Missouri state wrestling: Seven wrestlers stay in contention after first day at Mizzou Arena

COLUMBIA, Mo. — It nearly turned out to be a perfect day for area wrestlers at the Missouri state championships Thursday.

Six of the seven wrestlers from Hannibal and Palmyra won their opening-round match, and all seven remain alive heading into the second day of competition at Mizzou Arena.

The two reigning state champions — Hannibal senior Trevor Wilson and Palmyra junior Collin Arch — began their title defenses with dominant efforts.

Wilson, wrestling at 170 pounds in Class 3, built a 10-1 lead over Clayton’s Dempsey Brinkman in the first 1:07 with a pair of takedowns and three-point nearfalls. Wilson got the pin in 1:28.

Wilson (37-3) takes on Carl Junction’s Tony Stewart (35-15) in Friday’s quarterfinals.

In the Class 1 138-pound bracket, Arch took down New Madrid County Central’s Gavyn Colbert eight seconds into the match and earned a two-point nearfall before Colbert denied Arch the immediate pin. Arch put Colbert to his back again, earning a three-point nearfall, before getting the pin in 1:49.

Arch (37-0) will face Mid-Buchanan’s Clayton Rotterman (27-14) in the quarterfinals.

Hannibal’s Reign Creech, Tristen Essig and Cody Culp also won their opening-round matches, while Palmyra’s Luke Triplett started with a victory.

Creech, wrestling at 106 pounds, beat Bolivar’s Forrest McMannes 4-2 in extra time. Creech trailed 2-0 until the midpoint of the third period when he scored a reversal to tie the match. He won it with a takedown with 37 seconds to go in the extra period. Creech (34-7) will face Windsor’s Brayden Belding (42-6) in the quarterfinals.

Essig wasted no time taking control of Chaminade’s Massimo Mattina at 120 pounds, scoring a takedown in 13 seconds. He got a three-point nearfall for a 5-0 before earning the pin in 1:43. Essig (38-4) will face Farmington’s Presley Johnson (39-12) in the quarterfinals.

Culp took a little longer to finish off Festus’ Austin Neff at 126 pounds. Culp led 7-0 in the second period after scoring a takedown and a two-point nearfall in the first period and an escape and a takedown in the second before pinning Neff in 3:01. Culp (35-6) will face Whitfield’s Alexander Rallo (30-4) in the quarterfinals.

Triplett also advanced with a pin. Wrestling at 220 pounds, Triplett scored a takedown of Mid-Buchanan’s Owen Stockbauer with 34 seconds remaining in the first period. Triplett chose to start the second period in the bottom position, scored a reversal and pinned Stockbauer at the 2:25 mark. Triplett (36-7) will face Adrian’s Jence Griffith (33-3) in the quarterfinals.

Palmyra freshman Brayden Pillars went 1-1 on the first day. Wrestling at 132 pound, Pillars suffered a 9-7 loss to Holden’s Logan Yoder in the opening round. Pillars rebounded to pin Lawson’s Dalton McNeal in 2:45 in the wrestlebacks. Pillars (31-19) awaits his next opponent.