By Brennan Stebbins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
What a difference a year makes.
Two years ago the Carl Junction wrestling team placed 29th in Class 3, but the Bulldogs qualified six wrestlers for state last winter and jumped all the way to ninth place in the team standings.
And Jesse Cassatt earned a state championship at 195 pounds. He was one of three Carl Junction wrestlers who medaled.
“I think we improved at every tournament that we went to,” head coach Mike Frizzell said. “We were definitely a tournament team. We were young, very young, and we’re going to be young again this year but with a lot more experience on the mat.”
Carl Junction did lose four state wrestlers to graduation. Isiac Shields qualified at 160 and went 21-10 on the year. Jackson White went 47-1 and finished as the state runner up at 182. Keegan Bennett qualified at 220 and went 28-15. Micah Lieberman earned third place at 285 and finished 43-2.
Of the eight Bulldog wrestlers in the district tournament, those four were the only seniors.
“We definitely lose a lot of leadership with Isiac Shields and Jackson White being in the room and Micah Lieberman as well,” Frizzell said. “They gave us a lot of good senior leadership. Keegan’s kind of a quiet kid, a good kid that went out and worked hard. The more vocal kids were Jackson, Isiac and Micah. Their leadership is probably what we’re going to miss the most. We don’t have a lot of senior leadership right now, we’re going to be young but with Jesse being at the helm as a senior it should help things at the room.”
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Cassatt is a three-time state qualifier and two-time placer. He earned third place as a sophomore. He was 36-3 as a junior last year with all three losses coming to Willard’s Jed Brandon, including in the district finals. He faced him a fourth time in the title bout and earned a 3-2 decision.
“Every time we went back to the drawing board, looking at the tapes – he’s a student of the sport – we went back to the tapes and that’s what made the difference in the state championship match for him,” Frizzell said. “We had a game plan going into that day and he executed it to a T.”
Frizzell said Cassatt is being recruited by Division 1 colleges for 184 pounds so he’s considered dropping the senior to 182 for this season; that remains up in the air.
Senior Cole Stewart is the team’s other returning qualifier after wrestling at 152 last year. He finished 28-11 and is a two-time qualifier. Stewart wants to be a state placer this season and will likely wrestle at 152 or 160.
“Just an exceptional athlete,” Frizzell said. “He’s had a great football season, probably some of the best hands in the Four State area as a wide receiver. Just an all-around great athlete.”
Sophomore Lucas Walker returns after a 19-18 record at 106 pounds last year. He was one win away from qualifying for state and has put on weight and muscle. Sophomore Chance Benford returns after going 15-28, mostly at 132 pounds. He’s also added weight and muscle and will likely wrestle around 160 this year. Junior Javon White returns at 170 pounds after a 12-6 record last season. Sophomore Cayden Bollinger wrestled at 170 last year and went 19-18; he played football at 208 pounds this season.
Carl Junction has several talented incoming freshman who should make an impact, as well.
Max Matthews will probably step into the 113-pound spot and earned a state championship in junior high. Brennan Carey is a two-time state champion who wrestled at 175 last year. And Dex Merrell earned sixth place as a seventh grader and was poised for a state title run last year before the season was canceled. He should wrestle at 138 or 145.
Frizzell expects around 30 wrestlers on the team this year, and said he expects four or five girls to wrestle, as well, in the school’s first girls wrestling season.
One of those is Shiloh Sluder, a senior.
“She’s a track star wanting to come out and give wrestling a try,” Frizzell said.
Overall expectations for the program remain high, with Frizzell wanting another top-10 finish at state.
“We only finished 15 points out of fourth place last year and that’s just a difference of maybe a couple matches,” he said.
“Our young kids are going to have to come in and step up,” he said. “They have the ability and experience to do that. If they do then we’ll be right there in the hunt. We have a tough district to deal with but I think we’re up for the challenge.”
