Eldon's Dillon wins state title to finish undefeated

Eldon's Trenton Dillon forces Bolivar's Hayden Burks to the mat during a state championship match at the Class 2 state championships at Mizzou Arena. Dillon became the school's first modern state wrestling champion with a 2-1 victory in the 160-pound title match.
Eldon's Trenton Dillon forces Bolivar's Hayden Burks to the mat during a state championship match at the Class 2 state championships at Mizzou Arena. Dillon became the school's first modern state wrestling champion with a 2-1 victory in the 160-pound title match.

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Trenton Dillon had to pause for a few seconds to think about the answer.

Which was more important to him: Finishing his senior season with an undefeated record, or becoming Eldon's first modern state wrestling champion?

"It feels good to be the first-ever state champion," Dillon said Saturday night at Mizzou Arena, after capturing the title at 160 pounds in the Class 2 state tournament with a 2-1 win against Bolivar's Hayden Burks.

"But when I was in seventh grade, I promised my grandpa, before he died, that I was going to be an undefeated state champion. It just feels really good to keep that promise."

After a scoreless first period, Dillon was able to get an escape at the 1:17 mark of the second to take a 1-0 lead. Burks was also called for a clasping penalty shortly thereafter, doubling Dillon's lead to 2-0.

Burks got an escape two seconds into the third period to make the score 2-1. The Bolivar sophomore kept trying for a takedown, but Dillon never gave in.

"The last 20 seconds felt like the longest of my life," Dillon said. "When he had my leg in the air, I kind of panicked, but I know I'm really good at defending my legs. Burks is a tough wrestler, so I know I had to keep my head straight."

Dillon is the school's first state champion in the modern era, with the Mustangs' other state champion winning a title in 1933, before schools were separated by classification.

After his final match, Dillon exited the mat to chants of "T-D!" from the Eldon cheering section. He ends the season with a 25-0 record and plans to wrestle next season at Westminster.

III

The Class 2 state title match at 152 pounds was going to the ultimate tiebreaker.

After three period and three overtimes Saturday night, School of the Osage senior Austin Magnuson and Savannah junior Kaden Ehrhardt were tied at 4. A final overtime of :30 would decide the state champion.

Magnuson started in the down position. An escape or reversal would mean Magnuson would win. If Ehrhardt could keep control, he would win.

"I was comfortable, but I was surprised at how strong he was," Maguson said after Ehrhardt held on for the :30 to win 5-4. "Credit goes to Ehrhardt for getting a gutsy victory."

Ehrhardt got a takedown to take a 2-0 lead after one period. Magnuson answered with a takedown to tie it before Ehrhardt got an escape to make it 3-2 after two periods.

In the third, Ehrhardt escaped again to lead 4-2. But he was called for stalling with :30 left to make it 4-3, then dinged again for the penalty point at the buzzer to send the match to extra time.

"I though I had lost the match all ready, so I was excited," Magnuson said.

In the third overtime period, Magnuson looked like he was about to get away from Ehrhardt's grasp for an escape before the Savannah wrestler regained control.

"So close, but so far away," Magnuson said. "I can't complain about it now, it is what it is."

Magnuson was a standout on the football field last fall, leading the area in tackles.

"Both sports help each other," he said. "Wresting helps you with leverage, football helps you with drive."

So is he a football player that wrestles? Or a wrestler that plays football?

"Some people call me a football player, some people call me a wrestler," Magnuson said. "I just go by Austin."

III

Fatima freshman Lucas Laux lost by fall in the Class 1 championship match at 113 pounds to Whitfield's Connor McAteer.

Laux was pinned in 2:16 after starting on bottom in the second period. McAteer scored a takedown 36 seconds into the match and added a 3-point nearfall with :10 left in the first period to lead 5-0 before the pin.

"It was really exciting," Laux said of his first state appearance. "You just go out here and try your best."

McAteer was ranked No. 2 in the state, but Laux - ranked third - upset top-ranked Ross Critten of Gallatin with a third-period pin in Friday's semifinals. Critten was undefeated entering that match.

"It was amazing, everyone was just so excited," Laux said. " I knew I had to get some back points to win it, and I gave it my all. He was tiring out, so I just kept pushing the pace."

Laux finished the season with a 37-6 record.

Fatima, which also had freshman Jason Strope in the 106 bracket, finished 23rd in the Class 1 team standings with 25 points.

III

Eldon's three remaining state qualifiers all medaled Saturday.

Junior Isaiah Simmons took fourth place at 120 pounds, finishing with a 40-13 record. Simmons won by fall in 2:23 in the fourth-round wrestlebacks, but he lost by fall in 4:30 against Oak Grove's Tucker Macwilliam in the third-place match.

Junior Dawson Brandt also placed fourth at 182, finishing with a 52-10 record. Brandt won 7-5 in his first match before dropping a 7-3 decision to Oak Grove's Joel Martin in the third-place bout.

Sophomore Kaden Dillon dropped both matches Saturday to take sixth place at 195, finishing with a 45-15 record. Dillon lost 12-5 in the fourth-round wrestlebacks, then lost a 15-6 major decision to St. Clair's Aaron Herman in the fifth-place match.

Despite having just four state qualifiers, Eldon finished ninth in the team standings with 66.5 points.

Mexico won the Class 2 title with 122 points, followed by Monett with 115.5 points, Logan-Rogersville with 100.5 and Ste. Genevieve with 99 to round out the top four.

Versailles had two medalists in the Class 1 state tournament, finishing 24th in the team standings with 24 points.

Junior Michael Trotter went 1-1 in Saturday's wrestlebacks, taking fifth place at 182 to finish with a 48-7 record. Trotter lost 8-7 in his first match before picking up a win by fall in 1:12 in the fifth-place bout against Lawson's Kameren Jenkins. That win marked Trotter's 100th career victory with the Tigers.

Senior Kooper Wilson went 0-2 to take sixth place at 138, finishing the season with a 44-12 record. Wilson was pinned in the fourth-round wrestlebacks and then lost a 10-7 decision to Lawson's Braden Carpenter in the fifth-place match.