By Pat Dailey (For OzarkSportsZone.com)
With Republic’s Connor Sandridge needing a practice partner and former Tiger great Johnathan O’Connell not too far away at Drury, coach Jerry Morton suspects he will be giving O’Connell a call.
The 160-pound Sandridge and 145-pound O’Connell were practice partners last winter.
“We’re going to have to scramble to get Connor the kind of competition in the practice room he was used to getting,” Morton said. “We might have to ask Johnathan about helping out with that, especially if he red-shirts as a freshman at Drury. It would be great for him to spend some time with us.”
O’Connell finished fourth at 145 pounds as a senior at the Class 4 State Tournament a year ago, after being a runner-up at state as a sophomore and junior. He was Republic’s lone state medalist last year.
Wyatt George returns for the Tigers as senior with state tournament experience. He medaled two years ago while finishing sixth, but didn’t medal at state last year.
“We’re looking for him to get back on the podium,” Morton added.
George and the Tigers found the jump from Class 3 to Class 4 last year to be formidable.
“It was difficult,” Morton said. “I’m not saying the caliber of wrestling is different in the classes, but the depth of the wrestlers is. The top wrestles are good at all levels. But in the smaller classes the weight classes aren’t as deep. There might be one or two good kids, while in the larger classes there are five or six good kids.”
CLICK HERE FOR ALL OF THE WINTER SPORTS PREVIEWS
George will compete at 106 for the fourth straight season.
“It’s a rarity to have a senior as a 106-pounder,” Morton said. “He came into his freshman year under 100 pounds and has grown a little bit, but naturally just never grew a lot. It’s good for him that he only has to cut weight a little, but nothing extreme.”
George was 48-6 last season. Among his highlights was a Kinloch Tournament championship. But after being a runner-up at districts, he was ousted in the third round of wrestlebacks at state.
“He’s definitely stronger with another year of maturity. As a senior, he’s going to be stronger than most kids he wrestles.”
Sandridge made quite an impression last season while compiling a 38-9 record. He won a COC championship. But he fell short of making his way to state.
“He had a tough draw at districts,” Morton said. “He ended up having the second- and third-place finishers at state in his bracket. He lost to both of them, but was winning in both matches.”
Expectations are for Sandridge to not only make state this year, but have success at state.
“Even as a freshman, Sandridge was quite a specimen and was a man among boys,” Morton added. “He definitely has the skill and drive to get to state and get on the podium.”
Also returning for Republic are Isaac Collyott at 170 and Isaac Gyles at 220 or heavyweight.
There’s hope the Tigers could receive help from their freshman class.
“We have a good group of freshmen,” Morton said. “They have some experience, but you never know how that youth experience is going to translate to high school varsity matches.”
