Jackson boys, Sikeston girls finish second in SEMO Conference Tournament

There’s playing hurt, and then there is wrestling hurt.

Jackson senior Gavin Hicks left the consolation semifinal match of the SEMO Conference Tournament on Saturday at the Tiger Field House defeated and injured.

As he was treated for injuries both upper and lower, the pain in his face was palpable. Entering the fifth-place match with the district tournament mere weeks away, it would make sense for Hicks to call it a day and heal his wounds.

Instead, Hicks stepped to the mat to finish what he started.

“We needed the team points,” Hicks said.

Hicks would face two opponents in that match, his pain tolerance and Nick Baer of Windsor. His body would be playing for both sides.

He persevered, and then he pulverized. Hicks hauled Baer to the mat with all of his remaining might. After grimacing in pain, he then proceeds to do it again, and again, and again, throughout the match until the final whistle.

Hicks took fifth place on an 18-5 major decision and secured 23 team points. His heroics paid off, as the Indians finished with a second-place plaque, 14 points below champion Hillsboro and 32 points over Farmington. The Indians also finished 63 points over Ste. Genevieve, who handed them a rare duel defeat weeks ago.

Seniors Griffin Horman (190) and Tyler Beyatte (215) secured first place in championship bouts against Hillsboro. Noah Gibson (285) and Landon Vassalli (113) took second place, Kade King (120) placed third, and Kaden Shaw (106) placed 4th for the Indians.

Poplar Bluff finished in seventh place with 152 points. Logan Hite (175) was the only Mules to finish in first place in his weight class after a 2-0 decision over Windsor’s Brice Henry. He finishes his career as a two-time SEMO Conference champion.

“I think this year was maybe a little bit tougher,” Hite said. “I had some better competition going up to the finals.”

Lucas Robinson (150) placed second while Dace Wisdom (144) and Kayden Walker (165) finished in fourth place for the Mules.

New Madrid County Central finished in 9th place with 95 points. Tharon Harper (113), Gavyn Colbert (150), and Connor Henderson (175) placed fourth in a tournament that touts tougher completion that the Eagles would face in the postseason.

“The SEMO conference is our state,” Harper said. “We won’t see any of these big schools in Class 1.“

Kennett finished in 12th. Cape Central finished in 14th, and Notre Dame and Dexter finished in 15th and 16th due to bringing out a small number of wrestlers. Kennett’s Kevin Thompson (285) and Davarious Nunley (175) of Tigers finished in 5th place.

Sikeston finished 5th in the boys' tournament but placed second in the girls' tournament, a single point below Park Hills Central.

“We had expectations coming in to leave as SEMO Conference champions,” Sikeston head coach Blake Angle said. “Some of our girls took care of business and we had some matches where we came up short but that's what happens when we get here and you wrestle tough competition towards the end of the year.”

Dominic Mullin (175) and Tristan Leavitt (132) finished in third place for the Bulldogs, while Colin Scott (138), Conner Michael (126), and Jax Lancaster (157) placed fourth.

“The SEMO Conference has continued to get tougher and tougher over the past decade,” Angle said. “We did a great job battling and going to war. I appreciate them coming through and a bunch of them coming back and taking third and fourth.”

Among the girls, Ellie Douglass (100), Kimarhri Wilkins (130), and Alayna Ray (235) took first place while Jasmynne Green (105) and Shanell Williams (145) placed second.

Notre Dame brought only two girls but was successful enough to net the Bulldogs a top-10 finish. Lily Ahlvin placed second and Emma Steimle took first place on an 8-4 decision over North County’s Brooke Bennett.

The senior hopes that their success leads to growth in the young program.

“We are a really good team and we both have a lot of morale,” Steimle said. “We both have improved so much for these few years that we hope that we can get some other girls to come out and try just to have fun like we are.”

Jackson finished in third place with 109 points, four fewer than Sikeston. The Metzger sisters of Gracie (115), Mallorie (120), and Mollie (125) took first place, while Kassie Hodges (135) placed third and Joey Collins (110) finished in fourth place.

Ste. Genevieve edged Poplar Bluff by a single point for fourth place. All four Mules made it to the championship round. Kayleigh Dazey (105) and Zoë Freeman (170) claimed first place while Madison (140) and Kylee (155) Hayman finished in second place.

Dexter placed 11th thanks to Kennedy McCormick (170) finishing in second place.

Cape Central had only one girl in the tournament and placed 12th. Freshman Niah Hopkins started with a loss to Windsor’s Leah McRoy in sudden victory in the opening round. She battled back to pin McRoy in the third-place match and take the bronze.

“It really motivated me,” Hopkins said. “It just felt nice. It’s worth it, and I can get better at it.”

Kennett finished last but Janiya Gray finished in third place one month after capturing the bronze in the same venue.

“It feels good for it to be my first year as a freshman,” Gray said. “Last time I was here I got third, so I was trying to get second.”

The next local varsity tournament takes place on Feb. 17, when Jackson hosts the Class 4 District 1 Tournament.