Jackson wrestlers set sights on 17th SEMO conference championship

Jackson sophomore Clay Rouse made a list of three goals entering this wrestling season -- to win 35 matches, claim a SEMO Conference title and qualify for the state tournament in the 112-pound weight class.

Rouse, who has competed since he was 4 years old, has wrestling in his blood.

His brother, Cody Rouse, was a state champion for Jackson in the 152-pound weight class in 2005, and his father, Mike Rouse, started the AAU/USA wrestling program in Jackson.

"I was just born into it," Rouse said.

The sophomore, who has posted a 31-8 record this season, will try to accomplish one of his goals today and Saturday when the Indians compete in the SEMO Conference wrestling tournament at Sikeston High School.

The meet will feature 11 schools, including Jackson and Central.

Jackson, which has won the tournament three out of the past five years, placed second last year behind Ste. Genevieve.

Rouse is the only No. 1 seed for Jackson, which has 14 wrestlers seeded in the top six in their individual classes.

The sophomore is confident that he will wrestle well, and he is looking forward to competing after a third-place finish last year.

"I'm kind of nervous because I had a close match with one kid [in the weight class], but I'm confident I can beat him," he said. "I fully expect to win it because I've pinned the kid ranked second and because I've beat the kid three times ranked third."

Rouse has enjoyed his success, but he wants to improve on his feet to record more takedowns.

"Rouse is doing good and has come a long way since last year," Jackson senior Jamie Schumacher said. "He's working hard in the room and he's getting better every day."

Jackson's three state qualifiers

The Indians have three wrestlers who have qualified for state during their careers: Schumacher (2005, 2007), senior Blake Peiffer (2007) and senior Justin Miller (2005).

All three enter today's meet as No. 2 seeds in their weight classes.

Peiffer (35-3), who will wrestle at 215, said winning the tournament would boost his confidence. But to earn the title, he'll have to get past No. 1 Kendall May of Farmington, who has posted a 35-0 record.

Peiffer and May have not wrestled each other this year. The two squared off twice as freshmen, with Peiffer winning both matches.

"My goals are just to get into the finals and to do my best to win it," Peiffer said. "Last weekend was the first time we [Peiffer and May] were at the same tournament together. I ended up losing before I got a chance to wrestle him.

"They say [May] is seventh in the nation. Those are the guys you want to wrestle because I am going to wrestle people just as good if not better in sectionals and state. ... If I could beat him, it would give me more confidence."

Miller, who sat out the conference tournament last year because he had surgery to fix a hole in his heart, will wrestle at 152. The one wrestler seeded higher than him is Cody Compton of North County. Miller (26-4) has never faced Compton.

"It would be a big win," he said about the prospect of facing Compton. "As a senior, it would be nice to win a conference championship. I pretty well get second every year. I know he has been a two-time state placer, and he'll be tough to beat."

Schumacher will wrestle at 145.

Farmington the favorite

Jackson will look to win its fourth title in six years, but Indians coach Steve Wachter said Farmington could be tough to beat.

"They've got some outstanding wrestlers and Farmington has an outstanding program," Wachter said.

Jackson, which is 6-0 in dual meets, likely will be without Michael Riney, one of its top wrestlers. The No. 4 seed at 171 is battling an injury.

Central ready

Central has seven wrestlers seeded in the tournament.

Two of its top wrestlers will likely be Trey Grovenor, who is seeded No. 2 at heavyweight, and Zach Wilson, a No. 3 seed at 160.

"Trey Grovenor as the No. 2 seed, I don't think there is anyone he can't beat," Central coach James Brake said. "He's just so solid on his feet and he catches kids in mistakes. So if he wrestles like he's capable of, he could win the whole thing. Zach, if he wrestle as tough as he can, he is another guy who could go out there and surprise some people."

Grovenor (9-11) placed second last year, and has high expectations this year.

"I am seeded second, so my expectations are to get second or first," he said. "That's what I am hoping and that's what the team is hoping."

Wilson (20-10) expects to face difficult competition. He will wrestle Jackson's Ryan Marble in the first round. He beat Marble earlier this year.

"Last year I got put out of the tournament early," he said. "This year I'm just looking to place in the top four."

Others seeded from Central are Caleb Yeargain (No. 4, 103), Desmond Howard (No. 6, 119), Jawaun Howard (No. 6, 125), Raymond Woldtvedt (No. 3, 145) and Kevin Flesher (No. 6, 152). Ryan Wachter will not compete because of a shoulder injury.

"This [tournament] is a really good test right now because we've seen some of these guys before and we know how we did against them that time," Brake said. "So coming out and wrestling them again, we're hoping to beat a few kids we lost to. We know other teams around us are kind of getting better, so we've got to get better, too.

"The other important thing about this tournament is that the common opponents that will be in the district tournament, it's real important to get wins. That way we get seeds in districts."