MediaGraphicGen5.5×5 Share on FacebookTweetFollow us
Read More
MSHSAA State Championships: Knopf, Davis, Williams Are Missouri State Wrestling Runner Ups
BY JIM WIENERS
Three High School Wrestlers had the opportunity to win State titles at the 78th Missouri State High School Activities Association Wrestling Championships last Saturday at Mizzou Arena, Columbia.
But Kevin Knopf, McCluer North, Jorcell Davis, Hazelwood West, and Willie Williams, McCluer South-Berkeley all lost in their state championship matches and each had to settle for second place.
Knopf, a senior, was one of four McCluer North wrestlers that qualified to compete in the state meet but was the only one to take home a medal. Knopf, who was returning to Class Four State after taking second at 189 pounds to Hazelwood East’s Anthony Brock, competed in the 171 weight class this year Knopf had a 31-5 season while losing in the finals, a 9-2 decision, to Clarence Neely, Blue Springs.
Davis, a senior, was one of eight wrestlers Hazelwood West sent to state but was one of only two wrestlers to receive Class Four medals. Davis was 35-4 and was second in state to Francis Howell Central’s Steve Dieckhaus, who won by fall at 4:57. One of Davis’ teammates, junior Devon Brun, was sixth at 160.
In Class Two, Williams, a junior, was one of two MS-Berkeley wrestlers to qualify for state and both took home medals. Williams, who was 27-5, took second at 152 after losing a 6-3 decision in the title match to Platte County’s Tyler St. Louis. The Williams teammate, senior Lawrence Coleman, took fifth at 189.
OTHER STATE WRESLING MEDALISTS — CLASS FOUR — HAZELWOOD CENTRAL — Joey Jetton (Sr.), third at 103, Chauncey Smith (Sr.), fifth at 189, Terrell Smart (Sr.), sixth at 145. Smart took sixth place for the second straight year. McCLUER — Wesley Bell (Jr.), sixth at 285. CLASS TWO — TRINITY CATHOLIC — Luke Gaia (Sr.), fourth at 130, the first state sports medal for Trinity.
GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING — Hazelwood West sent only one swimmer, junior Paige Reeb, to the 33rd MSHSAA Championships last weekend at the St. Peters’ Rec-Plex. Also going to state were a swimmer and diver from Incarnate Word Academy and Pattonville and a diver from Ritenour. None of those participants won a state medal and only Pattonville junior diver Michelle Bell finished in the top 16, taking ninth.
McCLUER NORTH won their fourth straight Suburban North Conference meet, Feb. 5-7 at the Bridgeton Community Center. However none of their participants met MSHSAA swimming time/diving point standards to qualify for state.
