By Kary Booher (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
To say that coach Dustin Martin is excited about Nixa High School wrestling season would be an understatement.
For one, look at the lower weights. But also consider this – the Nixa school district added an eighth hour to the school day dedicated to athletics and conditioning.
“Now my wrestlers can sign-up for ‘Wrestling Class,’ and we can meet every day of the year and the students receive a school credit for the class,” Martin said. “It is a great addition to our athletic program.”
A year ago, Nixa had six state qualifiers and placed third in the Central Ozark Conference Tournament. This year, roughly 40 boys and 15 girls are expected on the roster in the early season.
Those figures include 11 returning boys starters, including all three state qualifiers – one who was a state medalist.
The state medalist is sophomore Peyton Moore, who was a state runner-up at 106 pounds. He finished 43-10.
But he’s not the only competitor in the lighter weights. Those include freshmen Zan Fugitt and Nate Brower, junior Deagan Fugitt (113), sophomores Cole Crahan (120), Dylan Webster (126) and Conner Swensen (126).
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“Our lightweights might steal the show this year as will have some highly competitive weight classes,” Martin said. “We have a few of the lower weight classes where I anticipate having a couple of our pretty tough guys battling it out for a varsity spot.”
Zan Fugitt was a six-time state champion in USA Wrestling, the youth circuit. Deagan Fugitt was a state qualifier at 113 pounds last year, when he finished 45-10. Crahan is a returning starter who also won was a Central Ozark Conference Champion, ending the season with 29 wins in 47 matches. Webster also is a returning starter.
The rest of the projected lineup in includes junior Dylan Carter and freshman Gage Sporleder at 132), senior Ethan Shepherd (138), Kolyn Eli (145), sophomore Michael Turner (170), junior Marek Davis (182) and sophomore John Gholson (220).
Eli not only is a returning starter but a state qualifier and a COC champion. He was 43-15 a year ago.
Carter is a returning starter who looks to improve on an 18-27 record. Shepherd won 25 of 45 matches. Turner, Davis and Gholson also are returning starters.
However, the 152 and 160-pound weight classes are up for grabs.
“We also have some studs in our upper weights but they are spread out a bit better,” Martin said. “Overall I’m excited about this group of wrestlers as we are still on the younger side, but we have some experienced and battle tested wrestlers.”
The girls team also should be competitive thanks to the return of five starters. It includes sophomores Ashlyn Eli (106), Audrey Coger (110), Chloe Brower and Emily Thomassen (116), senior Alexis Grothe (152), sophomores Harmony Rust and Julie Blankenship (187).
Elie was 17-1 and was a state qualifier a year ago. Grothe, who was 16-14 last season, has committed to the University of Central Methodist. Coger, Brower and Rust also are returning starters, with Rust also a state qualifier who finished 12-11.
“Both our boys and girls teams went to the University of Missouri Team camp this summer,” Martin said, “and learned some valuable technique and team bonding time.”
