Another
state title pinned by Pirate wrestlers
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by Kim
Fickett
Landmark reporter
This year’s state wrestling tournament may not have
been scripted out to perfection like the Platte County
Pirates had hoped, but the team still walked away with
the title of champion.
On Saturday, one Pirate streak was cut short. After nine
years of walking away from the state wrestling meet with
at least one individual state champion, Platte County
did not have one wrestler achieve that status.
Despite all that, the Platte County Pirates came home
with the Class 2 state championship trophy, receiving
147.5 points. The Pirates were followed by second place
finisher, Monett with 123.5 points and third place finisher,
Odessa with 122.5 points.
“It’s a little bittersweet,” wrestling
head coach Phil Dorman told The Landmark on Tuesday morning.
“We went nine straight years with an individual champion
so there is a little disappointment.”
The Pirates sent 11 wrestlers to this year’s state
tournament in Columbia. Nine of those individuals medaled
and every one captured at least a single match.
“Everybody contributed to this (championship), so
it is a true team effort and there is not one individual
that stands out,” Dorman stated.
The Pirates who received medals in the following weight
classes were:
130 pounds-Tyler St. Louis finished second; 135- Doug
McLain, fourth; 140-Collin Wittmeyer, fourth; 145-Dakota
Fowler, fifth; 160-Joe Pace, fourth; 171-Joe Henson, third;
189-Jake Guthier, fifth; 215-David Scheetz, fourth; and
275- Jake Mallonee, second.
Pirates Kendall Burns at 112 and Eli Plowman at 152 did
not place in the tournament.
“Just the fact that we had nine kids place was a
huge accomplishment,” said Dorman.
“Some kids maybe overachieved a little bit, and
some of the kids didn’t get the outcome we wanted.
But the kids were glad to win the state title even though
individually we fell short of some goals.”
Bringing home the state title to Platte County was the
perfect way to cap off this year’s season.
The Pirates won the 2006 MEC Conference, as well as the
district title. The team went 9-0 in duals and placed
in the top five at the larger tournaments throughout the
season including the Park Hill, Branson, Blue Springs
South, Lee’s Summit, North Kansas City and Platte
County tournaments.
“When you look at everything that has occurred,
this was a very successful season. You don’t win
a state title and not have a successful season,”
said Dorman.
“I’m very proud of how hard the kids worked
this season and their hard work paid off.”
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