Colton Tinker has a straightforward goal when it comes to the rest of his high school career in athletics.

The Warrenton sophomore, who currently wrestles at 120 pounds, said he wants to become more widely known for his work on the mat.

“The next few years of high school, I’m really going to put in the work and make a name for myself in this sport,” Tinker said.

If this year is any indication, he’s already off to a good start.

At the Harrisonville Tournament just before Christmas, Tinker entered the bracket portion of the event as the 12th seed. He went 6-1 and took third at the prestigious event. Bolstered by the result, Warrenton took 11th in the 34-team tournament, scoring 542 points.

Warrenton coach Clayton Olsson said that seeing the sophomore lose to just Helias’ Daemen Duemmel, who took second, was a source of pride.

“He wrestled extremely well at Harrisonville,” Olsson said. “He took third behind two state medalists, so we were really happy with how he performed. He has been wrestling great all season, even in the matches he has lost, he has been attacking and never gives up.”

Tinker wrapped the event by defeating Pacific’s Mason Link by fall in 1 minute, 22 seconds. He won each of his matches by either fall or technical fall.

He said that the finish will only make him hungry for more.

“I feel good about my last tournament because I did better than last year,” Tinker said. “The goal is to win next year. Wrestling means a lot to me because I can’t see myself without it.”

Olsson said he wasn’t surprised by Tinker’s success, even though Tinker wrestled as the 12th seed. The coach said that there isn’t much that's too big for the sophomore.

“As a person, Colton is a very down-to-earth kid,” Olsson said. “He doesn’t get caught up in a lot of drama or in the typical high school popularity stuff. He lets his actions speak for him and he typically goes about his business quietly. He’s a hard worker on and off the mat and you never hear him complain.”

Olsson added that Tinker’s approach should pay dividends throughout the rest of the season. With a 14-4 record, the coach said his sophomore should have lofty expectations.

“An attainable goal for Colton this year should be, at a minimum, qualifying for the state tournament and competing for a medal,” Olsson said. “With the way he is wrestling right now, I do not think that a state medal is outside his capabilities.”

While state is absolutely on his mind, Tinker said, he thinks he can perform at a higher level than the one he is currently.

“My season is going well overall, but I know I have more to give,” Tinker said. “I need to work on constant movement and being aggressive. My personal goal this season is to place at state and prove my potential.”