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Neosho, Mo. —
Neosho got its wrestling season under way on Saturday, with their annual Neosho Tournament.
Behind six individual champions, the Wildcats claimed the team title by a comfortable margin. Neosho finished with 377 points as a team. The second place finisher, Lebanon, had 254 and Willard finished in third place with 241.
“It took a group effort tonight,” Neosho wrestling coach Jeremy Phillips said. “Those individuals who shined today couldn’t have gotten there if they didn’t have a partner in the practice room that was pushing them the whole way. Today was about seeing where our investments have gotten us to this point.
“Hopefully the kids will see (how this training cycle) has prepared us to battle on the mat. These young men and young ladies that we had wrestling today did a great job upholding the tradition we have here with the wrestling they did on the mats. It makes me excited as a coach to see the weeks and months ahead. Hopefully, they stay hungry and want it more.
“This gives them the understanding that they will get out of it what they put into it. There were a few of them tonight whose gas tanks weren’t where they needed to be because they haven’t been working the way they should in the practice room. Then you’ve got guys that look like machines and that goes to show where some of these kids could be at this point.”
Wildcats’ junior Montana Drum got things going for Neosho in the 106-pound division. Drum defeated Lebanon freshman Dylan Burns by a 12-4 major decision to get the ball rolling for the Wildcats.
River Buttram, a returning state qualifier for Neosho, also completed a 5-0 day for the Wildcats by beating Kickapoo’s Collin Vaughn by pin at 1:54 in the 113-pound title match.
In the 126-pound division, Nate Rodriguez had no trouble at all on the day. The junior went 5-0, winning four of his matches by pin. In the title match against McDonald County sophomore Trevor Young, Rodriguez won by technical fall (22-7) in the second round.
Senior Jared Brock was also a perfect 5-0 on the day. He defeated Neosho teammate Sam Williams by pin at the 1:46 mark in the 138-pound title match. Williams finished 4-1 on the day.
Senior Ethan Pogue had perhaps the most impressive day for Neosho. Pogue defeated four state qualifiers en route to going 5-0 and claiming the 152-pound title. In the title match, he defeated Steeler Seaburn, a returning state medalist, from Willard by pin at 2:22.
Neosho got its wrestling season under way on Saturday, with their annual Neosho Tournament.
Behind six individual champions, the Wildcats claimed the team title by a comfortable margin. Neosho finished with 377 points as a team. The second place finisher, Lebanon, had 254 and Willard finished in third place with 241.
“It took a group effort tonight,” Neosho wrestling coach Jeremy Phillips said. “Those individuals who shined today couldn’t have gotten there if they didn’t have a partner in the practice room that was pushing them the whole way. Today was about seeing where our investments have gotten us to this point.
“Hopefully the kids will see (how this training cycle) has prepared us to battle on the mat. These young men and young ladies that we had wrestling today did a great job upholding the tradition we have here with the wrestling they did on the mats. It makes me excited as a coach to see the weeks and months ahead. Hopefully, they stay hungry and want it more.
“This gives them the understanding that they will get out of it what they put into it. There were a few of them tonight whose gas tanks weren’t where they needed to be because they haven’t been working the way they should in the practice room. Then you’ve got guys that look like machines and that goes to show where some of these kids could be at this point.”
Wildcats’ junior Montana Drum got things going for Neosho in the 106-pound division. Drum defeated Lebanon freshman Dylan Burns by a 12-4 major decision to get the ball rolling for the Wildcats.
River Buttram, a returning state qualifier for Neosho, also completed a 5-0 day for the Wildcats by beating Kickapoo’s Collin Vaughn by pin at 1:54 in the 113-pound title match.
In the 126-pound division, Nate Rodriguez had no trouble at all on the day. The junior went 5-0, winning four of his matches by pin. In the title match against McDonald County sophomore Trevor Young, Rodriguez won by technical fall (22-7) in the second round.
Senior Jared Brock was also a perfect 5-0 on the day. He defeated Neosho teammate Sam Williams by pin at the 1:46 mark in the 138-pound title match. Williams finished 4-1 on the day.
Senior Ethan Pogue had perhaps the most impressive day for Neosho. Pogue defeated four state qualifiers en route to going 5-0 and claiming the 152-pound title. In the title match, he defeated Steeler Seaburn, a returning state medalist, from Willard by pin at 2:22.
Sophomore Jacob Brock claimed the Wildcats’ final individual title of the day in the 220-pound division. Jacob Brock defeated Christian Adams of Willard by an 8-3 decision to finish 5-0 on the day.
For Neosho, it was nice to finally wrestle somebody besides their own teammates. This was the first opportunity that Phillips and his assistants had to see their team face other competition.
“Wrestleoffs are kind of tough because they are facing guys that they drill with every day,” Phillips said. “It doesn’t give a true reflection of how good we are or where we are at. Every time we step on the mat, we have the mindset that we want to get better. This was another opportunity to get better and we have made strides since wrestleoffs. Then, we have practice (Sunday) and Monday then, when we step on the mat Tuesday, we will be better than we were today. Will Rogers said ‘Even if one is on the right track, they’ll get run over if they just sit there’ so we can’t just sit back and be happy with this.”
Neosho will compete in a double dual Tuesday in Seneca against the Indians and Branson. The Branson Pirates finished in fifth place at the Neosho Tournament.
McDonald County had one individual title in the tournament and, as a team, the Mustangs finished in fourth place with 186.5 points.
“We definitely have a lot of room to improve,” McDonald County wrestling coach Josh Factor said. “A lot of our guys were disappointed in their performance here tonight. Cameron Legrand had a great day, I’m proud of him for getting his first tournament championship.”
McDonald County will host a double dual against Miami, Okla., and Glendale on Thursday.
