Backed by the heroic return of junior Alexis Ruff, the Warrenton girls wrestling team made history Friday at the ‘War in Wentzville’ tournament, hosted by Liberty.

Ruff, wrestling in her first tournament this season after recuperating from a torn labrum suffered in August, was named the wrestler of the tournament, as voted on by the event’s respective coaches amongst each wrestler at the event.

She scored 29 points at the meet on her way to winning the title at 125 pounds. She won by tech fall over her four championship round opponents in a combined time of 9 minutes, 42 seconds. In her weight class final, she won by tech fall over Liberty’s Lesley Caamano-Briones by fall in 40 seconds.

For as nice as it was that she gutted out the victory, Ruff said the team's success also meant the world to her.

“I was a little nervous because this was my first one back,” Ruff said. “It was great to see the coaches think that much of me. I was sore, but I knew I had to push through. The really cool thing was to see each girl in this program get better and we did it as a team. As a team, we did it. We made history.”

As a team, Warrenton amassed 149 points to lead the 16-team event while Belleville West’s 141 put the Maroons second.

Warrenton coach Clayton Olsson said the numbers put forth by the Warriors were fantastic.

“We took a total of seven wrestlers to the meet,” Olsson said. “We put five in the finals and medaled six. It was a true team effort; they all wrestled hard and really earned it. Alexis really stepped up. For her, winning the award was more than just a one-tournament accomplishment. It was a culmination of all the hours of hard work that she put in during the offseason.”

The other top finisher for the Warriors was sophomore Melanie Gurrero, who took first at 120. She defeated each of her opponents by fall, including Ladue’s Madeline Summers in 5:28 in the championship round.

Seniors Dakota Lohrmann (135), Alli Vacek (170), and Kylie Vance (235), each placed second in their respective divisions. Senior Meredith Donovan (105) took fourth place.

“This is really great because we’ve got some new wrestlers stepping up (and learning how to) win,” Ruff said. “I think that it (their progression) can really give us a chance to do well as a team at state.”

On the boys' side of the event on Saturday, five Warriors medaled.

That group was led by junior Zayden Teson (132) who edged Hickman’s Hogan Benter by a 7-6 decision in the championship round after winning each prior round by fall or tech fall.

Teson, who earned the Warriors 31 points, was voted the wrestler of the tournament by the coaches.

“I believe that I wrestled (well),” Teson said. “Going up three weight classes from last year, it’s hard to get out from under a guy bigger and stronger than I’m used to, so I need to get over that. Other than that, I felt really solid with my wrestling this week. I am very honored and grateful for being the OW of this tournament. I feel that it shows that all my hard work and dedication from this off-season have been paying off. I am looking forward to this wrestling season and the state tournament.” 

Others with nice finishes for the boys included sophomore Colton Tinker (second at 120), senior Korben Johnson (fourth at 190), freshman Cam Alexander (fifth at 126), and sophomore Jude Lohrmann (sixth at 144).

As a team, the boys amassed 104.5 points.