Brackets set for SEMO boys wrestling tournament

Poplar Bluff's Logan Hite, top, attempts to turn Farmington's William Rodgers during their 170-pound match Friday night, Jan. 21, 2022 at the Senior High Gym in Poplar Bluff, Mo.

DAR/Brian Rosener

POPLAR BLUFF — Poplar Bluff wrestlers will head into the final day of the SEMO Conference Tournament looking for the program’s best finish in over two decades Saturday.

The Mules were in second place in the team standings following matches Friday night at the Senior High Gym.

“After the semifinal round tomorrow we’re going to have a good idea where we really stand,” Poplar Bluff coach Kelton Thompson said. “So it was a good start tonight.”

The Mules scored 12 pins, a pair of major decisions, two more wins by decision and another in overtime while losing seven total matches.

Poplar Bluff will start the quarterfinals 30 points behind Farmington, with Jackson and Hillsboro, the defending large-school champion, closely behind. Ste. Genevieve, the defending small-school champion, is fifth followed by Sikeston, Kennett and Dexter in the 15-team tournament.

Wrestling starts at 9:30 a.m. Saturday with the girls starting their matches and the boys moving into the quarterfinals. Finals are expected to begin in the late afternoon.

“We won every match we expected to win and then we picked one up,” Thompson said.

Jakob Hopkins had lost twice to Farmington’s Nate Schnur, one of the top seeds at 138 pounds, once by major decision and another by fall.

In the second round Friday, the two traded takedowns and an escape in the first period to be tied at 3-all. Schnur got a reversal out of the bottom position in the second before Hopkins did the same at the 37-second mark of the third.

Hopkins held on for 30 seconds in the first overtime then scored a point in the second overtime for the win.

“When Jakob is on, he’s on,” Thompson said. “…His baseline defense is much improved than what it was at the beginning of the season. That kid was taking him down essentially at will in the beginning of the year.

“That was a big one for us, sets him up.”

Hopkins, who also got a pin, was one of eight Mules to win their pool with only one wrestler out of the running for the championship.

Logan Hale suffered an injury in his third round match. Thompson said the 132-pound sophomore will be reevauluated in the morning to see if he can continue.

Justin Mitchell earned three pins, Lucas Robertson, Daine Dugas and Logan Ringstaff each pinned both of their opponents. Logan Hite got a pin and an 11-0 major decision. Gatlin Taylor won his only match in a major decision, 12-0, while Desmond Howell won 2-0 and 5-0 in the final match of the night.

“Just having a full lineup has helped us a lot,” Thompson said. “We’re one of the only full teams here and this is one of those formats that it helps you having guys at every weight.”

Poplar Bluff has finished third in each of the past two seasons after doing it just one other time since 2000. The Mules won the last of their two team titles in 1992.

Jackson, seeking its 26th title after finishing second to Hillsboro last year by 18.5 points, had nine wrestlers win their pool Friday.

Jace Davis earned three pins, Flint Guilliams, Liam Bryant, Landon Vassalli and Gavin Hicks each pinned both of their opponents. Matthew May earned a pin and a 7-6 decision while Craig Aufdenberg, Tyler Beyatte and Griffin Horman each earned a pin.

Hillsboro had 11 wrestlers win their pool while Farmington had eight advance to the quarterfinals atop their pool.

Sikeston’s Conner Michael earned an overtime win with a takedown while Jacob Leavitt won 10-7. Dominic Mullin and Trey Scott each pinned both of their opponents.

Notre Dame’s Owen Dowdy won by pin and technical fall while Trey Schreckenberg earned a pair of pins.

Kennett’s Hayden Higgins earned a pin to win his pool.

Dexter’s Eric Harmon won his pool with a pin.

New Madrid Central’s Jacob Wilcox pinned both of his opponents while Ty Blakey pinned his only opponent and Jamian Golden won 3-1.