It was a familiar finish for Joe Kuster. Familiarity isn’t always welcome. The Jefferson City senior finished fourth at 150 pounds in the Class 3 state tournament Saturday afternoon to earn his third state medal. All three are for fourth.
Joe Kuster was prepared for the moment. After posting a quick win by fall in the opening round of the Class 3 state wrestling championships Friday at Mizzou Arena, the Jefferson City senior was in a battle in his quarterfinal match.
The Jefferson City Jays took a chance. It paid off win a winning way. “We had a plan and the kids executed the plan,” Jays coach Nathan Redcay said Wednesday night after Jefferson City defeated the Helias Crusaders 42-21 in a Central Missouri Activities Conference dual at Fleming Fieldhouse. “They really wanted this win and it showed.”
The numbers just didn’t add up for the Helias Crusaders. “We just gave up too many bonus points, that was a big factor,” Helias coach Weston Keleher said after the Crusaders dropped a 51-19 decision to the Neosho Tigers in the final match Saturday afternoon in the Missouri Duals at Rackers Fieldhouse. “When you give up six falls, that’s an extra 18 points there.