By Pat Dailey (For OzarkSportsZone.com)
Waynesville coach Shane Williams suspects the Tigers’ depth will help them be a team to watch out for at tournaments.
“We are not going to be a great dual team, which is perfectly fine with me because the state tournament is not a dual,” Williams said. “We perform well at tournaments, which is more important to me.”
Waynesville’s tournament trail will take the Tigers to the Bolivar, Lee’s Summit North, Fort Zumwalt East, Vianney, St. Charles West and the Ozark Conference Tournament. They are the defending champs at Vianney.
Waynesville will have options throughout its lineup.
“We have grown in numbers every year that I have been here, which is awesome,” said Williams, who is in his third season with the Tigers. “There are many freshmen coming out, as well as guys, who have not been in the room, deciding they want to wrestle. We are actually getting some good move-ins, as well.”
Waynesville’s leaders are Mason Zamora (120 pounds) and Kaiden Cruz (165). Zamora was 23-16 last season and Cruz 15-11.
“Kaiden and Mason really had a good year last year and I expect much the same,” Williams said. “I look for Kaiden to start the year at 165 and maybe drop to 157, but that will be late in the season, if it happens at all.
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“They put in some work in the summer and I am excited to see what they will do, like I am all the kids,” he added.
Waynesville’s lighter weights will be filled by Isaiah Santos (106), Caesar Trujillo (113), Lincoln Stearns (126) and Will Austin (132).
“We are stacked at the middle weights,” Williams said, while pointing to Jameson Henry, Dian Justus, Marcus Tucker and Daniel McGuire all at 138.
Aiden Smith and Carson Sutphin may rotate at 144 and 150. Johan Manual, Edwin Twine and Mason MacDonald will all be at 157.
Filling out the upper weights will be Cruz (165), Braylin Scott (175), Caiden Oursler (190), Joe Camelin (215) and Noah Sharf (285).
“That is what I am thinking now, but it could drastically change,” Williams said of his lineup. “To be honest, I have high expectations for all of the kids no matter the level. I try to prepare them to be their very best, no matter the competition. I want them to leave everything on the mat every time.”
Edwin Twine (157) and Noah Sharf (285) are newcomers.
On the girls side, Waynesville has returning State qualifiers in Haylee Fort (145), Mekenzie Moffet (170), Yisel Perez (190) and Isabelle Lemmond (235).
