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By Chris Parker & Zach Mason
Everything about this year’s MSHSAA girls wrestling tournament is historic since it is the first one. Four area girls are still in the mix to grab a piece of that history as a part of the first class of girls state champions in Missouri high school history.
Buffalo’s Lizzie Miller (116), Waynesville’s Justice Seely (121) and the Lebanon duo of Quincy Glendenning (131) and Antionna Cunningham (136) all earned spots in Saturday’s championship bouts.
Miller, who is now 23-1 on the season, beat Caitlyn Thomas of St. Charles by a narrow 3-0 margin.
“I was nervous early on when I hadn’t scored anything, but then once I got ahead I knew I had it,” Miller said.
Miller will face unbeaten Brooke Cox from Lawson in the final.
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“I’m very excited to have a girls division for the first time. It would be awesome to be in the first girls division final. I’ve worked so hard to make it here,” Miller said.
Seely will hit the mat right after Miller at 121 pounds. She won in sudden victory over Ft. Zumwalt West’s Vivian Madrid to improve to 19-1 on the season. She will face unbeaten Mary Belle Harrell from Hickman in the final.
Lebanon currently sits just three points back of Lafayette Wildwood in the team race heading into Saturday’s medal rounds.
“We have two in the finals and we have all five still alive with three on the backside and how it goes in the morning will determine our team score,” head coach Matt Neely said.
Glendenning and Cunningham reached the finals in two very different ways. Cunningham was able to pin Fort Osage’s Tess Kinne at the 3:59 mark to earn her berth in the title bout. Glendenning had to hold off Marceline’s Baylee Johnson in a high-scoring 14-12 decision. Cunningham will face her second consecutive unbeaten wrestler in the title bout, as she will be opposed by Holt’s Esther Han (25-0). Glendenning will face McCluer North’s Natalie Schaljo.
While Lebanon would love to win the team title, Neely is just happy the girls are getting a chance to showcase what they can do.
“We’ve had a great time, we’ve wanted this sanctioned for awhile now so for them to be here, whether we’re in first or last, we’re having a great time,” Neely said.
