By Kary Booher (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
A fringe follower of the local wrestling scene might assume that this might be a rebuilding year for the Nixa High School boys wrestling team.
Well, think again.
Coach Dustin Martin is keeping the bar raised high, and he is confident that that is the right approach to take, considering the talent still in the room this winter. In the past three seasons, Nixa tied for third (2021), and finished fourth (2022) and sixth (2023) in Class 4.
Is a top four finish out of the question?
“That’s definitely the goal, with the returning guys we have and we picked up a transfer,” Martin said. “That puts us back in.”
Nixa graduated big-time prospect and three-time state champion Zan Fugitt, who is now at the University of Wisconsin, and graduated two other state medalists. Plus, Brennan Carey, a state medalist, is not on the team this year in order to compete in Greco-Roman events.
However, the Eagles have two returning state placers in Aidan Ward and Curtis Glossip, and a talented Kentucky transfer in Malchi Bo Rider. That’s in addition to a number of guys with varsity experience.
“Numerically, when you put it on paper, you can get there (top four),” Martin said. “We just have to get it done. … Last year, we wanted to be in the top four. We missed it by two points, and we regret not setting (the bar) high enough. Our goal is go give Liberty (four consecutive state titles) a run for their money. Let’s make them earn it.”
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Roster
Nixa is expected to have 50 on the roster in what will be Martin’s 15th season as Nixa’s coach.
Ward is a two-time state qualifier who placed sixth last year. He is likely to wrestle at 138 pounds.
“We expect him to be a team leader this year,” Martin said. “He went through some ups and downs last season, but he has had a great offseason.”
Glossip may compete at 165 pounds this season. He reached the state semifinals last season.
“I think he’s learned a lot from that,” Martin said. “I think the experience of being so close really drove him. He battled some injuries over the summer, but he got some quality wrestling in. And he’s put on some quality size.”
Rider, a senior, is interesting. He was a two-time state champion and three-time state finalist in Kentucky, where he competed on varsity as an eighth-grader. His family relocated to Nixa so that their school-age children can attend school with friends who have relocated from Colorado.
In 2021, Rider was a World Team finalist in Greco-Roman. He may be at 157 this year.
“When you’ve been a state champion, you’re expectation is to win a state title,” Martin said.
Others in the hunt for varsity spots are sophomores Owen Diemoz, Tobias Thompson and Kaden Ulrich, and juniors Colten Counts, James Grother, and Dylan Rebura, as well as senior Josiah Farris.
Diemoz was a spot starter on varsity last year. Rebura came on strong last year. Tobias advanced to the state tournament last year. Ulrich competed in the lower weights last year but was undersized. He’s now about 110 pounds.
Counts, Grother and Farris should help the varsity squad.
Sleepers?
Five freshmen have a chance to make their mark on varsity: Reed Wilson, Kaden Young, Jax Adams, Gavin McAtee and C.J. Cribbs. Wilson and Young were state champions in USA Wrestling, and Adams was a state medalist.
The concern for Martin is spacing out the talent so that quality wrestlers aren’t on the bench.
Nixa Girls
The Nixa girls wrestling team looks talented yet again, making it possible for another top four finish.
A year ago, the Eagles placed fourth in Class 2, a year after finishing as a state runner-up.
Martin expects about 35 wrestlers on the roster at the state of the season. That includes eight returning state qualifiers.
“We want to go win it,” Martin said. “We think we have a chance. We didn’t lose a single wrestler off varsity. And they put a lot of time on the mat this summer.”
Among them are Brenya Crahan, Addison Harkins and Cali Dupree. Crahan is a two-time state champion and three-time state medalist. Harkins and Dupree were state runners-up.
Crahan suffered a quarterfinal loss at state last season after winning state the past two years.
“All losses are good at some point,” Martin said, meaning that the state tournament is serving as fuel for Crahan. “It’s made her analyze everything she is doing in every match.”
Harkins, a sophomore, could wrestle at 135 pounds.
“We knew she was going to have a good season, but it was kind of a question mark,” Martin said. “She grinds her way through.”
Dupree, a junior, could wrestle at 155. She has suffered losses at state the past two years to Fort Osage’s Haley Ward, a two-time state champion and now wrestling for the new team at the University of Iowa.
“She’s hoping to have a shot to win a title this year,” Martin said.
The other returning state qualifiers are Ava Hansen, Kelsey Watts, Mylee Harper, Taelor Dorr-Tillia and Ava Frye. Watts is a senior who may wrestle in the light weights. Dorr-Tillia is a two-time state qualifier but has battled shoulder injuries. Hansen, Harper and Frye will compete between 100 and 130 pounds.
Other returnees include juniors Abigail Weitzel, Larisa Downs, Jessie Nelson and sophomores Ellie Moore and Katy Wilson.
The Nixa girls will compete in some of the toughest events in St. Louis, Tulsa and Kansas City.
“We’re taking them all over the place,” Martin said. “We’re trying to wrestle the best of the best.”
