WeybrewsettlesforsilveratMSHSAAWrestlingChampionsips

At9:46p.m.,MizzouArenawasnearlyemptyasMaryvilleseniorBrendanWeybrewand
therestofthe285poundfinalistsmadetheirwaytotheirrespectivemats.WeybrewandTrevor
WhiteofBrookfieldmadetheirwaytoMat1fortheClass1championshipbout,arematchfrom
theClass1District4finalthatendedina10decisioninfavorofWhite.
WiththelightstoMizzouArenaoff,spotlightonMaryvillestwotimestatemedalistand
EnterSandmanplayingthroughthespeakers,WeybrewwouldneedaMiranoRiveraesque
performancetowinthefirststatechampionshipforMaryvillesince2010,includingthefirstinthe
heavyweightdivision.
Afterascorelessopeningperiod,Whitescoredtwopointsinthesecondroundforriding,
leavingWeybrewthechancetoscorefromanoffensiveposition.With10secondsremainingin
thethirdperiod,WeybrewtippedWhiteontohisshouldersreceivedtwopointstosendthematch
toovertime,scored22.
Afteronescorelessovertimeperiod,theClass1championshipwastheloneremaining
bout.WithalleyesonMat1,Whitechosetogointheoffensivepositioninthefirstsuddendeath
period.
WithWeybrewunabletoescapeinthe30secondperiod,hewenttoanoffensiveposition
forthesecondsuddendeathperiod,andwasunabletoscoreapoint.Intheultimatetiebreaker,
WeybrewgotwithininchesofbreakingthegripofWhite,butwasunabletoescapeintheend,
givingWhitethe32victoryintheClass1championship.
Youcanalwaysdobetter,Weybrewsaid,withtheemotionofasecondconsecutive
statefinalslosssettingin.Youhavetogetbetterandlearnfromyourmistakes.Justgottawork
atit.
Intheovertimeperiods,headcoachConnerKellerstrassandformerheadcoachJoe
DrakewereadvisingWeybrewtostandupquicklytoescapeWhitesgripandscorecrucial
points,asWhitewasabletostallformuchofthematch.
(Whites)toughontopandhehasbeenallyear,Kellerstrasssaid.Weknewwewould
havetogetouttowinandunfortunatelywejustwerentabletointhelast30seconds.
Unabletodoso,Weybrewsaidwhathewouldhavechangedsimply.
Ishouldhavestoodupfaster,hesaid.IcouldntreallyhearConneruntilthebreak
happened.Rightwhenthebreakhappened,he(thereferee)calledstalemateonus.
IncomparisontohisdistrictfinalsboutwithWhite,Weybrewwasabletoscoretwopoints
andfeltheimprovedfromthedefeat,despitewalkingawaywithasilvermedal.
IthinkIdidbetter,Weybrewsaid.IthinkIworkedprettywellontop,especiallyscoring
thoselasttwopoints.Insteadofsittingthere,doingnothingandcryingaboutit,Ididmybestto
keepitgoing.
Beinghisheadcoachforthreeyears,Drakemadethetripthroughoutthepostseasonto
watchtheSpoofhounds.AfterWeybrewsloss,thetwofriendssharedamomentthatsummedup
thebondthetwomadeinhistimeatMaryville.
Itriedtogivehimalittleencouragement,Drakesaid.HesprettydisappointedandItold
himhesgotnothingtobeashamedof.Itwasatremendousmatch.IsaidYouneverquit.Youve
accomplishedalotinfouryearsandyouvegottobeproudofwhatyouvedone.

