Follow the action from the Missouri state championships in this blog which will be updated throughout the day. We're also updating the results, individual and team, here.
BOWMAN BEATS 2011 RUNNER-UP
"A lot of people will think it was an upset. But not me,'' Ritenour's Eric Bowman said after knocking off Blue Springs South's Austin Eads 7-3 at in a first-round match at 152 pounds on Thursday. "The guy's been ranked No. 1 all year, but I knew I could beat him. And I did.''
Eads, now 50-2, was the state runner-up at 135 a year ago. Bowman, who improved to 33-4, was fourth at 140 in 2011.
"Everybody's looking past the kid from Ritenour, but I know I can win this,'' Bowman said. "Now, I just have to go out and prove it to everybody else.''
EVENING SESSION HAS STARTED
Session 2, which includes Class 3 and Class 4 first-round and first-round wrestleback matches, started at 5:12 p.m.
WHITFIELD OFF TO STRONG START
Advancing nine wrestlers to the quarterfinals, Whitfield finished Thursday's action with 36 points and enjoys a sizable lead over defending champion Brookfield and St. James, who are tied for second with 24 points in the Class 1 team race.
In the opening round, Whitfield won seven matches by fall and two others by forfeit.
Kirksville (32.5 points) leads defending champion Oak Grove (28) in Class 2. Westminster (14 points, 16th place) leads the area squads in Class 2.
LESTER BEGINS QUEST FOR MEDAL NO. 4
John Burroughs' Cory Lester, a three-time medalist, began his quest for No. 4, winning by fall in 1 minute 29 seconds over Oak Grove's Tyler Brown in their Class 2 match at 126 pounds.
Lester, who won a state title as a sophomore, placed third as a freshman and was a runner-up last year. The University of Michigan recruit improved to 52-2 Thursday and will take on De Soto sophomore Aaron Minx (46-9) in the quarterfinals Thursday morning.
Minx also won by pin Thursday, beating Marshall's Brandon Standley in 5:57.
In a Class 2 match at 220, Westminster's Bennett Lewis pinned Sumner's Caravaughn Boyd.
WHITFIELD SETS EARLY PACE
Whitfield, a title contender in Class 1, is off to a strong start, going 9-3 with seven pins and a pair of forfeit victories in the opening round of the 82nd Missouri wrestling championships at Mizzou Arena.
The Warriors, who finished second to Brookfield a year ago, finished the first round with a 15-point lead over second-place Blair Oaks.
Whitfield received opening-round pins from two-time medalist Chris Wilkes (0:32 seconds) at 126, two-time medalist Austin Smith (1:42) at 132, Lawrence Becker (1:31) at 138, defending state champ Rodney Hahn (0:56) at 145, Will Hahn (0:31) at 152, Andrew McLaughlin (4:57) at 170 and Stephen Scobee (1:12) at 220.
Ben Asyre (113) and returning medalist Ethan Sherertz (182) won by forfeit.
FIRST ROUND STARTS
The 82nd Missouri wrestling championships are underway at Mizzou Arena. Over the next three days, 1,624 matches are scheduled. The championships in all four classes are scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Check back here for the latest information throughout the tournament.
