Dragons Claim Another Tourney

BY MICHAEL BOYD JR.

HERALD SPORTS EDITOR

ST. CHARLES, Mo.  —  Eight Dragons reach the finals, and for the second straight weekend (Jan. 13-14) Ste. Genevieve claimed a wrestling tournament, this time in bracket formation.

The Dragons rolled through the boys’ field at the St. Charles Invitational with three who claimed first place, thus finishing with 275.5 total points during the two-day event that saw 27 teams. The next closest team was over 100 points behind.

Flyweight Drake Meyer (the No. 1-ranked at 113-pound division), middleweight Owen Drury (132) and heavyweight Jacob Schweigert (285) each won their respective brackets.

Meyer, a freshman, scored three pins in a row between 56 to 66 seconds. He improved to 29-1 so far on the season and is up to 24 pin this season.

Schweigert pinned four straight opponents to claim his gold medal. Drury also pinned four foes.

Gage Gross (138), Evan Winters (144), Mason Langeneckert (157), Gabe Willett (175) and Dalton McBride (190) each took second place.

Gross was back in action after a lengthy delay that saw him miss the entire first half of the season.

Winters improved to 26-3 on the season. He had two pinfall wins.

Langeneckert just lost his finals by a score of 3-2. He had pinned three foes on his way to the finals.

Willett pinned two early on and won his semifinal easily, 7-0.

McBride also pinned his first three rivals.

Isaiah Basler (126), took fourth, while Bryant Schwent (120) took fifth and Madden Wolk (165) took sixth.

Poplar Bluff scored 172.5 points to take second overall and Fulton had 161 for third. The weekend before, the Dragons rolled unbeaten through their own duals tournament.

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Dragons 44, Jackson 33

JACKSON, Mo.  —  Two programs that just love wrestling, Ste. Genevieve jumped out to an 18-4 lead and held on from there in a rare victory over the host, which happens to be their main conference rival last Wednesday (Jan. 11). It was a part of a tri-match with Sikeston.

The Indians did not make it easy, quickly cutting the Dragons’ advantage to 18-16.

Ste. Genevieve then found its stride. They won seven matches by pinfall and another via decision. The Dragons got up 36-16, but Jackson cut it to 36-28.

Every match but one was contested as SGHS was open at 144. The dual started at the 120-pound match.

Bryant Schwent (120), Owen Drury (132), Gage Gross (138), Mason Langeneckert (157), Madden Wolk (165), Gabe Willett (175) and Drake Meyer (113) each won by pins.

Jacob Schweigert (285) won by decision.

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Dragons 52, Sikeston 23

JACKSON, Mo.  —  Ste. Genevieve won the first four matches to take a 21-0 lead and held on from there. The dual was part of a tri-match that included the host at Jackson High last Wednesday (Jan.11).

The Dragons got quite a fight down the stretch as the Bulldogs cut it to 34-23, but it was not enough.

Every weight division was contested. Ste. Genevieve won three matches by pins, three by decisions and four by forfeits. The match started at the 106 division.

Jace Amschler (106), Madden Wolk (165) and Jacob Schweigert (285) each won by pins.

Gage Gross (138) won by major decision and Cameron Vogt (126) won in overtime.

Mason Langeneckert (157) won by decision.

Drake Meyer (113), Bryant Schwent (120), Dalton McBride (190) and Jacob Warren (215) each won by forfeits.

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NEXT

The Dragons host Cape Girardeau Central at 6 p.m. Tuesday, but the dual will be at the middle school’s newer gymnasium due to high school boys’ basketball scheduled in the high school gym this night as well.

They then host the Southeast Missouri Conference boys’ tournament on Friday and Saturday with a time to be determined at the high school gym.