Jayci Shelton makes Centralia High School history, the first Lady Panther Wrestling state champion
The 2024 Centralia Panthers wrestling team state qualifiers and coaches with their state tournament third place trophy,
The Centralia Panthers Wrestling team took third place at this year’s MSHSAA State Championships.
The historic highlight of the tournament was CHS freshman Jayci Shelton’s state championship win at 155 pounds, a first for the program.
Along with Shelton, these wrestlers won medals for the boys’s team: Rex Bryson – third place at 157 lbs., Wyatt Adkisson – fourth at 165; Charlie Robinson – fourth at 126; Ian Tuggle – fifth at 215 lbs., Weston Ward – fifth place at 144.
The tournament concluded the evening of Thursday, Feb. 22 at Mizzour Arena.
Centralia’s 108 points beat CCC rival Brookfield’s 105 for the third-place trophy.
That placed them behind second-place Father Tolton’s 125 and first-place St. Pixus X – Kansas City’s 234.
Editor’s note, For Centralia it was their fifth state championship tournament plaque in five years, a record no other area high school sports program has achieved in recent years, if ever.
What follows is a chronological journal of the team’s victories and defeats throughout the tournament, courtesy of Fireside Guard Wrestling correspondent Jonathan Bowen. The following photos are by Brenda Creed Baker.
Coming into the state tournament the Centralia boys program was ranked 4th among Class 1 schools. They are the defending team champions but being able to defend that title will be a tall order with teams such as St. Pius X (Kansas City) and Father Tolton.
The Panthers got off to a good start with their lightweights with three consecutive falls from
Dubes (106), Adkisson (113), and Robinson (120).
Highlights:
Louis Suddarth
165 lb. round 1: Shot in on a low single but his opponent countered the shot well enough to
eventually reach a stalemate. With both wrestlers countering each other, Tipton would score the
first takedown halfway through the first. Adkisson chose down to start the 2nd and earned an
escape quickly before securing a takedown to take the lead 3-2. Akisson quickly locked up a
cradle and pinned his opponent.
After the Day 1 session, Coach Gremke was happy with the overall effort the team put forth and
that they were in the mix for another team trophy. He was impressed with how several of the
wrestlers who lost early were able to reset themselves and give maximum effort in their wrestle
back round matches.
Below are the individual match-by-match results for the Centralia Wrestlers on Day 1 of the
State Tournament.
Girls Class 1
155 Class 1
Jayci Shelton (40-0) placed 6th and scored 11.0 team points.
Championship Round 1 – Jayci Shelton (Centralia) 40-0 won by fall over Rylee Dare (Owensville) 22-17 (Fall 1:29)
Quarterfinal – Jayci Shelton (Centralia) 40-0 won by fall over Trinity Lesser (Marshfield) 36-8 (Fall 0:58)
Boys Class 1
106 Class 1
Bryson Dubes (39-7) place is unknown and scored 5.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Bryson Dubes (Centralia) 39-7 won by fall over Alias Murray (Stover) 21-15 (Fall 2:43)
Quarterfinal – Jordan Bell (St. Pius X (Kansas City)) 39-2 won by fall over Bryson Dubes (Centralia) 39-7 (Fall 0:43)
Consolation Round 2 – Bryson Dubes (Centralia) 39-7 won by decision over Reece Stufflebean (Marceline) 33-15 (Dec 6-0)
113 Class 1
Waylon Adkisson (20-19) place is unknown and scored 7.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Waylon Adkisson (Centralia) 20-19 won by fall over Cameron Nelson (Priory) 13-7 (Fall 2:36)
Quarterfinal – Jayce Estes (Warsaw) 37-4 won by fall over Waylon Adkisson (Centralia) 20-19 (Fall 1:10)
Cons. Round 2 – Waylon Adkisson (Centralia) 20-19 won by fall over Connor Farmer (California) 33-19 (Fall 2:54)
126 Class 1
Charlie Robinson (34-14) placed 6th and scored 9.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Charlie Robinson (Centralia) 34-14 won by fall over Chase Hampton (Windsor) 24-10 (Fall 5:23)
Quarterfinal – Charlie Robinson (Centralia) 34-14 won by decision over Huck Simmons (Priory) 20-5 (Dec 8-2)
144 Class 1
Weston Ward (38-10) placed 6th and scored 13.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Weston Ward (Centralia) 38-10 won by fall over Evan Fallert (Valle Catholic) 18-15 (Fall 1:28)
Quarterfinal – Gable Gross (St. Pius X (Kansas City)) 36-7 won by decision over Weston Ward (Centralia) 38-10 (Dec 8-1)
Cons. Round 2 – Weston Ward (Centralia) 38-10 won by fall over Ryder Herzing (Fatima)
32-26 (Fall 1:00)
● Champ. Round 1 – Carter Harms (Maysville) 34-16 won in sudden victory – 1 over Louis Suddarth (Centralia) 38-9 (SV-1 14-10)
● Cons. Round 1 – Louis Suddarth (Centralia) 38-9 won by fall over Ryan Willard (Priory) 12-16 (Fall 1:31)
● Cons. Round 2 – Louis Suddarth (Centralia) 38-9 won by decision over Justice Vickers (Adrian) 31-11 (Dec 4-3) 157 Class 1
Rex Bryson (40-2) placed 6th and scored 11.0 team points.
