​Eagles Moehle finishes second at state wrestling tournament

by Michael Smith, Grain Valley News


Grain Valley junior Jayden Moehle set herself up in the same spot as she did in 2024.

Moehle won three matches at the Class 2 Missouri State High School Girls Wrestling Championships Friday and Saturday at Mizzou Arena, which set her up a championship match with Liberty junior Alexis Stinson in the 235-pound weight class.

Up to that point, Moehle did what she needed to do to have a chance at an individual state championship. However, Stinson was a familiar opponent who wrestled Moehle three times earlier in the year.

Moehle was 1-2 against Stinson this season, with her one win coming in the George Hoover Invitational, where she got a second-period pin.

On Saturday, she was aggressive to start her match with Stinson, but after her opponents chose the bottom position to start the second period, the Liberty junior got a switch for a reversal and two points, then used a half nelson to turn Moehle and get a pin in 2:27 as the Eagle junior finished in second place.

Moehle began the tournament with a first-period pin of Nixa senior Larissa Downs before she got a takedown in overtime to win 7-4 in overtime over Troy Buchanan sophomore Jeralyn Spear. In the semifinals, she took down Lafayette Wildwood junior Ella Kimbrough 10-3 to advance to the championship.

“My last match could have been a lot better,” Moehle said. “She just caught me. I need to wrestle my style instead of wrestling hers. I tend to match people’s tempo.

“I did a lot of good things. On the back side I did a lot of bad things. This was a good experience.”

Moehle now has three state medals under her belt and will be aiming for a state championship for her senior season in 2026.

“Oh yeah, I will be training a lot this offseason,” Moehle said.

Moehle was the only Grain Valley wrestler to earn a state medal this season. Her teammate, senior Adalia Del
Real (155 pounds) went 2-2 on Friday and advanced to the third round of the consolation bracket. She needed one more win to qualify for a medal, but she lost by fall against Rolla senior Serenity Tilford.

On the boys side, senior Gavin Barker (215) and junior Zac Bleess (132) made it to the third round of wrestlebacks but both fell and just missed out on a medal. 

Junior Jayden Moehle finished second at the Class 2 Missouri State High School Girls Wrestling Championships in Columbia on Saturday. Photo credit: Addie Kennedy

Photo credit: Addie Kennedy