Ready to state their case

Bright red mats cover the floor and walls. The smell of stale sweat saturates the air.

It's not the most welcoming place, but it's home for Michael Riney twice a week.

Riney and his Jackson USA youth wrestling club teammates spend two nights each week honing their skills in the homely room at Jackon High School's Multipurpose Building.

Their dedication paid off as 21 wrestlers from the club qualified for this weekend's state tournament at the Hearnes Center in Columbia.

"I'm working to get better for high school," Riney said. "The competition, they work all year round, so you just have to put in the time, too."

There are 52 wrestlers in the club, ranging in age from 5 to 14. Mark Guilliams, a staff coach and president of the club, wants to increase club participation to between 75 and 100 wrestlers over the next few years.

"In order to be successful in high school, you've got to have a good youth program," Guilliams said. "You've got to have some kids already learning the basic skills."

The Jackson club boasted 43 regional qualifiers, and 21 of them earned a trip to the state tournament. Riney is definitely one of the studs in the room, with a 44-2 record this season. He's won every tournament he's entered this year except the Dixie Nationals, an elite tournament that was held in Atlanta. He took third there.

"My dad wrestled, so when I was a little kid, he asked me if I'd want to wrestle and I told him I would," Riney said. "I started out in like first grade."

He's eager to wrap up his season with a state championship this weekend. But that's just the beginning of his wrestling goals. His biggest one starts next fall, when he begins high school.

"In high school, I would like to be a multiple-time state champ instead of just one," he said. "Jackson has never had a state champ more than one time."

Riney goes about his business in a professional manner during practice. He hustles to get into position every time a coach offers new instructions. He doesn't waste time because he knows the younger wrestlers in the room look up to him.

"I try to watch what he does good, like moves he takes them down with," said 10-year-old Trey Proffer, who won a regional title. "I watch moves he pins them with."

Riney isn't the only wrestler in the room with an impressive resume. Cody Morgan captured the wrestling triple crown -- finishing first at the Ozark Association, Missouri Challenge and AAU meets. He also tries to take a leadership role with the younger wrestlers.

"I just try and help out," said Morgan, 13. "I just make sure no one ever goofs around, but most people don't."

The 21 wrestlers from the Jackson club hope to parlay their hours spent in the wrestling room into state championships this weekend. And if it doesn't work out, they know their time in the small, smelly room wasn't wasted.

"It's going to make me better and it's going to help me in my future," Proffer said.