By Pat Dailey (For OzarkSportsZone.com)

COLUMBIA — Zan Fugitt gained fulfillment at the finish of his Nixa career by collecting his third championship at the State Wrestling Championships on Saturday.

Fugitt (50-1) wrapped up the Class 4 132-pound title by pinning Lebanon junior Canon Roark (36-7) in 2:56.

Fugitt is proud how he responded to a runner-up finish his freshman year by rolling to championships as a sophomore, junior and now as a senior.

“The goal was obviously four. I fell short of that,” he said. “But I made the best of what I had. I came back to try and get three. I hoped as a freshman I could do that and as time went on I did. It happened and it’s pretty exciting.”

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Fugitt’s four wins over the weekend included three pins. He notched a 7-3 victory versus Grain Valley’s Dru Azcona in the semifinal round.

Fugitt’s 184 career wins are tops in Nixa history. He had shared the Eagles’ record entering the weekend with another three-time state champion, Joe Velliquette.

Fugitt hopes his career serves as motivation to youngsters.

“A legacy (that) people will remember my name and aspire to be like me,” he said when asked how he would like to be remembered in Nixa history.

The Eagles’ Brennan Carey also added to Nixa’s list of state champions by claiming the 215 title. He moved to 40-4 while downing Jackson’s Tyler Beyatte (40-4) by a 5-1 count in their title tilt.

“It feels good to be next to the guys I look up to like Zan who are super successful,” Carey said. “It’s nice to be on a list with some of the best guys who have come through the state of Missouri and through Nixa.”

Carey’s championship came with his father, Kevin, in his corner as an Eagles assistant.

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“He has coached me since I was 6 or 7 years old,” Brennan said. “He’s the backbone in my corner and the guy who always pushes me when I need to be pushed.”

Carey won his semifinal match 3-2 against Staley’s Jack Stoffel, thanks to a reversal in the final seconds.

Neosho’s Zar and Howard runners-up

Neosho’s Eli Zar’s bid for a second straight championship ended with a 7-2 overtime loss to Francis Howell Central’s Aidan Hernandez (29-1) in the 165 final.

Zar was 48-3 as a senior.

Wildcats freshman Carter Howard (21-6) recorded a second-place showing at 138. He was pinned in :53 by Liberty’s Christopher Coates in their title match.

STATE MEDALISTS

106 Class 4

1st Place – Erik Egstad of Park Hill
2nd Place – Parker Leverknight of Staley
3rd Place – Lucas Meier of Northwest (Cedar Hill)
4th Place – Cade Dunn of Liberty
5th Place – Chase Gray of Francis Howell Central
6th Place – Calum Brown of Lafayette (Wildwood)

1st Place Match
Erik Egstad (Park Hill) 41-5, So. over Parker Leverknight (Staley) 34-16, So. (Fall 5:50)

3rd Place Match
Lucas Meier (Northwest (Cedar Hill)) 34-6, So. over Cade Dunn (Liberty) 31-11, Fr. (Dec 6-3)

5th Place Match
Chase Gray (Francis Howell Central) 29-12, Fr. over Calum Brown (Lafayette (Wildwood)) 31-17, Fr. (Dec 4-0)

113 Class 4

1st Place – Hank Benter of Hickman
2nd Place – Devon Harrison of Liberty
3rd Place – Damien Moseley of Ozark
4th Place – Nathaniel Provost of Ft. Zumwalt North
5th Place – Landon Vassalli of Jackson
6th Place – Zachary Bleess of Grain Valley

1st Place Match
Hank Benter (Hickman) 46-1, So. over Devon Harrison (Liberty) 37-7, So. (Dec 9-4)

3rd Place Match
Damien Moseley (Ozark) 44-9, So. over Nathaniel Provost (Ft. Zumwalt North) 47-8, So. (Dec 4-1)

5th Place Match
Landon Vassalli (Jackson) 37-6, Jr. over Zachary Bleess (Grain Valley) 37-10, Fr. (Dec 9-3)

120 Class 4

1st Place – Hunter Taylor of Liberty
2nd Place – Charlie Dykes of Lee`s Summit North
3rd Place – Miller Sipes of Staley
4th Place – Gavin Parks of Grain Valley
5th Place – Michael Domino of Liberty North
6th Place – Keaton Hurst of Ozark

1st Place Match
Hunter Taylor (Liberty) 39-6, Jr. over Charlie Dykes (Lee`s Summit North) 48-3, Jr. (Dec 6-2)

3rd Place Match
Miller Sipes (Staley) 39-12, Fr. over Gavin Parks (Grain Valley) 37-8, Jr. (Dec 3-2)

