California Pintos Wrestling made history at the Class 1 District 2 Tournament on Friday and Saturday.
Pinto Patrick Morrow accomplished his 100th win and Pinto Kwynnon Duvall became the first wrestler to win a district championship. Ultimately, five California Pintos wrestlers will represent their school at the Class 1 State Tournament.
California Pintos wrestling competed in the Class 1 District 2 Tournament in Butler.
Each wrestler needed to place in the top four in their double elimination weight class bracket to qualify for the Class 1 State Tournament in Columbia. The Pintos made three firsts over the weekend along with finishing fifth place out of 16 teams in team points.
In the 106-pound bracket, Talyn Balsley handled Jayce Mathis, of Versailles, in his first match and won by pin in two minutes and 40 seconds after leading 6-0. Balsley needed one more win to qualify for his first state appearance. However, he was defeated by Alias Murray, of Stover, by fall in two minutes and 47 second and dropped into the consolation bracket. Balsley secured his spot in the state tournament by winning the consolation bracket semifinal by fall in two minutes and 15 seconds over Phineas Goertz, of Butler. Balsley then wrestled for third place against Mathis and won by fall in one minute and 20 seconds.
In the 113-pound bracket, Connor Farmer opened the tournament with a win over Enrique Rivera, of Tipton, by desicion 7-0. Farmer had an opportunity to qualify for state in the semifinals over Jayce Estes, of Warsaw. But Estes dominated the match before defeating Farmer by fall in three minutes and 45 seconds. Farmer had one final chance to go to State in the consolation semifinals against Sylas Fletcher, of El Dorado Springs. Farmer was ahead 8-5 going into the third period. He outscored Fletcher 8-2 in the third period to qualify for State by a 16-8 desicion win. Farmer went on to win the third place match by a 10-5 desicion over Wyatt Weekley, of Sherwood.
In the 120-pound bracket, Isaac McCarty lost his first match by fall in three minutes and eight seconds to Nolan Laux, of Fatima. McCarty's season ended in his first consolation bracket match where he last to Kolten Kelso, of Sherwood, by fall in two minutes and 35 seconds. His final record is 15-23.
In the 126-pound bracket, Patrick Morrow was looking to become the first wrestler in California wrestling history to win 100 matches in his career. Morrow needed to win to reach the milestone and make State. He took care of business in his first match by winning by fall over Graysen Thieman, of Holden, in two minutes and 54 seconds. Needing one more win to reach 100. Morrow was tied 2-2 in the third period of his next match against Coen Arment, of Versailles. Morrow was able to make a move to his advantage and pin down Arment for his 100th win and a second trip to the State tournament.
Morrow lost the district championship match by a 15-0 technical fall against over Cody Strope, of Fatima. Although he didn't win the district, Morrow felt honored to represent his team and community in an historic way by making program history.
"My aspirations as a freshman were a lot different than my aspirations as a junior. I was looking forward to just making it to State and making that my milestone. There's now a lot more bigger things with the 100 wins and getting a good seed at state. One of the hardest things about going to State is going back," Morrow said. "My motivation is to make my parents proud, make my team proud and show off the community well. The match that sent me to State was my 100th win and I just had to focus on winning the match and two of my goals were accomplished."
"Patrick's been 100 percent a team player. He's done so great for our team and he pushes everyone to be better and I think he'll be a really good senior next year when he takes over as a leader," teammate Kwynnon Duvall said.
"Patrick works his tail off everyday at practice and he always believes he can win every match," teammate Alexis Anguiano said.
In the 144-pound bracket, Jackson Barnard lost his first district match to Kane Rainey, of Versailles, by a 7-0 desicion. He was able to stay alive by winning his first consolation match against Keagan Wisdow, of Adrian, by a 5-2 desicion, However, his season ended when he lost to Justin Brown, of El Dorado Springs, by fall in three minutes and 29 seconds. His final record is 25-22.
In the 150-pound bracket, Tristan Balsley won his first two matches fall over Emory Crawford, of El Dorado Springs, and Riley Toler, of Stover. Balsley needed one more win to advance to State, but he lost his first opportunity to Justice Vickers, of Adrian, by fall in three minutes and 17 minutes. His first elimination match was a rematch against Crawford. Balsley was defeated by fall in 57 seconds and his season came to an end. His final record is 23-14.
