There hasn’t much action on the mats locally thus far this winter, with Ozark yet to wrestle at home and Nixa being at home only for a season-opening double-dual.
The Tigers and Eagles were due to both compete in front of their home crowds this week, weather permitting. Ozark was at home Tuesday versus Branson and Kickapoo and Nixa will entertain the Tigers on Thursday.
In last year's Ozark-Nixa dual, the Tigers prevailed 51-24. Ozark has beaten Nixa each of the past four years.
Ozark will complete this week by trying to repeat as team champion at the Branson Tournament on Saturday.
The Tigers closed the 2023 portion of their schedule by welcoming two new members to the program’s 100-win club. Both 120-pound junior Damien Moseley and 190 senior Johnny Williams reached that milestone at the Diamond State Duals in Springdale, Arkansas.
Moseley had six pins while going 9-0 at the Diamond State Duals to up his season record to 17-3.
Williams was 8-1 at Diamond State Duals to improve to 18-6.
Both Keaton Hurst and Caden Harrigton were also 9-0 in Springdale, with Hurst picking up six pins. Hurst (138) is 17-6 and Harrington (144) 16-6.
Dayton Moison (157), in his first season as a varsity starter, is off to a 20-7 start. With an eight-place finish at the KC Stampede, he earned a medal.
Nixa senior Malachi Rider saw his most significant action of the season while winning a championship at 157 at the Lafayette Invitational this past weekend.
Rider, a two-time state champion in Kentucky prior to transferring to Nixa, is 6-2. He handed Centralia’s Rex Bryson (20-1) his first loss on the season by winning 5-1 in their title tilt.
The Eagles’ leader in wins is Aidan Ward (138), who is 13-5. Curtis Glossip (165) is 12-5.
Nixa has a freshman trio all with winning records. Kaden Young (150) is 12-7, Jax Adams (126) 10-9 and Ezra Rutherford (132) 7-6.
On the girls side, Nixa is No. 1 in the most recent MissouriWrestling.com Class 2 rankings.
The Lady Eagles’ Kelsey Watts (105), Brenya Crahan (145) and Cali Dupree (155) are each ranked No. 1 at their weight classes.
Crahan won all seven of her matches to win a championship at the Super 64 last weekend. She is 31-0.
Dupree was 6-1 at the Super 64 while also winning a championship. She is2 24-2.
Watts was a semifinalist while improving to 29-2.
Ozark received championships form Anjelika Tsaruk, Maelynn Sundlie and Faith Shepard while claiming the team title at the Parkview Lady Viking Invitational the last week of December.
Tsaruk (125) is 19-5, Sundlie (135) 20-6 and Shepard (140) 17-8.
The Lady Tigers and Lady Eagles will also face off Thursday. Last year, Ozark beat Nixa 42-39.
