Brock Sundlie reaped the benefits of listening to his father.
With Sundlie’s hopes of capturing the Class 4 District 3 157-pound championship ticking away Saturday, he recalled words of his wisdom provided by his father, Ozark coach Tod Sundlie.
Desperately seeking an escape, the younger Sundlie instead recorded a takedown with :20 remaining to pull out a 2-1 victory versus Ray-Pec’s Gavin Burkett in their title tilt.
“I was waiting for an opening throughout the match. But he was a really strong kid and smart the way he defended my stand-ups,” Sundlie said. “We always practice transitioning into more moves, hitting two moves instead of just one. We say, 'Don't be one and done.' You hit more than one move and it creates opportunities. All of my movement created an opening and I went for (the takedown).”
Sundlie (35-10) was one of three Ozark champions. Damien Moseley won at 113 and Braxton Strick at 150.
Moseley (39-8) pinned Lee’’s Summit’s Gabe Hawkins in 1:43 in the final round. It was Moseley’s fourth pin in four matches over the two days of Districts. Three of the falls were set up when he unleashed a cement mixer.
“It was my main move last year and I've tried to ease away from it this year,” Moseley said. “I wanted to get more variety. I knew once I got that (established), everyone in the state would know it's coming. So, I've tried to develop other (moves). But it's always there.”
Strick (47-2) was on another level while four-peating as a District champ. He needed a mere :19 to put Carthage’s Grey Petticrew on his back in their final.
Strick needed only 4:42 of total mat time to post pins in four matches.
Ozark three-peated as District team champion, winning by a 42-point margin.
