Tiger sextet advances to state sectionals

Tuesday, February 10, 2004

Six Nevada Tigers advanced to the sectional round of the Missouri State High School Activities Association Class 2 wrestling tournament on Saturday.

Two Tigers, David Hawks and Zach Walrod, captured individual district championships, while Tommy Werner, Leonard Keller, Tyler Shouse and John Christie advanced with third-place finishes. The top four in each weight class stay alive for the sectional round.

The District 6 tournament, hosted by Nevada High School, included teams from Carthage, Neosho, Carl Junction, Clinton, McDonald County, Webb City, Willard and Republic.

Carthage, with 170 points, won the team title, dethroning 2003 champion Neosho which claimed second. Nevada finished in a tie for fifth with McDonald County.

Hawks, a junior seeded No. 1, won all three of his matches by pin falls to earn his second trip to the state sectionals.

"Yeah, it's nice to qualify as the district champion, especially this year," said Hawks, who improved to 19-8, "because it's been kind of a rough one for me. I just felt on my game today."

The 145-pound senior Walrod, qualifying for the fourth time, called on all his skill, composure and heart to overcome Carl Junction's No. 1-seed Alex Kieslich by a close 8-5 decision in the championship match.

"He was my toughest opponent this year," said Walrod, who remained perfect at 29-0. "He's the first that's been able to get a takedown on me, so that definitely got me fired up. I just happened to take him down a couple of more times than he did."

To illustrate the physicality of the sport, Walrod, an excellently conditioned athlete, was still breathing hard some 15 to 20 minutes after his grueling match.

Nevada senior Tommy Werner, a second seed with a 27-9 record, dropped his second match to eventual 140-pound runner-up Tommy Hilburn of Webb City, then bounced back with two pins to secure third.

"I'm starting to get hot when I need to," said Werner, who will make his first state appearance, "and a lot of that's coaching. I didn't have much success until these coaches came here, so I owe a lot to them."

In a gutsy effort, John Christie, a fourth seed, had to overcome, not only his opponents but also a wicked cut to the forehead to earn his trip to state. He suffered the cut on an unintentional head butt, but fought through it for an 8-3 decision in a wrestleback, then pinned Tony Morgan of Mac County in the third-place match.

Junior Tyler Shouse, a three-time qualifier, also needed a wrestleback to reach the third-place match. No. 3-seed Shouse lost to No. 2 Brandon Schofield, ranked eighth in the state, in a semifinal match. Schofield had to settle for second when a shoulder injury suffered in the Shouse' match forced him to injury default the championship bout.

"I've wrestled so many ranked opponents this season, but he (Schofield) is, by far, the best wrestler I've ever met," said Shouse. "He scores points faster than anybody I know."

Shouse went on to defeat Steve Adams of McDonald County with an 18-3 technical fall for a third-place finish.

The final Nevada qualifier, heavyweight Leonard Keller, won two of three matches, his only loss to eventual champion Josh Baugh of Carthage.

"I'm not real disappointed that I lost that match," said Keller, a fourth-place medalist in the 2003 state meet, "because it taught me a few things."

Nevada coach Larron Hurst was obviously proud of all his qualifiers, but felt regret for the fortune of senior Kaleb Leonard.

"He was one win away from sectionals," said Hurst, "and I really wanted to see him go…just one match away."

Added Hurst, "We're taking six to sectionals and they've been the heart of the lineup all year. We'll keep hammering it and try to get these six guys on to the last weekend in February (state championships)."

Next stop is Carl Junction, Mo., site of the sectionals, next Saturday.

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