PECULIAR — Ozark and Nixa combined for 10 State qualifiers and a trio of District champions during Class 4 District 3 action Saturday.
Ozark’s two District champs are Keaton Hurst and Johnny Williams, while Nixa’s District champ is Malachi Rider.
Runners-up for the Tigers include Caden Harrington and Ruben Arvizu, while Nixa’s second-place finisher is Aidan Ward.
Earning State berths for the first time for Ozark are Arvizu, Logan Luder and Dayton Moison and Nixa’s Reed Wilson and Jax Adams.
Hurst (31-9) won a pair of matches that went the distance en route to his 126-pound title. He downed Springfield Central’s Rylan Lashley 7-5 in the semifinal round and edged Neosho’s Kelton Shaffer 5-4 in their title tilt.
Williams (40-9) avenged a regular-season loss to Republic’s Maddox Wilkins by pinning Wilkins in 4:32 for the 190 championship.
Rider (29-2) had no trouble breezing to the 157 championship. He pinned Michael Foley, of Lee’s Summit in :59. Rider has won 27 matches in a row.
Arvizu (29-11) made his way to the 215 final, where he was pinned in 2:30 by Willard’s Porter Talbot.
Harrington (32-12) earned a spot in the 132 final, where he lost 3-2 to Cooper Nalley, of Lee’s Summit.
Ward (30-13) dropped a 2-1 decision to Carthage’s Bradyn Tate in 138 title tilt.
Luder (35-13) took third at 120 by pinning Waynesville’s Lincoln Stearns in 1:54.
Adams (31-16) recorded an 11-3 win by decision against Lashley in the 126 third-place match. In the Quarterfinal round, Adams upset Willard’s Ethan Craft. In their previous meeting, Craft pinned Adams in 3:18.
Wilson (32-12) finished third at 144 by pinning Ray-Pec’s Connor Gatlin.
Moison (35-12) took third at 157 by pinning Ray-Pec’s Bryce Gatlin.
