Pirates’ Brown, Brinkley in contention for Missouri state wrestling championships

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Austin Brown’s title pursuit remains on course, while Drake Brinkley is chartering his own championship journey as well.

Two other Hannibal wrestlers are keeping their podium aspirations alive, too.

On Friday’s first day of the Class 3 state wrestling championships at Mizzou Arena, Brown and Brinkley each won their first two matches to reach the semifinals in their respective weight classes. Meanwhile, Peyton Pritchett and Hayden Paxton rebounded from losses to remain in contention in th wrestlebacks.

Brown, who won a 113-pound state championship last year, opened with an 18-3 technical fall of Rockwood Summitt’s Michael Rossomanno at 120 pounds as the junior recorded four first-period takedowns before beginning the second period with a reversal and a four-point nearfall to end it.

In the quarterfinals, facing St. Michael the Archangel junior Parker Lutz, Brown trailed 3-1 heading to the third period before using an escape and a penalty point to tie the match before getting a takedown with eight seconds remaining for a 6-3 victory.

Lutz won a Class 2 113-pound state championship as a sophomore.

Brown (44-3) will face St. Pius X sophomore Dylan Hall (35-14) in Saturday morning’s semifinals.

Brinkley, a junior wrestling at 138 pounds, opened with a 13-0 major decision of Smithville’s Dawson Ballard, using a takedown and a four-point nearfall to take a 7-0 lead in the first period. Brinkley chose to start the third period on top and finished the match with a four-point nearfall.

In the quarterfinals, Brinkley earned a 4-2 decision over Marshfield sophomore Mac Mohnen, Brinkley controlled the match after securing a takedown midway through the first period.

Brinkley (28-7) will face Farmington senior Presley Johnson (40-3) in Saturday’s semifinals.

Pritchett, a junior wrestling at 150 pounds, was pinned by Marshfield’s Tanner Davidson in 1:10 in the opening round before rebounding to win twice in the wrestlebacks. He scored a 10-7 victory over Vianney’s Josh Schmitt before finishing off an 11-3 major decision over Carl Junction’s Aaron Dillingham with two third-period escapes and a takedown.

Pritchett (31-23) will face Capital City senior Demarkus Lyddon-Allen (32-16) in the consolation quarterfinals on Saturday.

Paxton, a freshman at 165 pounds, began his first state wrestling tournament with a 7-4 decision over Hillsboro’s CJ Bauer as he used an escape and a takedown in the final minute to gain the edge. A 15-0 technical fall loss to St. Pius X’s Noah Gonzalez dropped Paxton into the wrestlebacks, where he pinned Capital City’s Levi Casey in 2:48.

Paxton (30-23) will face Farmington junior Lane Weiss (33-16) in Saturday’s consolation quarterfinals.

Four Pirates were eliminated on the first day.

Hannibal freshman Carter King suffered a pair of losses at 106 pounds, King, who finished 15-18, was pinned by Pacific’s Mason Link in 3:55 in the opening round and lost a 15-4 major decision to St. Pius X’s Patrick Hickey in the wrestlebacks.

Pirates freshman Kael Viehmann was knocked out at 113 pounds. Viehmann, who finished 17-24, was pinned by St. Pius X’s Jordan Bell in 38 seconds in the opening round and suffered a 7-1 loss to Union’s Chase Manhart in the wrestlebacks.

Hannibal junior Chase Youngwirth lost twice at 126 pounds. Youngwirth, who went 25-24, lost a 9-0 major decision to Jefferson City Helias’ Alex Weiberg in the opening round and was pinned by Vianney’s Logan Loporto in 2:18 in the wrestlebacks.

Pirates junior Tanner Allen was eliminated at 175 pounds. Allen, who finished 17-27, suffered a 19-2 technical fall to Belton’s Quinten Atteberry in the opening round and was knocked out by getting pinned by Rockwood Summit’s Ely McCully in 1:22.