Year one was a lot of fun.

The Wildcats started their inaugural season with a group of wrestling neophytes. Hardly anyone had stepped foot on a mat. But Coach Billy Garrett was eager to help with a transformation and in a mere few months, many became accustomed to having their hand raised in victory before leaving it.

Heck, four grapplers even got to experience the finals with Bobby Ulloa, Derrick Taylor and Evan Bartlett punching tickets to the state tournament in Columbia and Donavan Holmes becoming the program’s first medalist, reaching the championship match of the girls 187-pound weight bracket.

So it’s going to be tough to top last year’s success, but Coach Billy Garrett is once again up for another challenge.

“In our second year we have a larger team and are more experienced,” Garrett said. “And with that experience, we’re able to work on more things in the practice room as well.”

Holmes and Bartlett have graduated, but state qualifiers Ulloa (145) and Taylor (195) are back to anchor the Wildcats.

“Freshmen newcomers David Riggs (106), and Joe Rice (120) should make an immediate impact on the varsity roster as well,” Garett said. “Deshon Johnson (285) was injured last year and should be strong in stepping up to replace Evan who qualified at the weight last year. Curtis Hunter (152), Damian Barfield (126), and Phoenix Andrews (170) should all make contributions in the lineup throughout the year.”

However, the road to the state tournament will be more difficult this year as the MHSAA has bumped the Wildcats up from Class 1 to Class 2.

“It places us in a tougher district,” Garrett said. “Last year Whitfield was far and away the strongest team in the same district and then it was everyone else. We could be looking at a top four finish if we were in that district again, but instead we’re in one that is much deeper with the likes of Fulton, Moberly, Mexico, St. Charles West. So it’ll be much tougher for someone to sneak into state this year.”

So far, so good though as the Wright City varsity team won its first dual match of the year last Thursday.

“We’ll face some good competition at Liberty this week, where we will see several of the top schools in our district and larger schools from the area, so that will be a good test for us,” Garrett said.

WRIGHT CITY 42, MMA 36

106

David Riggs (Wright City) over Kellan Mugisha (Missouri Military Academy) (Fall 1:20)

113

Lance Glascock (Wright City) over Unknown (For.)

120

David Rice (Wright City) over Macro Vega (Missouri Military Academy) (Fall 0:20)

126

Double Forfeit

132

Darion Heavens (Missouri Military Academy) over Unknown (For.)

138

Holden Smart (Missouri Military Academy) over Brandon Dake (Wright City) (Fall 0:54)

145

Bobby Ulloa (Wright City) over Francisco Jacquez (Missouri Military Academy) (Fall 0:34)

152

Curtis Hunter (Wright City) over Daniel Chapa (Missouri Military Academy) (Fall 1:09)

160

WrayVauze Givens (Missouri Military Academy) over Corbin Schone (Wright City) (Fall 0:22)

170

River Cliff (Missouri Military Academy) over Phoenix Andrew (Wright City) (Fall 1:58)

182

Layne Dothage (Wright City) over Tega Edeimu (Missouri Military Academy) (Fall 4:45)

195

Ayden Garcia (Missouri Military Academy) over Derrick Taylor (Wright City) (Fall 4:19)

220

Patricio Grunberger (Missouri Military Academy) over Kyle Horneker (Wright City) (Fall 1:25)

285

DeShon Johnson (Wright City) over Roberto Rodriguez (Missouri Military Academy) (Fall 2:35)