​Eagles’ Moehle advances to state wrestling semifinals, three others alive in consolation bracket

by Michael Smith, Grain Valley News
 
 
COLUMBIA -- Grain Valley junior Jayden Moehle has a knack for coming up big in the postseason for the girls wrestling team.

She did just that in the quarterfinals of the 235-pound weight class in the Class 2 Missouri State High School Girls Wrestling Championships Friday at Mizzou Arena.

The score was tied at 4-4 in overtime in match between Moehle and Troy Buchanan sophomore Jeralyn Spear. Moehle got a takedown of Spear and was just able to keep her feet in bounds for three points.

The officials initially ruled the takedown void and asked for both wrestlers to restart at the center of the mat. Head coach Donald Horner emphatically stated it was a takedown and then had a discussion with the referees. Afterward, the officials reversed the decision and awarded the takedown to Moehle, which gave her a 7-4 win as she will advance to the semifinals.

“I was so nervous,” Moehle said when she was waiting for the officials to decide if she had a takedown. “If (Horner) wouldn’t have been there, I probably would have lost.”

Moehle will wrestle in the semifinals on Friday against Lafayette Wildwood junior Ella Kimbrough.

“I feel really good about it,” Moehle said of her chances of winning a state championship. “I plan to come out and win it.

Moehle, a two-time state medalist, began her day with a win over Nixa senior Larissa Downs in the first round as she got a pin in 1:19. That set up her match with Spear, who took an early 3-0 lead after getting a takedown in the first period.

Spear rode out Moehle in the second period and chose the down position in the third period. She used a barbwire to get a turn and a four-point near fall to go up 4-3. Moehle was hit with a penalty that awarded Spear a point and sent the match into overtime.

“I need to work on how to get out from bottom,’ Moehle said. “It’s definitely a weakness. That match was a little rough. I got in the cross wrists and was able to use the barbwire to turn her. That is my move I always do.”

Senior Adalia Del Real was the other Grain Valley girls wrestlers to compete on Friday. She was in the 155-pound weight bracket and won her opening match against Raymore-Peculiar senior Abby Keating by pin in the second period.

Del Real then lost her quarterfinals match to Francis Howell Central senior Dana Thee Sanchez 10-0 to move to the consolation bracket. She pinned Bailee Wardlow of Oak Park in her final match to advance to the third round of wrestle backs. She will need to win her match against Rolla senior Serenity Tilford to clinch her first state medal.

Boys
Grain Valley senior Gavin Barker and junior Zac Bleess will have a chance to win a medal for the boys wrestling team as they both went 2-1 and advanced to the third round of wrestlebacks.

Bleess (132) won his first match against Rolla junior Carson Mickem 10-4 before falling to Columbia Hickman freshman Quincey Crawford 3-1 in the quarterfinals. After he moved to the consolation bracket, Bleess defeated lee’s Summit junior Luke Nally 4-1 to advance to the third round of wrestlebacks. He will face Jackson junior Kade King in the next bout and will need to win that one to clinch a medal.

Barker (215) wrestled in the state tournament for the first time and fell in his opening match against Francis Howell Central junior Garo Sams by pin. Barker rebounded with pins over Oakville’s Kaden Updike and Staley’s Maer Deng to advance to the third round of wrestlebacks. He will take on Christian Brothers College senior Tristan Abram in his next bout.

​Senior Colston Parks (138) ended his high school career and season after finishing the tournament 1-2. Junior Justin King (126) and Tyler Jones (120) both were eliminated and went 0-2.

Photo credit: Addie Kennedy