Deweese reaches 100-win milestone, Eagles split pair of duals

 by Michael Smith
 
Grain Valley senior Justin Deweese has been a consistent wrestler for the Grain Valley wrestling program.
 
He had a breakthrough season as a sophomore, placing third in the 160-pound weight class in the Class 4 District 4 tournament, which qualified him for the state tournament for the first time. That season, he had 32 wins.
 
A year ago, he qualified for the state tournament for the second time and ended his 2022-23 campaign with 28 victories. As a freshman he had 20 wins while bouncing back and forth between the junior varsity and varsity squads.
 
In Saturday’s tri dual against Fort Osage and Blue Springs South, he reached a significant milestone. He notched his 100th career win after he pinned South’s August Kienast in 3 minutes and 10 seconds as he helped Grain Valley take a 42-36 victory against the Jaguars Wednesday at Blue Springs South High School.
 
The Eagles lost their other dual against Fort Osage 51-21.
 
Deweese (165 pounds) was one of four Eagles to finish 2-0 on the day. He also had a pin of Fort Osage’s Paxton Onka in 45 seconds.
 
“You just have to work hard for it if you really want it,” Deweese said of the milestone.
 
Grain Valley head coach Donald Horner said Deweese has put in the work to reach this milestone.
 
“I am always happy for him,” Horner said. “He’s definitely been someone we can depend on. He shows up every day at practice and goes to every dual and every tournament. He never complains and does all the right things.
 
“He has a great sweep single. He gets his head inside and really cuts the corner and he’s extremely tough on top.”
 
That showed in both of Deweese’s matches.
 
“I got my legs in and got the half,” Deweese said of his pin against Kienast. “I got around his head and got my hips out and was able to get the pin.”
 
Like Deweese, senior Jace Worthington (175) was dominant. He pinned South’s Bryden Greenfield in 32 seconds and Fort Osage’s Eden Reed in 51 seconds.
 
“I was really trying to push the pace for my last dual as a high school wrestler,” Worthington said. “I wanted to make it memorable.”
 
Other Eagles wrestlers who completed the day unbeaten were sophomore Zac Bleess (120), who earned a 6-3 victory against Fort’s Tony Martinez and had a forfeit win against South; and Gavin Barker (215) had two wins by forfeit.
 
Girls
 
Like the boys team, the girls split their duals at Blue Springs South High School, defeating the Jaguars 42-21 and falling to the Indians 50-23.
 
Senior Keya Butler (145), who is wrestling this season for the first time ever, was one of four Grain Valley girls wrestlers to finish the day 2-0. She had a pin and a forfeit victory.
 
“I was kind of nervous, but I have been doing pretty good,” Butler said. “It was really hard at first and I thought I was never going to get anyone pinned but I learned to trust myself and the season has gone pretty well.”
 
Sophomore Adalia Del Real (155) had a pair of impressive wins Wednesday as she pinned both Fort’s Princess Mueller and South’s Kadence Burnside.
 
“I mainly worked the cradles today and I also used to use a basic half (nelson),” Del Real said.
 
Sevreign Aumua (140) and Jayden Moehle also ended the day unbeaten. Aumua had a 16-1 tech fall and a forfeit win and Moehle had a pin and a forfeit victory.
 
 
 
 
 

Grain Valley senior Justin Deweese notched his 100th career win after pinning Blue Springs South senior August Kienast in 3:10 at a tri dual Wednesday at Blue Springs South High School. He also pinned Fort Osage 's Paxton Onka. Photo credit: Michael Smith