By Pat Dailey (For OzarkSportsZone.com)
Cassville’s Riley James, Colton Roark and Tristan Thompson quickly became a terrific trio as freshmen last winter and will look to follow up with super sophomore seasons this season.
James was 37-10 at 150 pounds and finished fifth at the Class 2 State Tournament. Along the way, he earned a Big Eight Conference championship.
Roark was 47-10 while finishing fifth at State at 144.
Thompson was 43-12 and made State as a District runner-up.
“I have high expectations for all three,” Wildcats coach Nathan Fortner said. “I’m sure they will have higher expectations for themselves. They have gained experience in high pressure situations. I think they are capable of being on top of the (State Tournament) podium at the end of February, if they put in the work throughout the season.”
Fortner thinks it will be interesting to see the weight classes the trio settle in at. He is sure they won’t be in the same classes they competed at last season. Each of the three play football for Cassville, as well.
“Colton, Riley, and Tristan have all grown and put on size in the weight room,” Fortner said. “It’s hard to say where they will be this season.”
Fortner is hopeful of standouts developing throughout the Wildcats’ lineup.
“We set individual and team goals at the beginning of the season, so I have high expectations for all of our wrestlers to meet and develop into the best wrestler and person they can be,” Fortner said. “Each wrestler has different goals and I will hold them all to a high expectation of reaching those goals.
“We should have a full team this year, but won’t know where our wrestlers will be in the lineup until the hydration test results,” he added.
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The Lady Wildcats have established themselves as one of the top girls programs in southwest Missouri and they should be elite again.
Faith James will resume her quest for a gold medal at State, after being 43-4 and a runner-up last season. She was pinned by Jefferson City sophomore Alexis Dunwiddle in the 130 title tilt.
“Faith is self motivated. She took her finals loss hard and has set a goal to not only be a state champion, but one of the best in the nation,” Fortner said. “She wrestled in a few national tournaments this summer and brought some hardware back to Cassville as an All American.”
James, Hailey Roark and Monique Lopez are the only seniors, for both the boys and girls, in Cassville’s wrestling room.
Roark was 38-12 and made State at 140 last season.
“They will be great leaders for not only the girls program, but also the boys,” Fortner said of James and Roark. “They are smart girls with a high work ethic to get better. I have high expectations for both of them.”
Cassville has two additions to its tournament trail. The Wildcats will take part in the Harrisonville Holiday Tournament for the first time, as will the Lady Wildcats at the Eldon Holiday Tournament.
