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Tiger duo punch ticket to Missouri Class 2 state wrestling tournament
With the season hanging in the balance and a trip to the Missouri Class 2 state wrestling championships on the line, a pair of Nevada Tiger wrestlers survived and advanced from the weekend’s Class 2 District 3 tournament in Clinton.
Needing a top four district finish to advance to Missouri prep wrestling’s grandest stage — Nevada High junior Caleb Longobardi placed runner-up in the 220 pound division, while 182-pound NHS senior Adam Guenther secured a third-place finish.
“Caleb and Adam both wrestled exceptionally well over the weekend,” said second-year NHS head coach, David Hawks. “Adam has only been wrestling for the past two seasons, and to qualify for the state tournament this year is a testament to his hard work. Caleb is making his second consecutive trip to the state tournament, going up a weight class, from 195 to 220. He also has worked hard to exceed where he finished last season.”
In addition, several NHS wrestlers came within a victory of qualifying for state. The group included Corbin Eastwood (132), Jaren Powrie (145), Tanner Gotschall (152), and Trevor Olson (195).
Nevada High dynamic duo
Longobardi entered the district meet with a No. 2 seed, and Guenther came in with a No. 3.
After beginning Friday with an opening-round bye, Longbardi advanced to the quarterfinals where he pinned Christopher Thornburg of Monett in 1:28. Longobardi, known by his teammates as “Longo” then squared off with Dominic Lawrence in Saturday’s semifinal match. Longobardi prevailed over the Southern Boone product, via 4-1 decision — advancing to the 220-pound title tilt and a clash with Boonesville’s Gabe Rumbaoa (27-3).
Longobardi’s district championship aspirations were derailed when he was pinned by Rumbaoa 1:49 into the match. After concluding the two-day event 2-1, Longobardi’s record moved to 29-6 overall.
Guenther opened Friday with a bang, pinning Osage’s Ozuye Johnson (1:24), and then following suit in the quarterfinals by pinning Cassville’s Coltin Moore (at 3:27). Guenther however, was tripped up in the semifinals by Colby Wilson, as the Osage High product came away with an 8-2 decision.
The loss sent Guenther to the consolation semifinals, where he pinned (4:27) Chelsey McDonald of Logan-Rogersville. Guenther then moved on to the third-place match, where he collected his fourth win by pin of the tournament, taking down Pleasant Hill’s Garrett Schick (1:39). After winning four of five district matches, Guenther moves to 35-20 overall for the season.
NHS results
113 pounds: Brock Marquardt, So., 1-2 at districts, finished season 24-27 overall
• Round 1: Marquardt won by 8-3 decision over Odessa’s Zach Landsberg; Quarterfinal: Monett’s Matthew Bahl won by fall (1:20) over Marquardt; Cons. Round 2: Marquardt received bye; Cons. Round 3: Shane Thompson (Reeds Spring) won by fall (1;39) over Marquardt.
120 pounds: Lane Brooks, Fr., 0-2 at districts, finished season 10-17 overall
• Round 1: Mason Taylor (Bolivar) won by fall (0:29) over Brooks; Cons. Round 1: Brooks received bye; Cons. Round 2: Gabe Hunter (Cassville) won by fall (1:15) over Brooks (Nevada).
132 pounds: Corbin Eastwood, So., 2-2 at districts, finished season 23-28 overall
• Round 1: Eastwood received bye; Quarterfinal: Jay Strausbaugh (Logan-Rogersville) won by major decision over Eastwood (MD 13-3);
Cons. Round 2: Eastwood won by fall (2:07) over Southern Boone’s Tyler Lutz; Cons. Round 3: Eastwood won by 8-4 decision over Cameron Goth (Clinton); Cons. Semi: Riley Hawk (Bolivar) won by major decision over Eastwood (MD 9-0).
138 pounds: Jerron Thornton, Sr., 0-2 at districts, finished season 6-17 overall
• Round 1: Gunnar Bradley (Monett) won by fall (1:16) over Thornton; Cons. Round 1: Thornton received bye; Cons. Round 2: Briar Crain (Reeds Spring) won by fall (0:25) over Thornton.
