The Carthage Tiger Lady Wrestlers traveled to Ozark, MO last weekend for the Class 2, District 3 District Tournament. Competing against Lebanon, Neosho, Nixa, Republic, Ozark, Ray-Pec, Sedalia Smith-Cotton, Glendale, Willard, Webb City, Joplin, Kickapoo, Camdenton, Branson, Waynesville, Belton, Springfield Central, Springfield Parkview and Rolla, the Tigers came away with an 11th place finish, and three state qualifiers, one of which was a district champ for the second year in a row.
Hadley White qualified for the girls at the lowest of the weights – 105 lbs. Starting off with a bye first round, she fell to Nixa’s Hanna Egley in a 7-0 decision in the quarterfinals. White bounced back with a fall over Willard’s Alejandra Perez in consolation round 2, and then another in consolation round 3 over Webb City’s Lexie Smith. It was a close match with Joplin’s Maliah Winnett that saw her coming from behind to claim the 8-4 decision in the “cry” round (consolation semifinals) and punch her ticket to the State Tournament in Columbia, MO next week for the first time. Hadley ended the day with a 4th place district finish after falling to Nixa’s Egley again during her last match of the day. She will be joined by her teammates Irish Lee, and Kaylee James.
Irish Lee competed at the 145 lb. weight class and started Friday evening with a 9-2 decision over Rolla’s Hannah Hall. Her first fall was earned in the quarterfinals against Kinley Sinclair of Webb City. Lee finally hit a roadblock in the form of Belton’s Aryana Roberts, who majored her 14-1 in the semifinals. Lee bounced back in the consolation semifinals, coming from behind with a third period pin over Eve Smith of Willard, and earning a spot on the bus to Columbia. She met up with Sinclair again in the 3rd place match, and, once again, delivered the pin to bring home the 3rd place medal.
Kaylee James found herself in familiar territory this year, standing atop the podium again as only a sophomore. After a first round bye, James sailed through the tournament with not only wins, but first round pins all the way to a 1st place finish. James sees this year’s state tournament as unfinished business, after making it all the way to the finals as a freshman. Taking 2nd place is definitely not part of this year’s plan. Recently ranked number 2 in the nation by Sports Illustrated’s top female wrestlers in the nation as of February 14th, 2026, Kaylee James has high hopes for standing on top of another podium on February 28th.
MSHSAA Girls Class 2 District 3 Tournament
OZARK
February 13-14, 2026
11th place
State Qualifiers:
105 Hadley White 4th
140 Kaylee James 1st
145 Irish Lee 3rd
GIRLS DISTRICT RESULTS
100
Laney Daniel (14-22) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Lacey Malonson (Lebanon) 34-13 won by fall over Laney Daniel (Carthage) 14-22 (Fall 0:20)
Cons. Round 1 – Laney Daniel (Carthage) 14-22 received a bye () (Bye)
Cons. Round 2 – Samantha Williams (Neosho) 18-16 won by fall over Laney Daniel (Carthage) 14-22 (Fall 0:40)
105
Hadley White (34-18) placed 4th and scored 11.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Hadley White (Carthage) 34-18 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal – Hanna Egley (Nixa) 29-12 won by decision over Hadley White (Carthage) 34-18 (Dec 7-0)
Cons. Round 2 – Hadley White (Carthage) 34-18 won by fall over Alejandra Perez (Willard) 16-16 (Fall 4:09)
Cons. Round 3 – Hadley White (Carthage) 34-18 won by fall over Lexie Smith (Webb City) 20-22 (Fall 4:17)
Cons. Semi – Hadley White (Carthage) 34-18 won by decision over Maliah Winnett (Joplin) 31-16 (Dec 8-4)
3rd Place Match – Hanna Egley (Nixa) 29-12 won by decision over Hadley White (Carthage) 34-18 (Dec 6-2)
110
Mischa Drackert (16-15) place is unknown and scored 3.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Alilia Hiteshew (Glendale) 24-9 won by fall over Mischa Drackert (Carthage) 16-15 (Fall 0:47)
Cons. Round 1 – Mischa Drackert (Carthage) 16-15 won by fall over Lexie McCracken (Neosho) 20-22 (Fall 1:58)
Cons. Round 2 – Natalie Hernandez (Kickapoo) 18-16 won by fall over Mischa Drackert (Carthage) 16-15 (Fall 1:10)
115
Ari Morga Zaldivar (16-22) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Lynnae Dixon (Willard) 31-10 won by fall over Ari Morga Zaldivar (Carthage) 16-22 (Fall 0:58)
Cons. Round 1 – Taegan Robb (Nixa) 31-22 won by fall over Ari Morga Zaldivar (Carthage) 16-22 (Fall 0:50)
120
Zeilah Cifuentes (25-23) place is unknown and scored 1.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Alyssa Dawson (Lebanon) 25-25 won by fall over Zeilah Cifuentes (Carthage) 25-23 (Fall 1:33)
Cons. Round 1 – Zeilah Cifuentes (Carthage) 25-23 won by decision over Sophie Stawny (Willard) 3-6 (Dec 13-11)
Cons. Round 2 – Lynzee Duckett (Neosho) 30-14 won by fall over Zeilah Cifuentes (Carthage) 25-23 (Fall 1:54)
130
Emely Hernandez Guzman (25-14) place is unknown and scored 4.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Kaylee Herd (Lebanon) 26-23 won by fall over Emely Hernandez Guzman (Carthage) 25-14 (Fall 1:42)
Cons. Round 1 – Emely Hernandez Guzman (Carthage) 25-14 received a bye () (Bye)
Cons. Round 2 – Emely Hernandez Guzman (Carthage) 25-14 won by fall over Karen Keener (Branson) 16-15 (Fall 1:34)
Cons. Round 3 – Stella Wheeler (Ozark) 27-17 won by fall over Emely Hernandez Guzman (Carthage) 25-14 (Fall 2:01)
140
Kaylee James (47-1) placed 1st and scored 26.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Kaylee James (Carthage) 47-1 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal – Kaylee James (Carthage) 47-1 won by fall over Isabel Diaz-Rubin (Nixa) 30-26 (Fall 0:58)
Semifinal – Kaylee James (Carthage) 47-1 won by fall over Andrea Menjivar (Branson) 22-15 (Fall 1:12)
1st Place Match – Kaylee James (Carthage) 47-1 won by fall over Sierra Devore (Webb City) 32-8 (Fall 1:44)
145
Irish Lee (44-7) placed 3rd and scored 18.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Irish Lee (Carthage) 44-7 won by decision over Hannah Hall (Rolla) 21-20 (Dec 9-2)
Quarterfinal – Irish Lee (Carthage) 44-7 won by fall over Kinley Sinclair (Webb City) 21-10 (Fall 4:45)
Semifinal – Aryana Roberts (Belton) 38-13 won by major decision over Irish Lee (Carthage) 44-7 (MD 14-1)
Cons. Semi – Irish Lee (Carthage) 44-7 won by fall over Eve Smith (Waynesville) 28-17 (Fall 4:30)
3rd Place Match – Irish Lee (Carthage) 44-7 won by fall over Kinley Sinclair (Webb City) 21-10 (Fall 1:38)
155
Adrianna Patrick (12-27) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Abby Keating (Raymore-Peculiar) 25-3 won by fall over Adrianna Patrick (Carthage) 12-27 (Fall 0:28)
Cons. Round 1 – Adrianna Patrick (Carthage) 12-27 received a bye () (Bye)
Cons. Round 2 – Geneva Wheelock (Neosho) 18-22 won by major decision over Adrianna Patrick (Carthage) 12-27 (MD 8-0)
