By Kary Booher (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
A year ago, the wrestlers of Camdenton High School were welcomed by a new wrestling room and, after a mostly successful season, decided to do more to make sure that there isn’t a drop-off.
That work ethic obviously is encouraging to Camdenton coach Grant Leighty, and for the following reasons: 70, three, 43, 43, 35 and 29.
In order, those numbers represent Camdenton’s dual wins (70) since 2018 and last year’s tournament wins (three), as well Section 3’s percentage of state finalists, top-three medalists, total medalists and state champions.
“The overall level of wrestling in southwest Missouri is becoming one of the toughest regions in the state, if not the toughest region. We plan on being part of that discussion,” Leighty said.
“Most every wrestler went to one or two camps over the offseason, some even more,” Leighty added. “Almost every wrestler is a multi-sport athlete. So, hitting the weight room, and improving themselves athletically, is happening at a very good rate. Six to seven of our starters are also starters on the defense of the high school football team. Great skill and mentality transfer with that.”
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Projected roster
Camdenton likely will open the season with 35 wrestlers. That includes 12 returning starters out of the 14 weight classes. Among them are three state qualifies and one state medalist.
The projected roster could be freshmen Drake Scheifelbein and Mason Long at 106 pounds, followed by freshman Rashon Baumgartner (113), sophomore Wesley Layhay (120), junior Logan Tibben (126), freshman Finnigan McNitt (132), junior Cooper Rhodenizer (138) and senior Adrian Kline (145).
The upper weights could see junior Wiley Powers at 152 pounds, and then senior Cale Bentley (160), sophomore Nathaniel Beeson (170), senior Garrett Stark (182), junior Gunner Morris (195), senior Travis Ferguson, senior Kevin Uthe and junior Axel Ambrocio (220), and senior Dakota Davis (285).
Notables
Davis was a state runner-up in Class 3 last season, when he finished 56-2. He won the Ozark Conference Tournament, district and sectionals. His only losses were to the eventual Class 3 and Class 4 state champions, with a 4-3 loss to Ozark’s Hunter Tennison. In the finals of Class 3, he lost to Jacobi Jackson of Desmet, 6-3. That was Jackson’s only match that lasted all six minutes all year.
“He is having an outstanding year at nose guard for the Camdenton football program,” Leighty said of Davis. “He is just as big a force on the football field as he is on the wrestling mat. He has agility and strength that not many heavyweights have.
“He is looking to become only the second state champion in Camdenton’s history and break the career win record for Camdenton that was set last year by Grant Garrett. Both are very lofty goals, but he is someone that could achieve both.”
Tibben was a Class 3 state qualifier last year, when he did some spot duty in the varsity lineup.
“He overcame a loss at district to qualify for state,” Leighty said. “Logan is an incredibly strong athlete and his motor goes forever. He is going to be a strong lightweight for us this year.”
Rhodenizer had 41 wins last season, when his sectional bracket featured two soon-to-be state medalists and another who had placed third at state the year before. He was the runner-up in the Ozark Conference Tournament, placed third at districts and was fourth at sectionals.
“Cooper has been working very hard during the offseason and will be tough this upcoming season,” Leighty said.
Aiden Neal had 32 wins last season, but the Lakers are awaiting word if he will be medically cleared to wrestle this season, as he underwent an offseason surgery. He could compete at 145 pounds.
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Taking the next step?
Kline missed the second half of last season after suffering an injury. He had 11 wins at the time.
“He is a standout defensive player with our football program and is looking to have a big impact on our wrestling season,” Leighty said.
Powers was 27-17 and placed third at the district tournament last year. Bentley (33-22), Beeson (31-24) and Stark (18 wins) were each fourth-place finishers at the Ozark Conference and district tournaments.
Girls wrestling
Camdenton’s girls wrestling coach, Kit Doran, hopes to have about 15 on the roster at the start of the year. A year ago, that number was only four.
“We have some really tough athletes that we are expecting to do well this year mixed in with a lot of first- and second-year wrestlers,” Doran said. “The increase in numbers lies a lot on the girls who wrestled before.”
The projected roster has freshman Abbey Fuglsang and junior Maria Igot at 102 pounds, junior Bailey “Alex” Matthews (107), sophomore Kailey Buffkin (112), sophomore Samantha Bennett (117), sophomore Chelsea Campopiano (122), freshman Ursula Sandford (132) and sophomore Lucina Baker (137).
Remaining weights are junior Riley Hinton (143) and junior Lexi Saleh (143), senior Belle Simpson and freshman Wilma Burgos-Flores (151), sophomore Timberly Sullivan and sophomore Lauren Lopretta (159), seniors Haleigh Vanskike and Katlyn Damery (174), sophomore Sophia Schaefer (195) and sophomore Clara Rathmann (235).
Rathmann was a conference champion and state qualifier last season.
“Clara is a solid wrestler and team leader. She has done a ton of offseason work and looks to improve upon last season’s accomplishments,” Doran said.
Van Skike and Simpson are seniors.
“They are both veteran wrestlers who are tough, battle-tested athletes who look to finish their wrestling career on a strong note,” Doran said.
Fuglsang was a state runner-up as an eighth-grader last season.
“She has done a ton of offseason work and looks to make a run at state this year,” Doran said.
“This will be the first year we split rooms from the boys,” said Doran, a former Maryland state champion in two styles who competed collegiately for West Liberty State University. “The numbers are strong enough we did not have room to practice in the same area. It’s a little bit of history here at Camdenton and the girls are buying in. They see opportunity to be part of something great. This is the first year they have their own coaching staff, practice area, and uniforms.”
