Stiles still alive in Class 2 tourney

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Three of Nevada's wrestlers went into the second day of the three-day Missouri State High School Activities Association Class 2 Wrestling Championship tournament at Mizzou Arena still contending.

Friday's contests had mixed results, with just one wrestler, Slade Stiles, still in the competition.

Nevada High School Wrestling Head Coach Devin White said all three wrestled well, but they caught some bad draws.

"That's how it goes," White said. All three lost very close matches"

In Thursday's events, Sophomore Slade Stiles, wrestling at 112 pounds, defeated A.J. Peterson of Excelsior Springs by technical fall, 16-0 in the first round.

Junior Tanner Charles, 119, won by pin with 30 seconds left in the first period over Trenton Gross, of Cape Girardeau Notre Dame. Sophomore Heavyweight Sam Ellifrits was defeated in his first contest by senior Jacob Brawner of Kirksville in an 8-4 decision, but came back to win in his first wrestleback againsd Jordan Baynes of Hancock, in a 4-3 decision.

In Friday's action, Charles lost in the quarterfinals by decision, 7-0, to Savannah junior Cody Hummer , but came back to win a 9-4 decision over Clinton senior Taylor Spackler in wrestlebacks. Charles then faced Windsor's Cody Boehm, who prevailed over Charles to hand him his second loss.

Stiles won his quarterfinal matchup with Lucus Hinton of St. Clair in an 8-3 decision. He went on to face Mitchell Bradley of Oak Grove, who had bested his first-round opponent by technical fall, 16-1, and his quarterfinal by pin in 5:24. Bradley won the semifinal bout, 12-10, but Stiles will wrestle again today If he manages a win in his first match, he will wrestle for third place. If he loses, he will wrestle for fifth.

Ellifrits continued to fight his way through wrestlebacks, winning by pin in 3:33 over Chris Parker of Grain Valley and going on to face Harrisonville's Travis Britz, who lost his first round match by decision but defeated his next two opponents by fall in 7 seconds and in 8 seconds.

Ellifrits was also pinned by Britz, but he managed to stay alive for four minutes and eight seconds before he was defeated. The loss eliminated Ellifrits from the tournament.