By Kory Carpenter

Record Sports Editor

The Warrenton wrestling team finished 18th in a Harrisonville Christmas Tournament last weekend that featured teams from Missouri, Iowa and Oklahoma.

Dan Filipek led the Warriors with a championship in the 160-pound division, and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler for his performance.

James Biship (145) and Jerrett Villinger (152) also earned medals, finishing in fifth and sixth place, respectively.

The Warriors brought eight wrestlers to the event that included 24 schools and up to 24 wrestlers per weight class.

Each class was seeded automatically and divided into four pools of six wrestlers each.

The top two wrestlers from each pool advanced to the championship bracket Saturday morning.

“We knew it was going to be a tough tournament, and that’s what we were going for,” Warrenton Head Coach Kevin Fowler said. “We want to get tough matches in.”

Fowler called Filipek’s bracket the toughest group of the tournament.

In the semifinals, Filipek pinned Kirksville’s Ryan Merenda, who finished third in the state in Class 2 last season.

Filipek finished with six pins, and defeated Olen Brattin of Pleasant Hill in the final match, 8-5.

“He’s wrestling tough right now, so it was very good to see him pull through with that win,” Fowler said. “He wrestled outstanding all weekend.”

Fowler was impressed with Biship’s tournament, as well.

After losing in the first match of bracket play, Biship won a pair of matches by decision to finish fifth in the 145-pound class.

“He was in every match,” Fowler said. “It wasn’t like he got blown out. He had a really good tournament.”

After struggling to fill out the lower weight classes so far this season, the coaching staff decided to take eight wrestlers to Harrisonville.

And with points awarded to teams with byes in their pool, the Warriors were never going to pick up enough points to finish near the top of the standings.

Fowler was hoping for a 15th-place finish or better.

“We held our own with the guys we took,” he said. “We’re just light in numbers right now.”

This season, the Warriors have impressed in the middle weight classes and above, which are normally reserved for upperclassmen.

The lower classes, which are usually filled with freshmen and sophomores, have struggled.

Villinger, a freshman, impressed his coaches throughout the weekend.

“He got a good taste of action, so I’m very pleased with how he’s wrestling right now,” Fowler said. “It’s just about getting tough competition for him. It was a very good weekend for a freshman.”

Jacob Manion advanced to the championship bracket in the 195-pound class, but lost two of three matches Saturday to finish seventh.

“He had a decent first day, he just didn’t wrestle as well Saturday,” Fowler said. “You’re in the championship bracket, so you’re with the top eight guys. But I think we’re better than seventh in that bracket. He’s got to be more aggressive, and that goes for everybody.”

Drake Meine (170) and Brendon Cotner (285) finished 10th in their respective weight classes.

“Meine is wrestling well, but there is another level for him,” Fowler said. “He might be the most athletic kid we have, but he’s got to understand it takes more than being a great athlete.”

Brandt Palmer (138) finished 16th and Adrien Gillette (182) finished 18th.

Fowler said his team could have done better in a few matches, but liked what he saw overall.

“It was a good weekend of wrestling,” Fowler said. “And it gives us a good starting point going into the second half of the year.”

The Warriors return from break Jan. 5 for a quad at Liberty.

BREAKING FREE — Dan Filipek looks to break from an opponent earlier this season in the Fort Zumwalt North Tournament. Filipek is undefeated and won the 160-pound class Saturday in the Harrisonville Tournament.                                                                                                                      Bill Barrett photo.