WARDSVILLE, Mo. - The drive to the Class 1 state wrestling championships is going to be a bit more crowded this season for the Blair Oaks Falcons.
After qualifying three wrestlers last season, the Falcons are bringing double that number to this year's event, which begins at 9 a.m. today at Mizzou Arena.
"The district was pretty deep and there were a lot of traditional powers there," Blair Oaks coach Mike DeMilia said. "For us to get six through, that's really good. I was very happy to get six through."
The Falcons also showed significant improvement in dual competition this season. In 2017-18, Blair Oaks had a 10-10 record. This year, the Falcons were 14-5.
"When you get numbers, then you get more quality, and when you put that in a dual setting, if we had an injury, we could always plug in a JV guy that would give us a chance," DeMilia said. "We were a tough dual team."
Senior Ben Thomas is one of two returning state qualifiers for the Falcons, and he's looking for his first state medal after winning the district title at 160 pounds last weekend.
"Coming off football this year, he's just confident," DeMilia said. "It's not overconfidence either. He just believes he's good enough to beat anybody.
"He believes he belongs in the state tournament, he believes he belongs on the medal stand."
Thomas (40-3), who went 2-2 last year at state, opens against Bishop DuBourg's Luke Enright (21-9).
"He's beaten a lot of good guys," DeMilia said of Thomas, who is ranked No. 2 in the state by MissouriWrestling.com. "He's won a lot of close matches that he's pulled out in the third period."
Junior Kyler Griep is Blair Oaks' lone returning state medalist from last season, finishing third at 152.
"Last year when he went to state, he just got on a roll," DeMilia said. "This year, it's carried over."
Griep (30-2), a district runner-up and ranked No. 6 in the state, will face a familiar opponent in the first round in O'Fallon Christian's Blake Heuer. Earlier this season at the St. Clair Tournament, Griep won by fall in 2:38 against Heuer in the semifinals.
"He's got a tough draw, but I think mentally after last year, he's not afraid to face anybody," DeMilia said of Griep, who will likely face Lathrop's Dorian Walters (45-1) in the quarterfinals if he wins. "He's in a good place."
Blair Oaks' remaining four wrestlers will be making their state debuts.
Jayce Griggs (28-24), a senior who had to work his way through wrestlebacks at districts to qualify for state, will face Lathrop's Drystan Dotson (38-7), who is ranked sixth in the state, in the first round at 120.
"He's had a good year, he's wrestled a lot of tough guys," DeMilia said. "His record is not indicative of the way he has wrestled.
"He wants to win, but I think this season is already considered a success for him, in my opinion."
Junior Caleb Meeks (45-8) opens against Marceline's Colton Nelson (27-7), ranked sixth at 132. DeMilia was pleased to see Meeks advance this far after missing all of last season with a shoulder injury and then ankle surgery, which temporarily left him in a wheelchair.
"I think people underestimate him," DeMilia said. "He's had a tough go of it, but he's beaten a heck of a lot of good guys too. I think it's going to be a toss-up there. If he can get past him, it's going to be another tough one (in the quarterfinals)."
Junior Eli Batiste (36-20) also wrestles a state-ranked opponent in his first-round match against Lawson's Braden Carpenter (35-4), who is No. 4 in Class 1 at 145.
Batiste wrestled most of the season with a protective mask after suffering a broken nose, but DeMilia said he's been mask-free the past few weeks.
"With Eli's style, he doesn't pin many guys," DeMilia said. "He goes six minutes almost every match. He's wrestled a whole lot. He's just a grinder, he doesn't do anything flashy or special. He just finds ways to hang in there with the good guys."
Sophomore Levi Haney (30-10) will face fourth-ranked Creed Webster (38-4) of Mid-Buchanan in the 152 bracket.
"He actually knows the kid from Mid-Buchanan, he had wrestled him in youth club," DeMilia said. "I think he believes he can win. He at least thinks he belongs there."
Missing from the state lineup this year is senior Dalton Bridges, who was a medalist in each of the past two seasons for Blair Oaks. Bridges ended the regular season ranked No. 2 at 126, but he suffered a season-ending elbow injury last month in the Falcons' home dual against Owensville.
"He was just in too much pain," DeMilia said. "It was going to be a tough go for him, but it would've been nice to see him get in there if he could've."
Blair Oaks' annual goal has been to get each wrestler to advance to Friday's competition, requiring either a win in the first round or in the first-round wrestlebacks. The Falcons were able to accomplish that feat last season.
DeMilia said each wrestler has his own goals, but the Blair Oaks coach also has his own goal in mind.
"The ultimate goal to me is getting to Friday night, which in my opinion is the most fun night," he said.