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By Pat Dailey (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
For Ozark’s Jace Gorn and Nick Gladkov, the Tigers’ Class 4, District 3 team championship Saturday at Drury was every bit as fulfilling as their own individual titles.
“Honestly, I’m more excited about the team right now,” Gorn said after his 285-pound championship lifted Ozark’s points total to 180.
The Tigers’ 4-1 mark in title tilts allowed then to run away from the field. Lebanon and Waynesville tied for second with 150 points.
“Our team is phenomenal,” Gorn said. “It’s insane how young some of our guys are. It blows my mind that these freshmen are so much better than I was when I was a freshman. I’m really proud for where we are now compared to where we were at the beginning of the year.”
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“One thing coach has preached all year is we’re on a team mission,” added Gladkov, who won the 160-pound title. “By wrestling for the team, it makes me a better wrestler. I’ll always do better if I’m doing it for my team.”
Gladkov (49-4) edged Raymor-Peculiar’s Mason Pratt 3-2 in the final round. Pratt posted an escape with :12 remaining
“That’s how matches are supposed to be, tight and close,” Gladkov said. “When he got that escape, he almost got a reversal to tie it up. I was thinking, ‘Give up one, instead of two.’”
Ozark 113-pounder Jake Nickols (16-6) and 182-pounder Ryan Taylor (37-8) also won championships.
Nichols posted a pin in :56 versus Jefferson City’s Jeremiah Wallace in the final round and Taylor won an ultimate tie-breaker opposite Raymore-Peculiar’s Clint Herrick.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL MEDAL ROUND RESULTS
Trio of Yellowjackets claim championships
Lebanon’s Trevor Christian (47-2) once again proved making the jump from 145 to 152 over the Christmas break was the right move for him. He cruised to a 13-7 victory against Sedalia Smith-Cotton’s Blake Pomojzi (43-4) in the final round.
“I didn’t like cutting weight and I knew I could beat guys the guys at 152,” Christian said. “There have been a couple guys stronger than me. But it doesn’t matter how big they are. I’m a lot quicker than the heavier guys.
“We talked and debated about making the bump all Christmas break. I’m having more fun when I can eat.”
Christian, Pomojzi and Jefferson City’s Rance Neighbors (29-3), who was third, are all mentioned in the latest Class 4 152 rankings by MissouriWrestling.com.
“I think my weight class was one of toughest at Districts in the state,” Christian said. “I knew I had tough guys and that I would have to come to wrestle. (Pomojzi) is tough. But I think I dominated.”
As a super soph, Christian is eyeing a state championship.
“That’s what I’m going there to do,” he said. “I’ve beaten everybody in the rankings, except the number one guy. I know I’ll be wrestling a lot of tough guys and can’t be overconfident.”
Lebanon 126-pounder Cole Roark (38-9) added to his late-season surge by collecting a pin in :30 in the final round.
Roark had momentum on his side, after handing Rolla’s Zach Fennell his first loss of the season with a pin at the Ozark Conference Tournament championship a week earlier.
“I wanted to take that momentum into Districts and do my best,” Roark said. “He’s pretty good, so it made me feel I was a lot better than I usually think I am.”
The Yellowjackets’ third District champ was 120-pounder Hunter Lewis (34-13). He downed Ozark’s Wyatt Snyder (32-14) in the final.
Lewis also received a boost at the OC Tournament. He took Rolla’s Nathan Pulliam (42-0) to the second round, before being pinned in 3:30.
“He’s a really good wrestler and a good friend of mine,” Lewis said. “It was good to get out there against a hard opponent like him. I feel he helped me today.”
Waynesville’s Sax brothers both champions
Waynesville’s Gaven Sax and Sean Sax captured the 132 and 138 championships. For Gaven (39-2), it’s his first District title. For Sean (45-0), it’s his third.
“We can brag about who wins the most District championships, which he has now,” Gaven said. “He has three and I have one. But maybe I’ll win state before he does.”
Gaven pulled out a 7-4 win in the final round, while Sean posted pin in 2:49.
Eagles’ Garcia, Benetti take titles
Nixa’s Ozzie Garcia provided dramatics by recording a takedown just before time ran out in the third round of his 220 final against Jefferson City’s Brandon Backues. Garcia (44-6) won 3-1.
“I kept trying to find a shot, whether it was a single-leg or a double-leg and I got a single-leg,” Garcia said. “I like to do that to a lot of kids, when the seconds are winding down hit them with a shot to catch them by surprise.
“I had the gas tank for overtime, but if you can get it done in regulation, why not do it.”
The Eagles’ Donovan Benetti (47-0) took care of Lee’s Summit West’s Zach Moore with a pin in 3:10 in the 195 final.
Benetti is proud to have run the table to this point.
“Not many people can accomplish that,” he said. “There is more pressure being undefeated, but I like it. I like proving people wrong.”
Benetti now has his sights set on a gold medal at State.
“I’ve put hour and hours of hard work in,” he said. “To win state would be the best feeling ever. I think I can accomplish it. I’ve got to keep my mind on it and have fun.”
Comeback for Joplin’s Withrow
Joplin’s Jayden Withrow’s showed his resilience by finishing third at 220.
Withrow (32-3) was upset in the second round by Waynesville’s Ethan Gatzmeyer 3-2, but came back through the consolation bracket to earn his berth to State.
“You know it’s win or you go home,” Withrow said of his three wrestleback wins. “I didn’t want to go home, yet. I didn’t put in all the work this year to go home early.
“I had a few doubts. I thought maybe this is it. But I came back, wrestled hard and it worked out. Obviously, I feel I could have done better at a lot of things. But I’m going to State, so I’m proud of that.”
Joplin 285-pounder Jacob Booe (32-4) also finished third.
