8 state medalists

The state wrestling runner ups, Centralia Panthers wrestling team.

For the second consecutive year, Centralia High School’s  wrestling team has won silver honors at the Missouri State High School Wrestling Championships.

The Panthers sophomre class of state top-3 medalists: from the left, Kyden Wilkerson, Brayden Shelton, Jesse Shannon, Brayden Dubes and Seth Hasekamp

Brayden Shelton driving in for a takedown.

Jesse Shannon driving an opponent into the mat.

Kyden Wilkerson shoots in for a takedown.

Seth Hasekamp matching muscle.

Using all the angles, Centralia’s Weston Ward, right, and Hallsville’s Paxton Martin vie for position.

Sam Lynn sweeps the leg

Brayden Dubes, state champion,

They finished second behind Mid-Buchanan and ahead of Brookfield, March 10 at the championships, held this  year at Indpendence’ Cable Dahmer Arena.

The top-five team scores are:

Mid-Buchanan – 181.0

Centralia – 144

Brookfield – 112

Fatima – 85,5

Lawson – 77.5

Hallsville finished 17th with 36.

Centralia’s eight state medalists are: Brayden Dubes state champion at 113-lbs. fall.

Seth Hasekamp 2nd at 285. Jesse Shannon – 3rd, Kyden Wilkerson – 3rd, Brayden Shelton – 3rd, Weston Ward – 5th,   Hunter Phillips – 5th and Sam Lynn, 6th.

When asked how he made it happen, Panther Head Wrestling Coach Luke Gramke said it was no secret: “We have good kids, talented kids, kids that work hard and deserve to be state medalists. We didn’t get lucky and get them. They worked for them.”

Regarding motivation, he said it boiled down putting in the work, the training.

“A lot of time on the mat. A lot of blood, sweat and tears. When you have a lot of mat time and a lot of kids that want to go out and earn it, that is a recipe for success.”

For the complete article, see next week’s edition of the Centralia Fireside Guard.