Ozarkâs Braxton Strick and Hunter Tennison and Nixaâs Peyton Moore all find themselves undefeated at the start of the new year. Theyâre quick to add itâs no time to rest on their laurels.
âIâm waiting for that time when I get to wrestle someone who is better than me,â Strick said. âI try to treat all my opponents the same. But if I know Iâm wrestling someone really good, Iâm going to bring my âA game.ââ
âAn undefeated record is still not an indicator of where you need to be,â Ozark coach Tod Sundlie said. âIâm proud of (Strick and Tennison) and theyâve wrestled tough. At the same time, I know they want to see other undefeated guys down the road. They crave that opportunity.â
SPRINGFIELD â Ozark wasnât quite able to catch team champion Lebanon at the Kinloch Tournament on Monday. But the Tigers gave a much better account of themselves while finishing runner-up than they did a few weeks ago in a 58-15 dual loss to the Yellowjackets.
Ozark totaled 284.5 points and had four individual champions, while Lebanon was first with 306 points. No other team had more than 130 points.
For the Tigers, Elijah Maskrod (132 pounds), Hunter Tennison (285) and Riley Newsom (152) all were 5-0 with wins against Lebanon wrestlers. None of that threesome won in Ozarkâs dual loss to Lebanon.
Maskrod avenged a first-period pin against Josiah Perryman by beating him 18-7 Monday. He jumped out on top 16-2.