Wrestling season came to an end with Warsaw well-represented at the state tournament Feb. 18 and 19. Juniors Nick Bagley (weight class 132), Hudson Karr (weight class 152) and Donovan Campbell (weight class 113) wrestled at Mizzou, but none of them reached the podium. The three qualified for the state tournament based on their performance at district.
“I think it is fair to say, we did great by getting there, but the goal is to leave with
hardware. We wrestled well but fell short of earning a medal,” head coach Billy Daleske.
Karr and Campbell advanced to day two and then were knocked out. Bagley was knocked out in the first round.
Bagley wrestled Jesse Shannon from Centralia, losing by pin, and also lost his first wrestle back round to Stephon Brown from Lift for Life Academy; he lost by points (7-5).
“I could have performed a lot better, but things happen,” Bagley said.”I have learned to come out with more intensity than normal.”
Karr lost his first round by a pin from Isaiah Myers from Lafayette County. He won his first wrestle back round by points over Estiven Levin from St. Francis Borgia (9-4) and lost the second to Ryder Gooch of Marceline (10-0).
It was Bagley’s third return to state, but the first time for Campbell and Karr.
“I learned a lot about the kind of competition that’s at state wrestling, and what kind of level all of the athletes are,” Karr said.
Campbell won by pin over Cashton Holloway from North Callaway in the first round to qualify for the quarterfinal round. He was pinned in the quarterfinals by Peyton Parn of Brookfield.
Junior Coehen Walton and freshman Drake Murrell had high hopes to go to state, but fell short.
“Don’t expect anything, anyone can surprise you,” freshman Drake Murrell said, “I made the mistake of expecting to win and I lost.”
“Just go out there and do what you can, you got nothing to lose,” Walton said.
This is the last year for coach Daleske as the wrestling coach. He has been head coach for the wrestling team for six years. He has been coaching off and on for 12 years. Although he is leaving, he wants the athletes he has coached to, “keep working, set goals and make sure everything you do directs you towards that goal,” Daleske said.