By Kary Booher (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Near the main gym at Glendale High School, you’ll now see a glass enclosed homage to the Falcons’ wrestling success.
That success is kind of interesting, actually, in a high school known far more for its basketball and baseball history.
So can you imagine what must go through the minds of current Falcons wrestlers when they see the framed shrine? After all, it features names of Glendale’s three state champions, several All-State finishers and those with the top 10 career wins in program history. And state medalists earn a banner that hangs from the rafters.
Even better, Glendale has a coach passionate about the sport in Bud Donnell, now in his 10th season there.
“I believe our numbers will be higher (this season) because of participation numbers at our feeder middle schools,” Donnell said. “We have some standouts that should make some noise this season.”
Projected roster
Donnell anticipates about 50 wrestlers on the team at the dawn of the season. That includes five returning starters – with one who has been a state qualifier.
The projected roster could see freshmen Bradley Hitseshew and Arthur Pilley at 103 pounds, followed by sophomore Hudson Kemper (113), junior Kenneth Hanafin (120), junior Christian Roudebush (126), sophomore Jason Eubanks (132), senior Cooper Buzbee (138) and senior Devon Ramos (145).
In the upper weights, it could be sophomore Alex McIntosh (152), junior Tanner Fick (160), junior Collin Strand (170), senior Colman Ebish (182), senior Charlie Williamson (195), junior Kahman Isaia (220) and junior Josh Moore (285).
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Notables
Ebish qualified for state as a sophomore and was fourth at the sectional tournament last year, when MSHSAA changed the qualifying format as only the top three advanced to state. That was a tough way to go for Ebish, who won the Kinloch Classic, the Republic Tournament and earned a runner-up finish at district.
“He was a Greco-Roman state runner-up in the offseason. He also competed at the Fargo Tournament in freestyle and Greco,” Donnell said. “He also competed recently in the KC Fall Brawl Tournament. He has come a long way since he was a freshman. He started his wrestling career as an eighth-grader and plans on wrestling in college.”
Roudebush is a two-year starter, Eubanks and Buzbee also are returning starters, and McIntosh won the Kinloch Classic and was third at the Republic Tournament. Fick was a medalist at the Kinloch.
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Sleepers?
Hitseshaw wrestled all over the country in the offseason. Isaia did not wrestle last year.
“But as a junior, (Isaia) will be very difficult to beat,” Donnell said. “He is a solid 220 pounds and came up big wrestling varsity for us as a freshman. He won a dual for us against McDonald County his freshman year. The meet came down to his match, and he bumped up and wrestled heavyweight.”
Motivators and goals
Driving Glendale’s motivation is a chance to compete and get rewarded for it. And in that framed shrine is assistant Deven Colbert, a two-time state qualifier who placed fourth at state. (The team also has assistant Kizzi Roberts, who competes in Ju Jitsu and interned with the Mizzou strength and conditioning program.)
The Ozark Conference is tough as it is, with Lebanon and Rolla always fielding quality teams. Bolivar joins the conference this year, and can be a challenge.
“We want to bring home a team trophy at the Truman Tournament in Kansas City,” Donnell said. “We also want to have a winning dual season and send multiple wrestlers to the state tournament.”
Girls wrestling
“We are not returning any girls but plan on having five or six girls out for this next season,” Donnell said.
