District Wrestling Preview: Parkway South Targeting State

In what may be the state's most difficult district wrestling tournament, Parkway South is just hoping to see a few of its wrestlers rewarded with a memorable trip to Columbia, Mo. for the state finals.

The Patriots will be competing in the District 1 Class 4 Tournament at Northwest High School on Friday night and Saturday.

Parkway South has a 3-5 record in duals this season. Coach Jim Lake said senior heavyweight Donald Walker, Andrew Hayes (171) and Jacob Cunningham (152) have a good chance to make it to state and that other wrestlers in the lineup “will have to bring their A game to make it.”

H added, “We’re all aware of the competition in this district,” Lake said. “I’d put it up against any district in the state of Missouri.”

Walker has a 33-3 record this year. No newcomer to state competition, he placed fifth at state last year. Hayes has a 29-6 record and Cunningham has a 28-9 record.

Meanwhile, Marquette High School’s wrestling team has certainly had a successful season this year and coach George Hovis expects the District 1 Class 4 Tournament at Northwest High School to tell a similar success story.

The district competition begins on Friday, Feb. 11 and runs through Saturday night, Feb. 12.

“My guys have put in a lot of hard work this year,” Hovis said. “We’ve spent a lot of time getting ready and the sky is the limits in districts for all of our kids, from 103 pounds to heavyweight.”

Marquette has compiled an impressive 14-3 record in dual meets.

“If we give this district tournament our best effort and best possible performance, then I’m happy,” Hovis said.

Hovis said individual records don’t concern him at this point in the season, and that he expects all 14 wrestlers in his lineup to perform well. The top four wrestlers in each weight class in each district qualify for state in Columbia.

Northwest High School won the Suburban West Conference and has compiled a 9-1 record in duals. But the Lions are peaking at the right time and that is what successful postseasons are all about.

“I want the kids to peak and perform,” Northwest coach Bob Wilhelm said. “I would say Seckman would be one of the favorites.”

Northwest senior Nick Tufts, a returning state qualifier who wrestles at heavyweight, has the team’s best record at 40-3. Wilhelm said Tufts and returning state qualifiers Robert Martin (130), Zack King (160), Brenden Southards (145) and Chris Byrd (119) also have a chance to attend the state tournament this season. Southards, King and Byrd have compiled impressive records at 32-13, 38-7 and 31-14, respectively.   

When it comes to experience with postseason success, Seckman High School has certainly earned bragging rights; it has seven wrestlers–junior Matt Kraus (112), junior Danny Farrell (119), senior Denny Kleinschrodt (125), senior Chad Krentz (130), junior Blake Pepper (140), senior Cory Matt (152) and senior Tim Niewald (171)–who have made the trip to state at least once in their career.

“We have kids who have performed at a high level in districts before,” Seckman coach Cody Greene said. “There shouldn’t be any surprises when they get out there.”

Seckman has compiled a 7-1 dual meet record this season.

The youthful Fox High School wrestling team doesn’t have the impressive dual meet record of Seckman, Marquette or Northwest, as it went 10-17 in the 2010-2011. But coach Norm Mitchell feels his team has a chance of qualifying some wrestlers for the state tournament.

“We’re a young team with three freshmen, six sophomores, and a few seniors,” Mitchell said. “It’s been a rough year, but that being said, we’ll wrestle hard and compete hard. We don’t have the talent to get a lot of kids through, but we could get four to five kids through.”

Mitchell said that seniors John Sykes (140) and Kenny Hanes (215) and juniors Dominic Vitale (160), Chris Repple (189) and Alex Vaughn (130) have a chance to make it out of the district tournament. Vaughn and Vitale have compiled very impressive records, as Vaughn is 34-11 and Vitale is 31-17. In addition, Sykes is 22-17, Repple is 29-13 and Hanes is 15-12.

Lindbergh High School has posted a 12-6 record in dual meets and coach Josh Hansel has clearly defined goals.

“We only want to wrestle well,” Hansel said. “If we qualify eight or nine guys then that’s great, or if we qualify two or three guys that’s fine, too. We only want to wrestle well. I want for our postseason to be about showing the progress we’ve made over the year.”

Senior Derek Massey and junior Michael Slyman have the two best records on the team, as Massey is 30-9 at 145 pounds and Slyman is 29-1 at 152. Hansel describes Massey as “a talented wrestler” and “a pinner.” He calls Slyman, who placed fourth at state last year, “a mentally and physically tough kid who hates to lose.”

Hansel also said juniors Matt Ratteree, who has a 24-13 record at 112 pounds, Tom Corenek (24-14) at 125, Jacob Virtue (12-7) at 140 and Chris Cew (27-9) at 189 and sophomore Sam Steinebrook (28-10) at 119, also have a chance at earning a trip to state.  

Eureka, Kirkwood, Lafayette, Mehville, and Oakville will also compete in the District 1 Class 4 Tournament.