Still in its early years, the Cassville boys wrestling had a defining moment Friday, as four wrestlers vied for conference titles back-to-back-to-back-to-back and in front of home fans for the first time.

The Big 8 Conference Tournament was held Friday at the Cassville High School gym, and five grapplers rose to the occasion and earned medals.

Champions and First Team All-Conference went to Riley James, at 150 pounds, and Jake Anthonysz at 155 pounds. Colton Roark, at 144, and Tristan Thompson, at 157, earned second place and Second Team All-Conference. Akhilleus Arguelles, who had wrestled just one match this season before the conference bouts, rounded out the medal-winners with a bronze at 132 and Honorable Mention All-Conference.

“It was a pretty good tournament,” said Nathan Fortner, Cassville wrestling coach. “Half of our guys are freshmen, and the conference tournament is pretty tough. Last year, we only had one conference champion in Triple-A (Arguelles), so it’s nice to have two with Jake and Riley.

“Colton and Tristan were both beat by kids ranked in the state, but they are both freshmen. Triple-A also just came back and is knocking the rust off.”

Though only two won their title matches, Fortner said having four in the championship round made things exciting.

“That was awesome,” he said. “These kids have worked so hard and have a background in wrestling, so it was good for the fans to see and us get to showcase a bit at home.”

Looking to the district tournament, Fortner said there will be no shortage of challenges for Cassville this year.

“We will continue to tweak little things here and there and hope to get as many in the top four as we can,” he said. “We’d like to take as many as we can to state. We will have a tough district with No. 1-ranked Pleasant Hill and Seneca being so good. Those are two tough teams to beat with full lineups.”

Through this season, the Wildcats have evolved as a team with so many former youth wrestlers now in the fray.

“These newer guys haven’t been molded by me from the beginning like some others when we started this program six years ago,” he said. “These freshmen have a unique style and have challenged me to get out of my comfort zone in teaching them technique.

“They do Greco, freestyle and will throw you, so it’s a variety of styles. We have high expectations for them in high school.”

Fortner said with so many youngsters, he’s thankful for his senior leadership.

“Guys like Jake are good leaders and show the younger kids how to work hard every day,” Fortner said. “He has been battling an injury all season, too, going back into football. For him to win a conference championship, I am super proud.”

Looking ahead a bit to state, Brookfield is a title contender, but Fortner has confidence in his team.

“We hope Kennedy, Sage, Rebekah and Taylor all make it to state,” he said. “Taylor has a great shot and has been wrestling tough all year, and you never know what Monique [Lopez] can do, as well. Annie, Kailey, Faith and Hailey should all place pretty high at the district level.”

In its fourth year as a varsity program, Fortner said this year’s team has shades of years past, but it also stands out on its own.

“They are all really, really close, good friends,” he said. “If you go tournaments, you’ll see our girls all following each other around and cheering one another mat-side. it’s a really cool experience.”

Full results from the tournament include: Full results from the tournament include:
110: Round 1 – Kennedy Truman (Cassville) over Aubrey Simpson (Aurora) (fall, 1:56)
110: Round 2 – Sydnee Baldwin (Nevada) over Kennedy Truman (Cassville) (fall, 3:29)
110: Round 3 – Alyxandrea Keifert (Marshfield) over Kennedy Truman (Cassville) (fall, 2:19)
110: Round 4 – Kennedy Truman (Cassville) over Ellysia Wasson (McDonald County) (fall, 1:34)
115: Round 1 – Annie Moore (Cassville) over Jaslyn Benhumea (McDonald County) (fall, 1:49)
115: Round 2 – Annie Moore (Cassville) over Louzella Graham (Seneca) (fall, 1:45)
115: Round 3 – Annie Moore (Cassville) over Jenna Spencer (Monett) (fall, 2:27)
120: Round 1 – Kailey Artherton (Cassville) over Brooke Bluel (Monett) (fall, 2:00)
120: Round 2 – Kailey Artherton (Cassville) over Brooke Bluel (Monett) (fall, 1:28)
125: Round 1 – Freyja Sherman (Nevada) over Monique Lopez (Cassville) (fall, 4:50)
125: Round 2 – Macie James (Marshfield) over Monique Lopez (Cassville) (fall, 0:23)
125: Round 3 – Tessa Kinslow (Seneca) over Monique Lopez (Cassville) (fall, 1:44)
125: Round 4 – Gabbie Bybee (Logan-Rogersville) over Monique Lopez (Cassville) (fall, 2:26)
130: Round 1 – Faith James (Cassville) over Sierra Finley (Logan-Rogersville) (fall, 0:32)
130: Round 2 – Faith James (Cassville) over Avery Clinton (Marshfield) (fall, 2:14)
130: Round 3 – Faith James (Cassville) over Lauren Sloniker (Nevada) (fall, 1:08)
140: Round 2 – Hailey Roark (Cassville) over Jazmynn Brewer (McDonald County) (fall, 0:12)
140: Round 3 – Hailey Roark (Cassville) over Jasmine Koehler (Aurora) (fall, 0:44)
140: Round 4 – Hailey Roark (Cassville) over Kierstin Allen (Reeds Spring) (fall, 2:11)
140: Round 5 – Hailey Roark (Cassville) over Camryn Elliott (Marshfield) (fall, 1:59)
145: Round 2 – Saige Holman (Cassville) over Johanna Klatt (Logan-Rogersville) (fall, 0:50)
145: Round 3 – Ariah Brandsma (Reeds Spring) over Saige Holman (Cassville) (fall, 4:52)
145: Round 5 – Stacy Lopez-Apolinar (McDonald County) over Saige Holman (Cassville) (fall, 3:15)
145: 5th Place Match – Saige Holman (Cassville) over Lindsey Keithley (Reeds Spring) (fall, 1:43)
155: Round 1 – Rebekah Fry (Cassville) over Isabella Yartz (Reeds Spring) (fall, 1:03)
155: Round 3 – Rebekah Fry (Cassville) over Candy Martinez-Mazariegos (McDonald County) (fall, 1:00)
155: Round 4 – Liberty Cornell (Seneca) over Rebekah Fry (Cassville) (fall, 1:22)
155: Round 5 – Rebekah Fry (Cassville) over Elizabeth Skidmore (Marshfield) (fall, 0:28)
155: 3rd Place Match: Helen Martinez-Mazariegos (McDonald County) over Rebekah Fry (Cassville) (fall, 5:29)
190: Round 1 – Isabella Renfro (Seneca) over Taylor Glidewell (Cassville) (fall, 2:10)
190: Round 2 – Isabella Renfro (Seneca) over Taylor Glidewell (Cassville) (fall, 1:21)
Contested matches against McDonald County at the assembly dual on Jan. 17.
110: Kennedy Truman (Cassville) over Ellysia Wasson (McDonald County) (fall, 1:26)
115: Annie Moore (Cassville) over Jaslyn Benhumea (McDonald County) (fall, 2:00)
135: Faith James (Cassville) over Rylie Huston (McDonald County) (fall, 2:19)
145: Hailey Roark (Cassville) over Stacy Lopez-Apolinar (McDonald County) (fall, 0:47)
155: Helen Martinez-Mazariegos (McDonald County) over Rebekah Fry (Cassville) (fall, 3:53)
Cassville will host Monett on Thursday in dual action. The Class 1, District 3 Tournament will be in Clinton on Feb. 10-11.