Arch earns chance to win fourth state title; Hannibal sending nine wrestlers to Columbia

Hannibal is sending nine wrestlers to the Missouri State High School Athletic Associaton state wrestling meet in Columbia, while Palmyra’s Collin Arch earned a chance to claim a fourth state championship and will be joined by one male wrestler and one female wrestler at the state meet.

Arch won the 150-pound class at the Class 1 district meet at Lafayette County on Saturday. Arch (48-1) spent a total of 4 minutes, 26 seconds on the mat for his four victories, pinning Talan Ash (Penney), Carson Safranski (North Callaway), Ethan Adams (Centralia) and Colton Parn (Brookfield).

Luke Lawson earned a spot in the state finals in the 106-pound division by finishing in fourth place. He lost by pinfall in 1:19 to Centralia’s Bryson Dubes in his first match, but he pinned Marceline’s Reece Stufflebean in 2:18 and scored a 12-0 major decision over Charlie Ruether’s Father Tolton. Lawson lost the third-place match by a pinfall in 1:56 to Gallatin’s Eli Sperry. He has a 31-18 record.

Elly Lorenson took second place at 145 pounds in the Class 1 district at North Point High School in Wentzville, losing to Moberly’s Breanne Gibbs by pinfall in 3:02 in the championship match. Lorenson, who now has a record of 25-3, pinned North Point’s Caroline Frank in 2:13 and decisioned Brookfield’s Riley Howell 3-1 to reach the title match.

Hannibal had four wrestlers place second at the Class 3 district meet at Fort Zumwalt South High School on Saturday.

Austin Brown (37-7) lost to Whitfield’s Jackson Bassett by a pin with eight seconds left in the championship match at 106 pounds. Brown reached the final by pinning Fort Zumwalt South’s Kanyon Shurtz in 2:35 in the semifinals.

Reign Creech (30-6) lost 4-1 to Whitfield’s Benjamin Carter in the finals at 113 pounds. Creech pinned Clayton’s Saahil Doshi in 31 seconds and decisioned Warrenton’s Jeremiah Kassing 4-3 to reach the championship round.

Hannibal’s Tristen Essig placed second at 126 pounds, losing to Whitfield’s Porter Matecki 4-0 in the title match. Essig pinned Holt’s Jackie Diekman in 1:55 and won by an 11-1 major decision over Zack Tihen of Fort Zumwalt South) to qualify for the final.

Cody Culp (45-4) lost 1-0 in his championship match at 138 pounds to Whitfield’s Alexander Rallo. Culp pinned three opponents — Najee Holmes (Clayton), Steven McCray (Hazelwood East) and Joseph Kenny (Fort Zumwalt South) to earn a spot in the title match.

Koen Ramage (28-12) placed third at 150 pounds, winning by a 1-0 decision over Holt’s Boston Howard in the third-place match. Ramage won by two pins, then lost by technical fall in 4:38 to Fort Zumwalt South’s Jeric Gumahin in the semifinals. He won by a 15-2 major decision over Trevor Epps (Hazelwood East) to punch his ticket to state.

Finishing fourth for the Pirates were Chad Culp (24-5) at 132 pounds, Lucas Hudson (26-22) at 175 pounds, Drake Brinkley (30-13) at 120 pounds and heavyweight Ryan Ross (31-22).