5th Place Match
Michael Domino (Liberty North) 25-8, Sr. over Keaton Hurst (Ozark) 29-17, So. (SV-1 5-3)

126 Class 4

1st Place – Peyton Shepard of Francis Howell Central
2nd Place – Dylan Roth of Lafayette (Wildwood)
3rd Place – Hayden Benter of Hickman
4th Place – Davis Joiner of Lebanon
5th Place – Cooper Rider of Liberty
6th Place – Brody Rudman of Marquette

1st Place Match
Peyton Shepard (Francis Howell Central) 40-7, Sr. over Dylan Roth (Lafayette (Wildwood)) 40-11, Jr. (Dec 5-3)

3rd Place Match
Hayden Benter (Hickman) 49-5, Sr. over Davis Joiner (Lebanon) 45-6, Sr. (Dec 10-5)

5th Place Match
Cooper Rider (Liberty) 32-11, Sr. over Brody Rudman (Marquette) 31-12, Jr. (Dec 7-3)

132 Class 4

1st Place – Zan Fugitt of Nixa
2nd Place – Canon Roark of Lebanon
3rd Place – Jamison Tunstill of Oak Park
4th Place – Dru Azcona of Grain Valley
5th Place – Noah Keen of Francis Howell Central
6th Place – Bradyn Tate of Carthage

1st Place Match
Zan Fugitt (Nixa) 50-1, Sr. over Canon Roark (Lebanon) 36-7, Jr. (Fall 2:56)

3rd Place Match
Jamison Tunstill (Oak Park) 41-4, Sr. over Dru Azcona (Grain Valley) 30-3, Sr. (Dec 5-3)

5th Place Match
Noah Keen (Francis Howell Central) 39-12, Jr. over Bradyn Tate (Carthage) 48-8, Jr. (Dec 5-0)

138 Class 4

1st Place – Christopher Coates of Liberty
2nd Place – Carter Howard of Neosho
3rd Place – Aidan Schoen of Lafayette (Wildwood)
4th Place – Ty Shelton of Timberland
5th Place – Rylan Mansfield of Fort Osage
6th Place – Aidan Ward of Nixa

1st Place Match
Christopher Coates (Liberty) 28-1, Jr. over Carter Howard (Neosho) 21-6, Fr. (Fall 0:53)

3rd Place Match
Aidan Schoen (Lafayette (Wildwood)) 38-11, So. over Ty Shelton (Timberland) 37-6, Jr. (MD 10-2)

5th Place Match
Rylan Mansfield (Fort Osage) 48-10, Jr. over Aidan Ward (Nixa) 41-16, Jr. (Dec 4-0)

144 Class 4

1st Place – Gavin Linsman of Liberty
2nd Place – Cole Aguirre of Ft. Zumwalt North
3rd Place – Cooper Corley of Francis Howell
4th Place – Andrew Bowling of Lebanon
5th Place – Curtis Glossip of Nixa
6th Place – Chad Blanke of Francis Howell North

1st Place Match
Gavin Linsman (Liberty) 41-4, Jr. over Cole Aguirre (Ft. Zumwalt North) 48-10, Fr. (TF-1.5 5:32 (18-3))

3rd Place Match
Cooper Corley (Francis Howell) 43-3, Sr. over Andrew Bowling (Lebanon) 37-10, Jr. (Dec 8-1)

5th Place Match
Curtis Glossip (Nixa) 34-13, Fr. over Chad Blanke (Francis Howell North) 38-19, Sr. (Dec 8-5)

150 Class 4

1st Place – Carter Mccallister of Rock Bridge
2nd Place – Kolby McClain of Liberty
3rd Place – Braxton Strick of Ozark
4th Place – Colby Gray of Fort Osage
5th Place – Lucas Robertson of Poplar Bluff
6th Place – Grey Petticrew of Carthage

1st Place Match
Carter Mccallister (Rock Bridge) 49-0, Sr. over Kolby McClain (Liberty) 34-9, Sr. (MD 19-7)

3rd Place Match
Braxton Strick (Ozark) 51-3, Sr. over Colby Gray (Fort Osage) 49-8, So. (Fall 2:28)

5th Place Match
Lucas Robertson (Poplar Bluff) 35-5, Sr. over Grey Petticrew (Carthage) 32-12, Sr. (SV-1 3-1)

157 Class 4

1st Place – John Bamvakais of Seckman
2nd Place – Trey Craig of Liberty
3rd Place – Brock Sundlie of Ozark
4th Place – Thomas Stuhlman of Francis Howell Central
5th Place – Collyn Kivett of Neosho
6th Place – Caden Gousetis of Eureka

