Hannibal’s Brown finishes as runner-up at Missouri state wrestling championships

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Austin Brown’s championship reign ended too soon.

The Hannibal junior wrestler led Platte County sophomore Justin Shute 4-2 in the third period of Saturday’s Class 3 120-pound state title match at Mizzou Arena before Shute scored a takedown to earn a 5-4 victory and the crown.

Brown had won the Class 3 113-pound championship as a sophomore.

After beating a reigning state champion in St. Michael the Archangel’s Parker Lutz in the quarterfinals, Brown navigated a 4-0 victory over St. Pius X’s Dylan Hall in Saturday morning’s semifinals. Brown led 1-0 before a third-period takedown secured the victory.

Against Shute, Brown used a takedown in the first period and an escape in the third period to build his 4-2 lead. Shute’s two points were on a first-period escape and a second-period escape after choosing to start the period on the bottom. The late takedown gave Shute the victory.

Brown, who has finished in the top three at state three consecutive seasons, finished his junior campaign with a 45-4 record.

Hannibal junior Drake Brinkley also began Saturday in the semifinals of the championship bracket at 138 pounds, but he suffered a 16-2 major decision to Farmington senior Presley Johnson, who went on to win the state title with a 42-3 record.

In the wrestlebacks, Brinkley lost an 8-6 decision to St. Michael the Archangel’s Rowdy Narron before finishing fifth due to a medical forfeit by Wentzville Holt’s Chad Benwell. Brinkley finished the season with a 29-8 record.

The Pirates’ Peyton Pritchett at 150 pounds and Hayden Paxton at 165 pounds were eliminated in the consolation quarterfinals.