WARDSVILLE - The retirement party is about to begin for Blair Oaks coach Tim Karsten, but he has one more task still at hand.
Karsten, who is stepping down after 16 seasons of leading the Falcons since they started their wrestling program, will lead Blair Oaks and its five wrestlers in the Class 1 state wrestling championships, which begin at 10 a.m. today at Mizzou Arena.
And he plans to treat this year like it's just another year.
"I want to try to do this the same as with the boys before," Karsten said. "It's been a good time, but it is time for me to move on. It's a younger man's job."
With just five state qualifiers this year, which includes three qualifiers from last year's state championships, Karsten isn't as concerned about Blair Oaks' team score as he has been in the past. At this point, it's all about surviving and advancing for another day of competition.
"Our goal always is to have everybody wrestling at the end of the day on Thursday," Karsten said. "Everybody is going up there looking to win a match. If we don't get it in the first round, we're going to get it in the second round."
Blair Oaks will take four seniors and one sophomore today to Columbia. Dalton Bridges is the lone underclassman on the list of state qualifiers.
Bridges will face Lawson senior Tyler Hachman in the first round at 126 pounds. Hachman (26-7) is ranked No. 6 by MissouriWrestling.com and finished third at 120 at state last season. Bridges (26-7) is an honorable mention in the state rankings.
"The pressure is off, he's made it," Karsten said. "His main pressure was trying to be a state qualifier. Now it's going up there, enjoying wrestling and doing your best. He's facing a kid who is extremely strong and quick. That's what Dalton is good at too. He's quick and strong, so it could be a close match."
Bo Thomas is one of Blair Oaks' returning state qualifiers at 132, but he lost both matches at state last season. Karsten prides the Falcons' record of having 82 state qualifiers, with just one wrestler unable to redeem himself the following season by getting a win at state.
"You're goal isn't just to make it to state," Karsten said. "It's to make some noise up there."
He doesn't see Thomas adding his name to that short list, but he'll face Lexington senior Alex Hollingsworth (41-0), the top-ranked wrestler in the state and a three-time state medalist, including a runner-up finish last year at 132. Thomas (40-10) is ranked No. 6.
"It's a tough draw there, but he placed fourth at districts and that put himself in that situation," Karsten said. "Sometimes that elimination round at districts is great because if you win, you're a state qualifier. Then the next round can be a little anti-climactic, but it's very important to set you up for the state tournament."
Paul Karsten (29-10) will face Trenton sophomore Jadan Whitney (39-13), an honorable mention in the state rankings, in the first round at 195. Karsten wrestled at 182 during the regular season, but he made the bump up to 195 at districts. He recorded his 100th career win in the semifinals last Saturday, finishing second at districts.
"It made him a state qualifier and it put him into the finals," Tim Karsten said. "He wrestled his best match of the year. It was a good 100th win for him."
Scott Farley is the Falcons' only state qualifier to have won a match at last year's state tournament, finishing 1-2 at 195. Farley (23-6) will wrestle New Madrid County Central senior Brian Mickle (12-7) in the opening round at 220.
"His first round looks the best of anybody," Karsten said. "You just never know after that. If he keeps on a roll, he's going to be tough to beat."
Kaleb Bisges (17-15) will face Brookfield sophomore Brooks Baker (40-1) in the first round at 285 today. Baker is the defending state champion at 285 and is ranked No. 2 entering the state tournament.
"He sticks around until the end, and he's pesky," Karsten said of Bisges. "He isn't overly powerful and he isn't overly big, but he stays in good position and sometimes he finds a way to win. That's what he needs to do."
Karsten said he has high hopes his wrestlers will all extend their seasons past the first day of the state tournament.
"We don't have some great draws because we're a little low on the seed spots," Karsten said. "Some of our higher seeds got some tough draws. The first round might be a little rough on us, but we got to keep on coming through the back side."
The state tournament will continue through Saturday.