1st Place Match
John Bamvakais (Seckman) 45-7, Sr. over Trey Craig (Liberty) 17-4, Fr. (Dec 3-1)

3rd Place Match
Brock Sundlie (Ozark) 39-11, Sr. over Thomas Stuhlman (Francis Howell Central) 17-4, Sr. (Dec 4-2)

5th Place Match
Collyn Kivett (Neosho) 38-9, Sr. over Caden Gousetis (Eureka) 35-19, Jr. (Fall 3:44)

165 Class 4

1st Place – Aidan Hernandez of Francis Howell Central
2nd Place – Eli Zar of Neosho
3rd Place – Tanner Barker of Grain Valley
4th Place – Davion King of Carthage
5th Place – Jackson Jones of Lee`s Summit
6th Place – Merrik Murray of Staley

1st Place Match
Aidan Hernandez (Francis Howell Central) 29-1, Sr. over Eli Zar (Neosho) 48-3, Sr. (TB-1 7-2)

3rd Place Match
Tanner Barker (Grain Valley) 37-3, Sr. over Davion King (Carthage) 30-4, Sr. (TB-1 3-1)

5th Place Match
Jackson Jones (Lee`s Summit) 43-9, Jr. over Merrik Murray (Staley) 13-7, So. (SV-1 3-1)

175 Class 4

1st Place – Brett Smith of Troy Buchanan
2nd Place – Peyton Westpfahl of Liberty
3rd Place – Chance Cole of Ft. Zumwalt North
4th Place – Connor Sandridge of Republic
5th Place – Cole Harrell of Hickman
6th Place – Nathan Sola of Liberty North

1st Place Match
Brett Smith (Troy Buchanan) 43-2, Sr. over Peyton Westpfahl (Liberty) 43-5, So. (SV-1 3-1)

3rd Place Match
Chance Cole (Ft. Zumwalt North) 52-6, Sr. over Connor Sandridge (Republic) 31-5, Sr. (Dec 3-2)

5th Place Match
Cole Harrell (Hickman) 48-6, Sr. over Nathan Sola (Liberty North) 40-11, Sr. (Dec 5-1)

190 Class 4

1st Place – Cole Ruble of Seckman
2nd Place – Andrew Wier of Lafayette (Wildwood)
3rd Place – Austen Wetzel of Battle
4th Place – Trevor Thorn of Liberty North
5th Place – Cade Muscia of Lebanon
6th Place – Jim Humphrey of Park Hill

1st Place Match
Cole Ruble (Seckman) 38-7, Sr. over Andrew Wier (Lafayette (Wildwood)) 37-5, Jr. (Dec 6-5)

3rd Place Match
Austen Wetzel (Battle) 26-2, Sr. over Trevor Thorn (Liberty North) 48-6, Sr. (Fall 4:14)

5th Place Match
Cade Muscia (Lebanon) 33-10, Sr. over Jim Humphrey (Park Hill) 31-10, Jr. (Dec 7-2)

215 Class 4

1st Place – Brennan Carey of Nixa
2nd Place – Tyler Beyatte of Jackson
3rd Place – Ethan Venable of Oakville
4th Place – Nick Bova of Troy Buchanan
5th Place – Draven VanGilder of Joplin
6th Place – Jack Stoffel of Staley

1st Place Match
Brennan Carey (Nixa) 46-6, Jr. over Tyler Beyatte (Jackson) 40-4, Sr. (Dec 5-1)

3rd Place Match
Ethan Venable (Oakville) 40-3, Jr. over Nick Bova (Troy Buchanan) 39-14, Sr. (MD 15-2)

5th Place Match
Draven VanGilder (Joplin) 29-10, Sr. over Jack Stoffel (Staley) 32-11, Sr. (Dec 5-4)

285 Class 4

1st Place – Elmotie Williams of Liberty North
2nd Place – Trenton Bindel of Liberty
3rd Place – Alex Bray of Marquette
4th Place – Nico Olivares of Neosho
5th Place – Callen Smithpeter of Blue Springs South
6th Place – Peyton Greer of Ozark

1st Place Match
Elmotie Williams (Liberty North) 44-5, So. over Trenton Bindel (Liberty) 35-7, So. (Fall 5:57)

3rd Place Match
Alex Bray (Marquette) 33-4, Sr. over Nico Olivares (Neosho) 36-6, Sr. (Fall 1:46)

5th Place Match
Callen Smithpeter (Blue Springs South) 43-7, Jr. over Peyton Greer (Ozark) 40-17, Sr. (TB-1 3-2)