COLUMBIA For a few minutes, ending a pair of nine-year droughts was within reach for the Blair Oaks Falcons.
It had been since 2014 when the Falcons last won a state trophy and had an individual state champion on the wrestling mat. But in the end, both streaks came up just barely out of reach.
It was a good start for the Blair Oaks Falcons, but they were hoping it would be better. “There was a lot of good, but we missed out on a couple of opportunities,” Blair Oaks coach Mike DeMilia said, as the Falcons sit in fifth place in the team standings following Wednesday’s competition in the Class 2 boys wrestling state championships at Mizzou Arena. “We lost a couple matches that could come back to haunt us."
Blair Oaks coach Mike DeMilia wanted the Falcons to wrestle a tough schedule this season. Blair Oaks competed in duals against defending state champions like Mid-Buchanan and Pleasant Hill. The Falcons have matched up against several state-ranked individuals in multiple classes. It was all for one ultimate purpose: To be best prepared for the state tournament.
As the high school wrestling season winds down, it’s typical for teams to begin taking it easy, making sure wrestlers are healthy and ready to go for the district tournament. The Blair Oaks Falcons have decided to buck that trend this season. Blair Oaks welcomed the Pleasant Hill Roosters, the defending Class 2 state champion and currently the top-ranked team in Class 2, as part of a tri-dual for Tuesday’s home finale at Blair Oaks High School. The Falcons won several early matches, but the Roosters had a strong finish to win 42-33.
If Easton DeMilia was going to win his 100th career match on his home mat, it had to happen Tuesday night. And it wasn’t going to come in his usual weight class, either. DeMilia rallied from a three-point deficit in the second period and scored the deciding takedown with :10 remaining in overtime to win 8-6 against Camdenton’s Logan Tibben in his final match of a quad-dual at Blair Oaks High School.