COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Carthage ladies’ wrestling team traveled to Columbia, Missouri Thursday to compete at the MSHSAA Wrestling Championships beginning Friday, February 27th. Hadley White, Kaylee James and Irish Lee represented Carthage for the second year in row at the competition and had high hopes for their first day.
Friday got off to a bumpy start for Hadley James, though, as she was unable to compete following a failed precheck due to last minute skin condition that developed. While the disappointment was tangible, White was still able to participate in the grand march of qualifiers with her teammates.
Kaylee James and Irish Lee both saw success in round one with a pin by James over Lee’s Summit and an 8-7 decision by Lee over Blue Springs South. The quarterfinals were successful for James again with another pin over Seckman, but Lee hit a wall in the form of Capital City’s Athena Anderson, who delivered a technical fall to knock Lee to the consolation side. Lee’s wrestleback match on Friday night proved successful, though, with a win by fall over Grandview’s Shantel Wilson.
Saturday morning proved to be bittersweet, with a loss for Irish Lee in the bubble round, which prevented her from making a podium appearance this year. Lee’s opponent, Aryana Roberts of Belton, was the same one who knocked her out of finals contention at the district tournament two weeks ago. Lee will continue to cheer on her teammate, Kaylee James as she makes her run to the top of the podium after a thrilling semifinal match that many were touting as the true finals matchup of the tournament. James faced Ariel Biggs of Fort Osage, whom she had previous fallen to at the Belton Lady Pirate Tournament in December then beaten the next week in the finals of the KC Stampede Tournament. The semifinal battle took all of three periods and everything that both ladies had, but James claimed a 6-5 victory at the end of six minutes, earning a spot in the finals and a chance to, once again, complete her quest this evening for a state championship. James will face Ja’Ziya Miles of Staley in the finals – a junior with a 49-8 record.
Hadley White (34-20) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Sandy Breeden (Liberty) 22-2 won by forfeit over Hadley White (Carthage) 34-20 (For.)
Cons. Round 1 – Mialee Copeland (Francis Howell) 27-10 won by forfeit over Hadley White (Carthage) 34-20 (For.)
140 Class 2
Kaylee James (50-1) placed 2nd and scored 22.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Kaylee James (Carthage) 50-1 won by fall over Clara Meyer (Lee`s Summit) 40-10 (Fall 1:03)
Quarterfinal – Kaylee James (Carthage) 50-1 won by fall over Olivia Vickers (Seckman) 38-17 (Fall 1:46)
Semifinal – Kaylee James (Carthage) 50-1 won by decision over Ariel Biggs (Fort Osage) 50-3 (Dec 6-5)
145 Class 2
Irish Lee (46-9) place is unknown and scored 5.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Irish Lee (Carthage) 46-9 won by decision over Leah Hill (Blue Springs South) 34-19 (Dec 8-7)
Quarterfinal – Athena Anderson (Capital City) 45-5 won by tech fall over Irish Lee (Carthage) 46-9 (TF-1.5 2:34 (20-2))
Cons. Round 2 – Irish Lee (Carthage) 46-9 won by fall over Shantel Wilson (Grandview) 25-11 (Fall 0:54)
Cons. Round 3 – Aryana Roberts (Belton) 41-14 won by fall over Irish Lee (Carthage) 46-9 (Fall 1:47)
