JEFFERSON CITY — Two wrestlers from Hickman and three from Rock Bridge are undefeated after the first day of action at the District 3 tournament in Jefferson City.
Rock Bridge wrestlers Will Evans, in the 103-pound weight class, Taylor Crane, 140-pound weight class, and Kyle Lewis, who wrestles at 145 pounds, will enter tomorrow without a loss in the double-elimination tourney. Hickman’s Drae Cox, 152 pounds, and Vince Pescaglia, 112 pounds, join them among the undefeated ranks. All five wrestlers made it to the state finals last year.
Because it takes two losses to be eliminated, every wrestler still has a shot to qualify for the state tournament. Six other Rock Bridge wrestlers and ten other Kewpies will try to stave off elimination early tomorrow when the wrestling continues.
The only Bruin that will not have an opportunity to qualify for the state finals is senior Charlie Lay. Lay was knocked out in his last match and doctors did not clear him to participate this weekend. He was one of the four Bruins that made it to the state finals last year.
Saturday, Hickman senior Cox will face Fort Zumwalt West senior R.J. McCravy, who finished fourth at 140 pounds last year at state, in his semifinal match at 152 pounds. Cox finished fourth at 152 pounds last year.
“That should be an awesome match,” said Hickman coach J.D. Coffman.
Rock Bridge coach Brook Harlan also mentioned looking forward to seeing the 152-pound bracket the features an undefeated Cox, McCravy and Troy senior Brian Oechsner. Oechsner also entered the tournament undefeated.