defeating Centralia’s Andrew Newbrough at the 1:33 mark of the first period. Smith will meet Richmond freshman Rance Waigand (46-3 overall) in the Class 1 113-pound finals Saturday.
“It felt great. I’ve wrestled a lot of years, never made it to the finals at state (youth or high school),” Smith said.
Waigand beat Seneca’s Max Roark in the other 113 semifinals. Roark won the 106-pound title in Class 1 last season but appeared to suffer an injury in his match against Waigand.
Ethan Smith is a 47-7 overall sophomore who placed 5th at 106 in Class 2 last season. Diet and training have aided his development.
“I’ve worked a lot harder this year,” he said. “I got my diet worked out, lifted weights. I’ve just been working, going to a lot of offseason stuff.”
Floyd Miller (160), Blake Williamson (195) and Colten Kenady (220) lost their semifinal matches Friday and will compete in the consolation side on Saturday, along with heavyweight Shane Sisco.
Buffalo’s Lizzie Miller was ousted on the consolation side Friday, dropping a pair of matches. She won her opening match on Thursday – and another on the consolation side Friday – and was seeking to become the first female wrestler from Southwest Missouri to ever earn all-state honors in wrestling. Only two females in MSHSA history have medaled at state.