In the 165-pound bracket, Kwynnon Duvall won his first two matches on Friday over Samuel Jones, of Versailles and Wade Green, of Sherwood. With one more win over Paxton Pyle of Tipton in the semifinals, Duvall would qualify for a chance to win the district title and make the State tournament. Pyle had a 4-1 lead over Duvall in the third period, but Duvall managed to tie the match with a one-point escape and a two-point takedown.
Nine seconds later, Duvall won by fall at five minutes even to earn a spot in the state tournament. In a close championship match with Ethan Munford, of South Callaway, Duvall held on to a one-point lead in the final minute of regulation. Winning the match and the district title by a 3-2 desicion. Duvall became the first wrestler in California history to win a district championship.
In the 175-pound bracket, Cody Schneider was defeated in his first match by fall in one minute and 18 seconds to Ian Yoss, of Adrian. Schneider's season ended when he was defeated a second time by Gavin Crump, of Sherwood, by fall in 39 seconds. His final record is 15-22.
In the 285-pound bracket, Anguiano quickly dispatched his first opponent Christian Draper, of Cole Camp, by fall in 16 seconds. He lost his second match to Tristin Gavette, of Versailles, by fall in one minute and 38 seconds. Anguiano needed to win his first consolation to qualify for State. He pulled of another quick win by fall over Grant Pardoe, of Tipton in nine seconds. Anguiano lost the third place match to Aiden Christian, of Holden, by fall in one minute and 55 seconds. But his fourth place finish was good enough to qualify for State.
For Anguiano, Duvall and Morrow, it will be their second appearance at State. For Balsley and Farmer, it will be their first appearance.
Anguiano and Duvall are the final two wrestlers left on the team from California's wrestling inaugural season three years ago. After the district tournament ended, both wrestlers expressed their excitement in qualifying for State and the growth of the program.
"It feels great. From being first year wrestlers to ending our season year with five of us going to state is awesome. I couldn't be happier for everybody," Anguiano said. " I started off as a freshman not knowing a single move and now I've qualified for state twice. I've been able to show the state of Missouri what I've got and I'm excited to go back to state."
"I think we're going to leave a pretty good legacy for everyone else," Duvall said. "I was down two points in the third period of the semifinal match. I just pulled out a move that worked in my favor and I was able to get the pin. It was just pure excitement when I won because it's never been done before in California history. We're looking forward to State a lot. We can't wait. I couldn't be happier."
California's five male qualifiers will join their two female qualifiers, Ivy Scroggins and Camryn Wingate, at the Class 1 State Tournament in Columbia on Wednesday and Thursday.
(Democrat photo/Evan Holmes)
California Pintos wrestling will send a program record five wrestlers to the Class 1 State Tournament. (Talyn Balsley, Connor Farmer, Patrick Morrow, Kwynnon Duvall and Alexis Anguiano)
(Democrat photo/Evan Holmes)
As a team, California Pintos wrestling finished fifth place out of 16 teams at the Class 1 District 2 Tournament.
(Democrat photo/Evan Holmes)
Patrick Morrow became the first wrestler in CHS history to win 100 career matches. Morrow got his 100th win in the 126-pound semifinals and finished second place at the Class 1 District 2 Tournament on Saturday.
(Democrat photo/Evan Holmes)
Kwynnon Duvall holds up his 165-pound championship bracket after winning California's first ever district championship.
(Democrat photo/Evan Holmes)
Talyn Balsley qualified for his first appearance in the Class 1 State Tournament by finishing third place in 106-pound weight class at the Class 1 District 2 Tournament in Butler on Saturday.
(Democrat photo/Evan Holmes)
Connor Farmer qualified for his first appearance in the Class 1 State Tournament by finishing third place in the 120-pound weight class at the Class 1 District 2 Tournament in Butler on Saturday.
(Democrat photo/Evan Holmes)
Alexis Anguiano qualified for his second appearance in the Class 1 State Tournament by finishing fourth place in the 285-pound weight class at the Class 1 District 2 Tournament in Butler on Saturday.