By Pat Dailey (For OzarkSportsZone.com)
BRANSON — Kickapoo’s Jahan Huynh came away from Saturday’s Branson Tournament with a first-place medal, after leaving Branson a year ago with a fractured rib.
Huynh improved to 32-3 and captured the 150-pound championship with a 15-0 win by technical fall in the final against Valentin Ledezma, of Francis Howell North.
He didn’t allow himself to give any thought toward feeling jinxed upon his return to Branson.
“Today felt like any other tournament,” Huynh said. “I’ve been around long enough where I’m here to wrestle. I was here to prove something, and I feel like I did. (Today) went how it was supposed to go. I’ve been training year-round for this and feel like I’m reaping the rewards of my hard work.
“Last year, I had a little bit of heartbreak here. My injury was a big roadblock in my journey to state,” he added. “I’ve been looking at this season really positive, thinking, ‘How healthy can I stay?’ And ‘How positive can I be?’”
Huynh is anxious to see what else is in store for him to close out his senior season.
“This doesn’t feel real. It feels like a dream. It’s something I’ve been working for for such a long time, to the point where now that I’m here, it’s like. ‘What’s next?’” Huynh said. “I want to keep this momentum going. It’s all about staying in the room, working and elevating myself every day.”
Like Huynh, the Chiefs’ Joseph Woodard won his title tilt by technical fall. He improved to 34-2 and claimed the 138 championship with a 17-2 final round win over Robinson Yoshino, of McDonald County.
Woodard’s junior year has seen him collect his first three tournament championships in his career. He was third at Branson last year. He won titles earlier this season at the Kinloch Classic and the Lee’s Summit Tournament.
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“Me and Jahan were grinding all off-season, so it’s a lot of fun to come out here and compete,” Woodard said. “I’ve been getting better, I’m happy about that. I feel like I’ve fixed my neutral, I’ve been giving up less takedowns and getting solid on bottom.”
After establishing dominance early on in his final, Woodard didn’t let up and continued to go for points.
“I smelled blood in the water, I wanted to finish it,” he said. “In the second period, I was like, ‘All right, I’ve got to go and keep pushing the pace.’”
Trio of champions for runner-up Carl Junction
Carl Junction’s Marcus Lopez-Durman was as entertaining as any wrestler Saturday while repeating as a champion. He upped his record to 17-3 by pulling out a 7-2 triumph against Haze Middleton, of Smithville, in their 190 title tilt.
Lopez-Durman escaped from one hold by Middleton by completing a full-fledged flip.
“That’s kind of my style, a little funky and a little different,” Lopez-Durman said. “I’ve practiced that a lot. It helps me out, gives me an edge.”
Lopez-Durman also showed off exceptional conditioning. He was strong to finish in his final, adding on to a 3-2 lead by posting an escape and takedown in the final minute.
“He had to come get me, so I felt good and the last takedown kind of sealed it,” he said. “I’m pushing my limits. Coach is doing a good job of conditioning us. I’ve got a lot of momentum but still have got to keep working.”
Carl Junction’s Camdon Kunkel was able to count on his strength to gain the 126 championship in convincing fashion. He pinned Rolla’s Carter Libhart in 3:06 in their title tilt.
At 126, Kunkel is brings great strength to the mat. His back strength is elite. He’s closing in on a max of 50 pull-ups in one setting.
“I feel confident in my strength,” said Kunkel, who is 27-3. “I mix in my strength with my technique I’ve been working on with the guys in our room.”
Kunkel is aiming to improve on his sixth-place finish at state from last season.
“I want to win state. I think I have a chance to do it,” he said.
The Bulldogs’ Aaron Dillingham gained redemption as a champion at 157. He improved to 16-4, thanks to a 14-2 win by major decision against Nicholas Redcay, Jeff City, in their title tilt.
Dillingham was a runner-up at Branson two years ago, but didn’t place at the tournament last year.
“The difference between last year and this year is my mentality,” Dillingham said. “Last year, I had a lot of problems going on inside and outside of wrestling. This year, I’m laser-focused. I didn’t doubt myself at this tournament and didn’t take any match lightly.”
Wilson, Hansen post championships for Ozark
Ozark sophomore Colton Wilson picked up his second Branson Tournament championship in as many years. In the 144 final, he collected a 19-3 win by technical fall over D`Andre Watts, of Jeff City.
Wilson, who earlier this season repeated as a champion at the Kinloch Classic, keeps complacency out of his head when returning to a tournament as a defending champ.
“I reset,” Wilson said. “Every year is a new year. I try to get last year out of my head and think like I never won.”
Wilson, who missed the first couple of months of the season with a broken ankle, is 18-0.
The Tigers’ Parker Hansen improved to 28-1 and won the 106 championship with a pin in 2:18 against Robert Winn, of Rolla.
McDonald County remains strong at 215
Taking over where McDonald County grad and 2024 Class 3 215 state champion Sam Murphy left off, the Mustangs’ Stevan Benhumea took the 215 title.
Benhumea, a sophomore, upped his record to 32-3 by pinning Brock Lepage, of Jefferson City Helias, in 1:14 in their title tilt.
Helias tops team standings
Helias totaled 183 points to cruise to the team championships. Carl Junction was second with 167.5 points and defending tourney champ Ozark third with 166.5.