Ithoughthewrestledanexcellentmatch.Heneverquitouttherehekepttrying.Thats
allyoucanaskofanykidouttherethatscompeting.
Lookingbackonhiscareer,Weybrewemassedarecordof16214,madefourstate
appearancesandwonthreemedalsincludingtwosecondplacefinishes(2014,2015)andone
fourthplacefinishin2013.
Despitehiscareer,whichisamongthebestinprogramhistory,Weybrewsummeduphis
fouryearsbysayingTheresalwaysmoreyoucando.
Byhisseniorseason,Weybrewwasusedtothepressurethatcamewithfacingthestates
bestwrestlersatMizzouArena.Asafreshman,Weybrewmadeittothethirdroundof
wrestlebacksbeforebeingeliminated.Asajunior,WeybrewsnaggedMaryvillesfirst
heavyweightmedalwhenheplacedfourth.Hisjunioryear,hefoundhimselfinthestate
championshipbout,wherehefell,earningasecondplacemedalallexperiencesthathefeels
helpedhimtohisresultSaturday.
Beingheredefinitelyisaconfidencebooster,Weybrewsaidfollowinghissemifinals
victoryFeb.20.Freshmanyear,beingmyfirstmatch,IwasprettyscaredbecauseIhadakid
thatwasrankedaheadofmeandIhadnoideawhatwasgonnahappen.Itwasmyfirsttime
here,Ijuststarted,Ihadadecentseason.
Justgettingthecouragetocomeouthereanddoitisamazing,Weybrewcontinued.
Onceyoucomehereonce,youwontbenervoustoomuchanymore.
Followingthestatefinalloss,manyoftheMaryvillecommunitytooktosocialmediato
encouragethewrestlerwhofinishedhisseniorseason397.
PriortotheClass1champiobship,WeybrewbegantheMSHSAAWrestling
ChampionshipsThursdaywithafirstroundvictorybyfall1:16intohisfirstmatchagainstDrake
Higgins(3516)ofLathropinthe285pounddivision.InFridaysquarterfinals,Weybrewpinned
KennanCarnes(261)ofClevelandNJROTC3:49intothematch,securingaspotinthe
semifinals.FacingChanceCumpton(217)ofBlairOaks,Weybrewwasabletodominatethe
matchinthefirsttwoperiodsandpinnedCumptonat5:13marktosecureaplaceinhissecond
consecutivestatefinal.
AfterhisClass1finalloss,Weybrewsaidheisstillundecidedonwhathisplanisfor
collegehehastheopportunitytoplayfootballandwrestleandhasnotsetatimetableforwhen
hewilldecide.
Atthe113pounddivision,juniorJacobPartridgewaspinned3:12intohisfirstcareer
matchattheMSHSAAWrestlingChampionships.Partridgesseasonwouldendinthefirstround
wrestlebacksona71decision,endinghisseasonwitharecordof1533.
JuniorTrevorZimmermanlosehisopeningmatchinthe160poundweightclassafter
placingthirdatdistrictstoearnastatebid.Zimmermanearnedapininjust59secondsinhis
firstroundwrestleback,onlytobepinnedinthesecondperiodthefollowinground.Zimmerman
endedhisjuniorseasonwitharecordof3021.
Kellerstrasssaidtheexperienceofthefirsttimeatstateforhisjuniorswillhopefullypropel
Maryvillebacktostrongershowingatthe2016MSHSAAWrestlingChampionships.
Hopefullythoseguyswillstepupandbeourteamleadersnextyearandhopefullypick
upsomeoftheweightthatNathanielandBrendancarriedallyear,Kellerstrasssaid.Hopefully
thatcanbringbacksomeoftheotheryoungerguyswiththem.Wecouldbringsixmoreagain

nextyear,hopefullyabitmorethanthat,too.Wecouldcomedownhereandhaveafewmore
guysonthepodium.
Atthe126poundclass,seniorNathanielAlexander,atwotimemedalist,wonhisopening
matchbyfallinthefirstperiod.Inthequarterfinals,Alexanderbattledhiswaytoan82defeat,
whichwouldbehislastboutofthetournamentafterbeingforcedtoforfeithissecondround
wrestlebackduetoashoulderinjury.
Itsarealunfortunatethingtohappen,Kellerstrasssaid.Itsaterriblewaytoendyour
career.Hehadseveralotheraccomplishmentsandstillhadagreatseason.Unfortunately,hejust
couldntgetitdonedownhere.
Alexanderfinishedhisseniorseason398andwasastatemedalisthissophomoreand
junioryears.
At132pounds,sophomoreCaydenDunbarreturnedtoMizzouArenaforhissecondstate
appearance.Dunbarlosthisfirstroundmatch,gettingpinnedintheopeningperiod.Dunbarwas
eliminatedfromthetournamentaftergettingpinned54secondsintohissecondmatch.Dunbar
finished3517ontheseason.
SophomoreMatthewTwaddlesnaggedhissecondappearanceattheMSHSAAWrestling
ChampionshipsafterplacingfourthinClass1District4at152pounds.Twaddlelosthisopening
matchbymajordecision,100,onlytocomebackwitha117victoryinhisfirstround
wrestleback.Twaddlesseasonwouldendwitharecordof2313aftera63lossinhis
secondroundwrestlrback.
Lookingbackathisfirstseasonasheadcoach,Kellerstrasswaspleasedwithhisteam
andhopeshisreturnersstepupinplaceofAlexanderandWeybrew.
Wedefinitelywouldvelikedtogetafewmoreguysonthepodium,getafewmorewins
butfortwoofourguysitwastheirfirsttournament,theirfirsttimebeingdownhere,Kellerstrass
said.Itwasjustalearningexperienceandtheyllbebacknextyear.
WehadareallyyoungteamandwecompetedprettywellQualifyingsixtostatewasa
goodaccomplishment.Hopefullywecanbuildonthatnextyear.