• 145 pounds: Jaren Powrie, Jr., 3-2 at districts, finished season 31-24 overall
• Round 1: Powrie won by major decision over Cassville’s Logan Carlin (MD 12-2); Quarterfinal - Luke Malizzi (Odessa) won by major decision over Powrie (MD 13-0); Cons. Round 2: Powrie won by fall (2:44) over Cayden Love (Reeds Spring); Cons. Round 3: Powrie (Nevada) won by 5-2 decision over Jordan Withnell (Monett); Cons. Semi: Brant Whitaker (Boonville) won by fall (4:34) over Powrie.
152 pounds: Tanner Gotschall, Jr., 3-2 at districts, finished season 18-10 overall
• Round 1: Gotschall won by fall (2:15) over Pleasant Hill’s Will Pryor; Quarterfinal: Austin Magnuson won by fall (5:28) over Gotschall; Cons. Round 2: Gotschall won by major decision over Eldon’s Brent Mullett (MD 13-3); Cons. Round 3: Gotschall won by 12-8 decision over Josh Neville (Hollister); Cons. Semi: Vincent Monarca (Odessa) 31-9 won by 5-3 decision over Gotschall.
160 pounds: Octaveon Bartlett, Fr., 1-2 at districts, finished season 12-30 overall
• Round 1: Michael Hunter (Cassville) won by fall (1:11) over Bartlett (Nevada) 12-30; Cons. Round 1: Bartlett received bye; Cons. Round 2: Bartlett won by fall (0:34) over Clinton’s Isaac Bayless; Cons. Round 3: Jacob Straus (Springfield Catholic) won by fall (3:49) over Bartlett (Nevada).
170 pounds: Spencer Hawkins, Jr., 0-2 at districts, finished season 12-20 overall
• Round 1: Caleb Rains (Bolivar) won by fall (3:36) over Hawkins;
Cons. Round 1: Hawkins received bye; Cons. Round 2: Jake Carrow (Logan-Rogersville) won by fall (0:53) over Hawkins.
• 195 pounds: Trevor Olson, Sr., 1-2 at districts, finished season 34-19 overall
• Round 1: Olson received bye; Quarterfinal: Pleasant Hill’s Ryan Edenburn won by fall (5:31) over Olson; Cons. Round 2: Olson received bye; Cons. Round 3: Olson won by 6-5 decision over Brandon Spiers (Odessa); Cons. Semi: Kaden Dillon (Eldon) won by 7-2 decision over Olson.
285 pounds: Peyton Denney, Jr., 1-2 at districts, finished season 33-9 overall, and No. 3 ranked heavyweight in state.
• Round 1: Denney received bye; Quarterfinal: Dalton Williams (Boonville) won by fall (1:45) over Denney; Cons. Round 2: Denney won via fall (4:04) over Tamareon Lones (Southeast); Cons. Round 3: Dylan Barber (Hollister) 31-12 won by fall (4:26) over Denney.
Odessa emerged as Class 2 District 3 champions, tallying 168.5 points, while Monett finished in the runner-up spot with 163. Nevada claimed the ninth-spot at the 16-team tournament with 67 points. In the overall Class 2 team scores for the 2017-18 season, Nevada placed 31st out of 47, with 16 team points. Powerhouse Oak Grove took the top spot with 142 team points, followed by Mexico (132).
State championship preview
The Missouri Class 2 Wrestling Championships are slated for Thursday through Saturday at Mizzou Arena in Columbia.
Class 1 and 2 first-round and wrestlebacks are on tap for Thursday. Official weigh-ins are scheduled for 8 a.m., with matches getting underway at 10. Thursday’s first session is comprised of 336 wrestlers competing on eight mats.
In the opener, Longobardi (26-9) is set to collide with Josh Richards, as the St. Clair senior enters with a near flawless 42-1 record, and is the No. 2 ranked 220-pound grappler in the state. Meanwhile, Guenther (35-20) opens Thursday against Affton’s Josh Richards(36-9) in the 182-poind division. The quarterfinals and second-round wrestlebacks are slated for Friday morning — with the fourth-round wrestlebacks, third and fifth-place matches, and title matches set for Saturday morning and evening.