​Eagles seniors look strong in final dual of season during 39-33 loss to Indians

by Michael Smith


The Grain Valley boys wrestling team had one more dual before the district tournament, which will be hosted at high school this season.

The Eagles got a stiff test against Fort Osage, a team that is consistently among the top 10 teams in the state. While Grain Valley put up a strong fight, the Indians broke a 33-33 tie in the final match of the day when Fort junior Nathan Parker pinned Eagles junior Braden Thomas as the Grain Valley fell 39-33.

Grain Valley finished the season with a dual record of 7-3, and the team looks strong overall with the postseason looming on Feb. 22.

“As a team, I think we have done great,” Grain Valley senior Gavin Barker said. “We have some good leaders on the team, and we are held to a high standard. We have gone a good job to help the younger guys go on the right path.

Barker (215 pounds) got the Eagles into a position to potentially win the dual. He faced off against Fort senior Isaac Fields, who is ranked No. 8 according to MissouriWrestling.com in the 215-pound weight class in Class 4.

Barker was aggressive early in the match, using a variety of takes before he countered a shot from Fields into his own takedown in the first period. From there, Fields managed to get two escapes – one in the first period and one in the second. Fields was on top in the third and Barker staved off his opponent’s attempts to turn him as he came away with a big 3-2 victory.

Some of the moves he used mimicked the style of wrestling his older brother Tanner Barker, a 2023 graduate, used when he wrestled for the Eagles.

“I did that a lot last year,” Barker said of the shot fakes. “They got me on that at districts last year, so I changed up my style this year. I am starting to bring that back into my routine, though.”

Last season, Barker made it to the bubble match at districts as he was one win away for qualifying for the state tournament. He fell in that match but is looking to get redemption this season and punch his ticket to state.

“Everyone who is seeded above me, I have wrestled them all once or twice,” Barker said. “They have all been close matches and have been decided by one or two points. I have been pushing myself in practice so I can get that edge over them.”

Fellow senior Colston Parks (138) looks ready for districts as he won his match easily against Fort sophomore Colton Lamb. He countered a shot from Lamb and turned it into a takedown of his own before wrapping his arm around the upper body of his opponent and turning him for a pin in 58 seconds.

“I was hoping to wrestle (Grayson Moore) but he bumped up,” Parks said. “I am feeling pretty good (going into districts. I think I am going to shock the world a little bit. They have me ranked a little bit low. I plan to make my statement there.”

​Grain Valley junior Tyler Jones (120) controlled his match with Kaiden Johnson from start to finish and he used a reverse half nelson to turn his opponent and get a pin in 51 seconds; junior Zac Bleess (132), a two time state medalist, had three takedowns in a 11-5 win over Luke Steffens; Sophomore Brody Braa (157) overcame a 6-1 deficit against Gabe Allen as he had two near falls and two takedowns late in the match before getting a fall in 4:38; Freshman Dalton Burch (165) won by forfeit; and Freshman Grant Burd (190) came back from a 6-0 deficit to win 12-8.
 

Photo credit: David Rainey