The Cassville girls wrestling team is ranked No. 1 in the state right now with four No. 1-ranked grapplers, and the Lady Wildcats exerted their prowess at the Big 8 Conference Meet.
Nearly half of the squad left the tournament a few ounces heavier, clad in gold medals that contributed to a runner-up finish for the team. Champions and First Team All-Conference honorees included Annie Moore at 115 pounds, Kailey Artherton at 120, Faith James at 130 and Hailey Roark at 140. Taylor Glidewell also earned second place at 190 pounds, and Kennedy Truman took third at 110 pounds.
All four gold medal winners won all their matches by pin. Moore defeated three opponents, Artherton two, James three and Roark four.
“It was a good tournament,” said Nathan Fortner, Cassville wrestling coach. “The girls wrestled hard. For Annie, Kailey, Faith and Hailey, it’s been the same as all year — they continued dominating. I don’t think they had any close matches. Kennedy did a good job as a freshman to get All-Conference taking third. Rebekah got hurt in her last match but wrestled well and got fourth. Sage did a good job taking fifth, and Taylor had just her and the No. 1 girl in the state in her bracket.
“All these conference schools are in our district, too, so it was like a sneak peek of that tournament.”
As a team, the Lady Wildcats took second place with 158 points, edging Nevada with 155. Marshfield won the conference title with 184 points.
Jubilant for their individual success, Fortner the Lady Wildcats were still wanting more out of the team result. Breaking down the points and participants, Cassville had eight of nine varsity wrestlers score 158 points, and Marshfield had nine varsity score 184 points and three junior varsity score 15 points.
“Next year, there won’t be any JV, so it will be more of a true conference tournament teamwise,” Fortner said. “We don’t have as big of a team, and I told the girls to be patient and wait for districts. We have a really strong team and are super competitive, and they aren’t happy — they wanted first.”
Cassville set a goal of winning a team state title this season, and Fortner said to achieve it, they have to focus on districts first.
“I hope at districts and looking on to state we show up because it won’t be a numbers game,” he said. “It will be quality.”
Fortner said Harrisonville will be a tough new team to face, and Marshfield and Nevada will put up strong district squads.
Full Tournament results include: 113: Round 1 – Noah Uria (Cassville) over Ian Heffren (Seneca) (fall, 1:05)
113: Round 2 – Corbin Neil (Nevada) over Noah Uria (Cassville) (decision, 19-12)
113: Round 5 – Shane Pearson (Reeds Spring) over Noah Uria (Cassville) (fall, 0:31)
113: 5th Place Match – Noah Uria (Cassville) over Izaiah Watkins (Logan-Rogersville) (medical forfeit)
120: Round 2 – Braxton Yost (Logan-Rogersville) over Jaret Hinson (Cassville) (decision, 12-10)
120: Round 3 – Jaret Hinson (Cassville) over Paden Vance (McDonald County) (fall, 5:56)
120: Round 5 – Keatin Burleson (Seneca) over Jaret Hinson (Cassville) (fall, 1:07)
120: 5th Place Match – Jaret Hinson (Cassville) over Chad McKinley (Nevada) (fall, 2:16)
126: Round 2 – Eli Manley (Seneca) over Brian Lopez (Cassville) (fall, 3:21)
126: Round 3 – Dominic Cervantes (McDonald County) over Brian Lopez (Cassville) (fall, 3:12)
132: Round 1 – Akhilleus Arguelles (Cassville) over Rowan Homburg (Logan-Rogersville) (major decision, 17-9)
132: Round 4 – Akhilleus Arguelles (Cassville) over Micheal Owens (McDonald County) (fall, 1:22)
132: Round 5 – Tanner Davidson (Marshfield) over Akhilleus Arguelles (Cassville) (fall, 4:45)
132: 3rd Place Match – Akhilleus Arguelles (Cassville) over Bryson Whitman (Hollister) (fall, 1:50)
138: Round 1 – Joseph Fahnstock (Nevada) over Kaid Williams (Cassville) (fall, 1:38)
138: Round 3 – Hunter Howe (Reeds Spring) over Kaid Williams (Cassville) (fall, 0:56)
138: Round 4 – Jackson Snider (Logan-Rogersville) over Kaid Williams (Cassville) (fall, 0:55)
138: Round 5 – Caymen Cornelison (Aurora) over Kaid Williams (Cassville) (fall, 1:21)
144: Round 4 – Colton Roark (Cassville) over Matthew Muehlebach (McDonald County) (fall, 0:19)
144: Round 5 – Colton Roark (Cassville) over MJ Gritts (Marshfield) (decision, 9-2)
144: 1st Place Match – Andrew Manley (Seneca) over Colton Roark (Cassville) (major decision, 20-6)
150: Round 4 – Riley James (Cassville) over Blaine Fritchey (Seneca) (fall, 4:43)
150: Round 5 – Riley James (Cassville) over Cross Spencer (McDonald County) (major decision, 18-6)
150: 1st Place Match – Riley James (Cassville) over Joseph Martin (Marshfield) (major decision, 9-0)
157: Round 2 – Tristan Thompson (Cassville) over Matthew Brooks (Marshfield) (fall, 3:36)
157: Round 4 – Tristan Thompson (Cassville) over Devon Girard (Hollister) (fall, 5:57)
157: Round 5 – Tristan Thompson (Cassville) over Logan Barwick (Seneca) (decision, 6-2)
157: 1st Place Match – Beau Thompson (Logan-Rogersville) over Tristan Thompson (Cassville) (decision, 6-2)
165: Round 1 – Jake Anthonysz (Cassville) over Marshall Loftin (Reeds Spring) (fall, 1:12)
165: Round 4 – Jake Anthonysz (Cassville) over Huxley Wardlaw (McDonald County) (fall, 1:19)
165: Round 5 – Jake Anthonysz (Cassville) over Nolan Napier (Seneca) (decision, 12-6)
165: 1st Place Match – Jake Anthonysz (Cassville) over Griffin Swearengin (Logan-Rogersville) (decision, 7-3)
215: Round 2 – Erik Tomanek (Marshfield) over Ethan Sizemore (Cassville) (fall, 1:30)
215: Round 3 – Kenneth Johnson (Nevada) over Ethan Sizemore (Cassville) (fall, 2:58)
215: Round 5 – Ethan Sizemore (Cassville) over Dylan O`Rourke (Hollister) (fall, 5:22)
215: 5th Place Match – Josh Lowe (Reeds Spring) over Ethan Sizemore (Cassville) (fall, 0:47)
Cassville will host Monett on Thursday in dual action. The Class 3, District 3 Tournament will be held in Seneca on Feb. 17-18.
