COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Carthage Tiger wrestling state qualifiers endured a difficult day one of the MSHSAA Wrestling Championships on Friday evening. Of the team’s four participants, only junior Tanner Putt qualified for day two of competition.
Freshman, Caden Groom and junior David Recinos went 0-2 with tough matches against Lafayette Wildwood, Francis Howell Central, Jackson and Ritenour. Groom, 29-17 on the season, lost the first round by major decision to Callum Brown of Lafayette, and dropped the second to Chase Gray of Howell Central in another major decision. Junior, Recinos, 33-11 this year, lost a decision to Jackson’s Brysen Wessell in the first round, only to drop his second round in an even closer match to Billy Hall of Ritenour.
In what the some consider the toughest weight class in the state at 138 lbs., senior, Bradyn Tate wrestled his last matches as a Carthage Tiger. With a technical fall over Oak Park’s Anthony Cherco in the first round, Tate looked to continue his quest to the State podium this year. Unfortunately, the quarterfinal match against Christian Brothers College’s Collin Rutlin delivered Tate his third loss on the season, and pushed him to the consolation side of the tournament bracket, while subsequently aggravating an old shoulder injury. The injury proved to be too much to overcome for the Carthage senior, as he dropped the consolation round two match to Lafayette’s Drew Mattison and ended his run for a state medal. The loss was a bittersweet one for Tate, who had hoped to surpass his brother, Braxdon’s, fifth-place finish at the 2024 state championships. Bradyn Tate plans to pursue a career in radiology this fall at either the University of Missouri – Columbia or Missouri State University.
Tanner Putt, a junior with a 43-7 record, is the lone wolf of this year’s tournament, having survived to fight another day. Round one saw Putt with a decisive victory over Francis Howell’s Joseph Wasson, when he walked away with a first period pin. Round two, however, proved to be a more difficult task, as Putt dropped a 7-0 decision to Park Hill’s Mason Brayfield. It was do or die then, as Putt moved to the consolation brackets for the second round wrestlebacks against Liberty’s Gavin Shelton, a freshman with a 23-14 record. The Liberty team won the Class Four championship at last year’s MSHSAA state tournament. In a hard fought battle, Tanner Putt pulled out a 4-2 victory over Shelton, advancing to the third round wrestlebacks on Saturday.
MSHSAA Boys State Championships Results for Carthage
106 Class 4
Tanner Putt (41-6) placed 6th and scored 9.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Tanner Putt (Carthage) 41-6 won by fall over Joseph Wasson (Francis Howell) 21-16 (Fall 1:20)
Quarterfinal – Mason Brayfield (Park Hill) 29-6 won by decision over Tanner Putt (Carthage) 41-6 (Dec 7-0)
Cons. Round 2 – Tanner Putt (Carthage) 41-6 won by decision over Gavin Shelton (Liberty) 23-14 (Dec 4-2)
Cons. Round 3 – Tanner Putt (Carthage) 41-6 won in the ultimate tie breaker over Wyatt Dannegger (Francis Howell North) 38-7 (UTB 5-4)
113 Class 4
Caden Groom (29-17) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Calum Brown (Lafayette (Wildwood)) 36-11 won by major decision over Caden Groom (Carthage) 29-17 (MD 9-0)
Cons. Round 1 – Chase Gray (Francis Howell Central) 31-9 won by major decision over Caden Groom (Carthage) 29-17 (MD 13-4)
138 Class 4
Bradyn Tate (49-4) place is unknown and scored 3.5 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Bradyn Tate (Carthage) 49-4 won by tech fall over Anthony Cherco (Oak Park) 28-14 (TF-1.5 4:12 (16-0))
Quarterfinal – Colin Rutlin (Christian Brothers College) 42-7 won by decision over Bradyn Tate (Carthage) 49-4 (Dec 7-1)
Cons. Round 2 – Drew Mattison (Lafayette (Wildwood)) 23-7 won by decision over Bradyn Tate (Carthage) 49-4 (Dec 5-0)
215 Class 4
David Recinos (33-11) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Brysen Wessell (Jackson) 40-7 won by decision over David Recinos (Carthage) 33-11 (Dec 7-3)
Cons. Round 1 – Billy Hall (Ritenour) 27-9 won by decision over David Recinos (Carthage) 33-11 (Dec 5-2)
