SCHLICK ADVANCES TO STATE FINALS IN 135

COLUMBIA -- For Jackson High wrestler Lance Schlick, hopefully the third time will be the charm.

Schlick, the Indians' standout 135-pounder, won a pair of matches Friday to advance to today's championship match of the Missouri Class 4A Championships.

Awaiting Schlick in the finals is Oakville's Jake Hopson -- who has handed Jackson's grappler his only two losses of the season, in the district and sectional finals.

Schlick improved his record to 35-2 with an impressive showing Friday. In the quarterfinals, he handed Pattonville's Greg Brown his first loss of the season, 5-3. Then in the semifinals, Schlick rolled past Marquette's Shaun Gethin 10-0.

Hopson, whose only loss of the season was to a wrestler from Illinois, recorded a fall to advance to the finals.

"I thought Lance did an outstanding job today," said Jackson coach Steve Wachter. "Brown was 35-0 and that was a big win for Lance. He's had to wrestle three really good kids to get to the finals, beating the third, fourth and fifth ranked wrestlers in the state."

While Schlick is assured of at least a second-place finish, two other area wrestlers clinched at least sixth place Friday by winning in the wrestlebacks.

Jackson's Kyle Huck (130 pounds) defeated Tim Duggan of DeSmet 5-3 to improve to 28-9.

Cape Central's Matt Strickland (189) beat Casey Vokelek of Oak Park 8-6 to improve to 25-10.

Also Friday, Central's Keith Benton (112) was eliminated from wrestlebacks when he lost to Woodrow Harris of Riverview Gardens 8-3. Benton finished with a 14-12 record.

Jackson's Brett Stroud (112), Adam Wachter (125) and Kyle Watson (140) did not qualify for wrestlebacks after the opponents that defeated them in Thursday's opening round lost their quarterfinal matches Friday. Stroud finished 27-10, Wachter 25-10 and Watson 25-11.