Two Poplar Bluff wrestlers return with fifth-place medals

COLUMBIA, Missouri — The MSHSAA State Wrestling Tournament has wrapped, and two Poplar Bluff students walked away from Columbia with fifth-place medals.

Senior Lucas Robertson (Class 4, 150 pounds) brought home fifth on the boys side, while sophomore Zoe Freeman did the same at 170 pounds on the girls side.

Robertson faced off against Northwestern commit Kolby McClain of Liberty in a close match earlier in the day and won a 5-4 decision. He later placed fifth by defeating Carthage’s Grey Petticrew 3-1.

“Overall, I am very proud of how hard the team wrestled this weekend,” Poplar Bluff coach Kelton Thompson said.

Robertson ends his career with 153 wins, two state medals, a SEMO conference championship and a district championship. He also was a three-time state qualifier.

Thompson said that Lucas wrestled a great tournament in a loaded Class 4 150-pound bracket, and his semifinal loss was heartbreaking.

“It was painful for Lucas to be so close to the state finals and lose in the final seconds,” Thompson said. “However, he shook it off and went in and wrestled a great match.

“I can’t say enough about how well he wrestled this weekend and how proud we are of him as a coaching staff. Even though the sting of being so close to the finals lingers, he can hold his head high knowing he left it all on the mat and did everything possible to prepare for that moment. This sport is so tough to be great at, and to compete against some of the top wrestlers in Class 4, he showed he can go toe to toe with anyone.”

Meanwhile, Freeman fell short in the girls 170-pound semifinals with a 13-5 loss to Nevaeh Wardlow of Oak Park.

Freeman placed fifth with a win over Fort Osage’s Bailey Wood, bringing home her second medal from the state tournament in the past two years.

“Freeman wrestled some tough competition to get to the semis, but she lost some key positional battles in her semifinal that cost her big points,” Thompson said, adding Freeman had battled some issues with her shoulders in the past month which affected her ability to work in the top position.

Thompson said Freeman was disappointed in her finish but is going to do what it takes to get to the top of the podium next year.

“As a staff, we will do everything possible to help her reach the top,” Thompson said. “We look forward to reflecting and reevaluating for next year and then ultimately returning back to work. The march to the 2024 state tournament starts with the preparation and planning, which starts right now.”