​Grain Valley boys split a pair of duals at Chrisman

by Michael Smith



The Grain Valley boys wrestling team faced a strong test just two days before the big Suburban White Conference tournament this weekend.

The Eagles fell to a tough Raymore-Peculiar team 45-28, but rebounded to take down Chrisman 66-18 Wednesday at William Chrisman High School.

Sophomore Zac Bleess (120), ranked No. 2, was one of six Grain Valley wrestlers to finish 2-0. He pinned Chrisman’s Alex Hutson in the first period with a cradle and controlled a match with Ray-Pec’s Kamdon VonHolton from start to finish to win 11-4.

He said he was not pleased with the way he wrestled despite finishing the day unbeaten.

“I didn’t really wrestle my best today,” Bleess said. “My goal this week is to really focus on the
basics and make sure I am wrestling to my potential. I frankly didn’t do good enough today.”

Junior Colston Parks (113) is having the best season of his career thus far as he has a 18-3 record and is looking for his first trip to state. He pinned Ray-Pec’s Brayden Behning in 54 seconds and put away Chrisman’s Cameron Russell in the first period by fall.

“My go-to (move) is the ball and chain,” Parks said. “I look to hook it in and go straight over the head.”

Freshman Sjoeren Aumua (144) has had a standout campaign in 2023-24 as he continues to look impressive. He pinned Chrisman’s Preston Gunlock in the first period and grinded out a 9-4 win against the Panthers’ Connor Gatlin.

“I feel like I am improving a lot more than last season,” Aumua said. “I am getting a lot more wins. Coach Horner teaches me a lot and does a lot for me.”

Other Eagles to finish 2-0 were senior Gavin Parks (126), who had two wins by forfeit; junior Trenton Rock (132), who had two pins; and junior Gavin Barker (215), who earned an 8-0 major decision and received a forfeit win.

Girls
It was just three years ago when the Grain Valley wrestling program had just one wrestler.
Then-freshman Sevreign Aumua, now senior, had to practice against other boys on the team at the time and didn’t have any girls teammates.

Fast forward to 2024, Grain Valley girls wrestling team has eight in the lineup and have had some success this season.

The Eagles showed what they could do in Wednesday’s tri dual. The Eagles topped the Bears 36-30 and Ray-Pec 36-18 to sweep the event.

“Our girls have come a long way in such a short amount of time,” Grain Valley head coach Donald Horner said. “Sevi was all by herself before, the year after that it was just her and a buddy. Last year we only have five in the lineup; now we have eight. Our program is going in the right direction. We want to make sure this program keeps growing.”

Junior Adalia Del Real (155 pounds) and sophomore Jayden Moehle (235) led the way for Grain Valley, getting two pins each.

Moehle, ranked No. 4 in the Class 2 MissouriWrestling.com poll, used a power half to turn Chrisman’s Nina Porter and Ray-Pec’s Anna Fahrni to get a pair of first-period falls.
Even after a pair of dominant wins, Moehle critiqued her performance.

“I definitely need to work on my hand fighting,” Moehle said. “I haven’t been setting up my shots. That’s a big thing for me to improve.”

Del Real, who is emerging as one of the Eagles’ top wrestlers, also ended both of her matches in the first period as she had an impressive showing.

“I just used my slide bys to set up my shots,” Del Real said. “From there, I just went for the ankles.

​Other Grain Valley wrestlers to finish 2-0 on the day included senior Sevreign Aumua (140) and Valerie Bleess (110), both of whom had a pair of forfeit wins. Camary Schmalzbach (135) won her lone match against Ray-Pec’s Makayla Wilson as she got a pin in 27 seconds.

​Grain Valley junior Trenton Rock (132) works to turn William Chrisman Rony Guardiola.

Grain Valley freshman Sjoeren Aumua walks off the mat while getting his hand raised after pinning William Chrisman's Preston Gunlock.