Both the boys and girls wrestling teams had a fantastic season. The boys team qualified 3, and
the girls team qualified 2 for the state championship in Columbia, Mo. In the first round of the
boys’ side, Theodis Collins faced off against Sampson Stillwell, from St. Michael the Archangel
Catholic. Despite putting up a good fight, TC fell to Stillwell. Meanwhile, Luke Hornburg
clashed with Jason Blue of Benton in a long match.. Although Hornburg fought hard, Blue came
out on top, sending Hornburg to the consolation bracket. Nehemiah Ogini had a match against
Jace Renfro of Seneca. However, Renfro came out on top and sent Nehemiah to the consolation
bracket as well. Despite the first round losses, the team refused to give up. In the consolation
rounds, Hornburg secured a hard-fought victory against Bo Leatherman of Odessa. TC faced
Spencer Michaud of Reeds Spring in the consolation round. TC had an awesome season with a
commendable record of 21-12. Meanwhile, Nehemiah found himself matched against Dayton
Skaggs. Despite his best efforts, Nehemiah fell short, but there was nothing to be discouraged
about. Nehemiah has a strong season of 32-15. In the next round of consolation, Hornburg faced
off against Sebastian Michaud of Reeds Springs. Despite a long battle, Hornburg ultimately fell
short, bringing an end to a season. Hornburg put on a great showing this year with an incredible
record of 49-9. Luke says “seeing this level of competition will motivate us to work even harder
throughout the offseason and next year”. Though the season may have ended in defeat, the boys
had a great season filled with many successes that do not occur often between the average
wrestler.

The girls had lots of success and made a statement this year. “At Districts, Kate and
Kyndal paid particular attention to their opponents and learned what they could to maximize
their strengths and avoid / defend threats to their areas of weakness. This approach helped secure
them a spot at State,” said Renee Dunn, Head coach of the girls wrestling team. Kyndal Brown
faced Louzella Graham of Seneca, but despite the loss, she swept through many opponents to
reach the semi-finals of the consolation bracket. Her determination and skill were evident as she
fought her way to the top, ultimately finishing 6th overall with an admirable season record of
17-8. Kyndal’s achievement was historic, as she became the first-ever female to receive a medal
in the wrestling state championships, leaving a lasting legacy for future generations of female
wrestlers. Meanwhile, Kate Van Zee also faced a tough match in the first round but bounced back
with a win in the consolation rounds against Kyana Huseynov of Lafayette country. Kate gave a
strong effort throughout the season and battled her way through competition, ultimately finishing
the season with an impressive record of 17-5. Though she fell short in the second round, Kate’s
performance was remarkable. Kate has made it to state the past two years and has made a real
lasting impact on Westminster Wrestling. “In every bout, both played to their strengths and
fought very hard against equally matched athletes,” said coach Dunn. All the boys and girls who
qualified for state should be commended, competing at the highest level is something not many
can say they have done. This season was a very strong and successful season for the Wildcats.