● Champ. Round 1 – Rex Bryson (Centralia) 40-2 won by fall over Cooper Ray (Maysville) 17-17 (Fall 2:19)
● Quarterfinal – Rex Bryson (Centralia) 40-2 won by fall over Trent Stout (Holden) 37-9 (Fall 1:45)
165 Class 1
Wyatt Adkisson (41-6) placed 6th and scored 11.0 team points.
● Champ. Round 1 – Wyatt Adkisson (Centralia) 41-6 won by fall over Paxton Pyle (Tipton) 36-16 (Fall 2:50)
● Quarterfinal – Wyatt Adkisson (Centralia) 41-6 won by fall over Jesse James (Lathrop) 32-15 (Fall 1:24)
215 Class 1
Ian Tuggle (45-6) placed 6th and scored 13.0 team points.
● Champ. Round 1 – Ian Tuggle (Centralia) 45-6 won by fall over Matteo Oliver (Gateway Science Academy Charter) 31-10 (Fall 2:54)
● Quarterfinal – Crae Coffey (South Harrison) 39-9 won by decision over Ian Tuggle (Centralia) 45-6 (Dec 6-1)
● Cons. Round 2 – Ian Tuggle (Centralia) 45-6 won by fall over Justin Lehn (St. Pius X (Festus)) 30-12 (Fall 2:14)
285 Class 1
Cade Smith (22-15) place is unknown and scored 4.0 team points.
● Champ. Round 1 – Espn Reed (Valle Catholic) 30-16 won by fall over Cade Smith (Centralia) 22-15 (Fall 3:00)
● Cons. Round 1 – Cade Smith (Centralia) 22-15 won by fall over Alexis Anguiano (California) 22-13 (Fall 2:33)
● Cons. Round 2 – Cade Smith (Centralia) 22-15 won by decision over Bryce Gray (Cardinal Ritter) 25-4 (Dec 3-1)
Cade Smith
Bryson Dubes
Weston Ward
The Centralia Panthers came into the tournament’s second day battling between 3rd and 4th
place as a team. It was doubtful as the Panthers won less than half of their matches in the
morning session (Semi-finals and blood rounds). However, they won enough key matches to
have five medalists heading into the Friday afternoon/evening final session and had a narrow
1-point lead over Brookfield for 3rd place.
However, the five wrestlers that survived the morning session, would finish strong individually
(going 3-2 in the medal round matches) and help the team earn a team trophy in back-to-back
seasons. The Panthers would score 108 points, 3 points ahead of Brookfield and 17 behind
second-place Father Tolton. They ended up with a 3rd place finisher, 2 fourth-place finishes,
and a 5th place finish.
Jayci Shelton pinning her way to the championship match
Jayci Shelton struggled initially in her semi-final match but it didn’t take long for her to punch her ticket into the finals, making her the first girl in Centralia HS history to
Jayci Shelton
accomplish such a feat.
She has scored the maximum points up to this point (24).
Her final match versus her opponent from Cameron ended up being the toughest of her tournament. This match was her only win not by a pin at the state tournament. It took Shelton a little bit longer to get a takedown as her opponent was able to counter with her moves but Shelton’s experience and tenacity would drive her to a 5-0 lead at the end of the first period.
Her opponent chose top to start the second period and tried right away to break down Shelton but Jayci would not be denied and earned a reversal to increase her lead to 7-0. Shelton would attempt to turn her opponent several times with either a half nelson or a ¾ stack but to no avail as her opponent resisted heavily. With only 20 seconds left, Shelton’s opponent earned what would be her only point in the match with an escape. However, her time on her feet was short-lived as Jayci took her down with just a few seconds left in the period to push the score up to 9-1.
Jayci chose the down position to start the 3rd period and increased her lead by scoring a reversal with just over a minute left in the match. She continued to pressure her opponent and earn another tilt or even a pin, but her opponent was able to resist all of Shelton’s attempts. The final whistle blew, final score 11-1 in favor of Jayci Shelton to have her become the first State Champion in Centralia Lady Panthers’ Wrestling history.
Below are the match-by-match results of Day 2 for the Centralia Panthers boys and girls wrestlers.
Centralia Boys State Results from Day 2
106 Class 1
Bryson Dubes (39-7) place is unknown and scored 5.0 team points.
● Cons. Round 3 – Jacob White (Trenton) 34-11 won by decision over Bryson Dubes (Centralia) 39-7 (Dec 8-6)
Shelton making an upper-body takedown
113 Class 1
Waylon Adkisson (20-19) place is unknown and scored 7.0 team points.
● Cons. Round 3 – Dylan Hall (St. Pius X (Kansas City)) 25-14 won by major decision over Waylon Adkisson (Centralia) 20-19 (MD 13-3)
126 Class 1
Charlie Robinson (35-15) placed 4th and scored 14.0 team points.
● Semifinal – Augustus Heintz (Rock Port) 45-2 won by decision over Charlie Robinson (Centralia) 35-15 (Dec 7-6)
● Cons. Semi – Charlie Robinson (Centralia) 35-15 won by decision over Ryder Techau (Brookfield) 36-11 (Dec 7-1)
● 3rd Place Match – Cody Strope (Fatima) 45-2 won by decision over Charlie Robinson (Centralia) 35-15 (Dec 7-0)
144 Class 1
Weston Ward (39-11) placed 5th and scored 17.0 team points.
● Cons. Round 3 – Weston Ward (Centralia) 39-11 won by fall over Logan Stewart (Sherwood) 35-12 (Fall 2:58)
● Cons. Semi – Draken Bennett (Maysville) 42-8 won by decision over Weston Ward
(Centralia) 39-11 (Dec 4-1)
● 5th Place Match – Weston Ward (Centralia) 39-11 won by fall over Keaton Coots
(Lathrop) 32-8 (Fall 2:44)
150 Class 1
Louis Suddarth (38-9) place is unknown and scored 4.0 team points.
● Cons. Round 3 – Emory Crawford (El Dorado Springs) 42-10 won by fall over Louis Suddarth (Centralia) 38-9 (Fall 4:00)
157 Class 1
Rex Bryson (42-2) placed 3rd and scored 22.0 team points.
● Semifinal – Noah Gonzalez (St. Pius X (Kansas City)) 36-8 won by fall over Rex Bryson (Centralia) 42-2 (Fall 5:22)
● Cons. Semi – Rex Bryson (Centralia) 42-2 won by fall over Trae Griffiths (Missouri Military Academy) 43-7 (Fall 0:38)
● 3rd Place Match – Rex Bryson (Centralia) 42-2 won by fall over Drake Murrell (Warsaw) 46-8 (Fall 2:32)
165 Class 1
Wyatt Adkisson (42-7) placed 4th and scored 18.0 team points.
● Semifinal – Braxton Ernst (Lafayette County) 37-6 won in sudden victory – 1 over Wyatt Adkisson (Centralia) 42-7 (SV-1 4-2)
● Cons. Semi – Wyatt Adkisson (Centralia) 42-7 won by fall over Brayden Pillars (Palmyra)
39-11 (Fall 0:33)
● 3rd Place Match – Peyton Shaver (St. Pius X (Festus)) 39-2 won by decision over Wyatt Adkisson (Centralia) 42-7 (Dec 7-4)
215 Class 1
Ian Tuggle (46-7) placed 5th and scored 17.0 team points.
● Cons. Round 3 – Ian Tuggle (Centralia) 46-7 won by fall over Derron Perkins (St. Mary`s South Side Catholic) 46-4 (Fall 3:37)
● Cons. Semi – Caden Munson (Lafayette County) 38-5 won by decision over Ian Tuggle (Centralia) 46-7 (Dec 5-2)
● 5th Place Match – Ian Tuggle (Centralia) 46-7 won by fall over Crae Coffey (South Harrison) 39-11 (Fall 4:35)
285 Class 1
Cade Smith (22-15) place is unknown and scored 4.0 team points.
● Cons. Round 3 – Jarrett Eivins (South Harrison) 39-11 won by decision over Cade Smith (Centralia) 22-15 (Dec 1-0)
Centralia Lady Panthers Day 2 Results
155 Class 1
Jayci Shelton (42-0) placed 1st and scored 29.0 team points.
● Semifinal – Jayci Shelton (Centralia) 42-0 won by fall over Ella Bradley (DeSoto) 40-6
(Fall 2:46)
● 1st Place Match – Jayci Shelton (Centralia) 42-0 won by major decision over Justice
Brewer (Cameron) 35-4 (MD 11-1)
