Thursday was the last night Centralia’s wrestling seniors stepped on their home mat and grappled under the spotlight. 

Centralia Wrestling Senior Night Photo Gallery

They performed well as the Panthers defeated Mexico 63-9 and Eldon 70-6 while the Lady Panthers lost 24-0 to Eldon and lost to Mexico via a tiebreaker after being knotted at 24. 

Of the school’s 12 seniors, six won at least one match as the teams start focusing on the district meets — girls on Jan. 10-11 at North Point in Wentzville and the boys Jan. 17-18 at Lafayette County in Higginsville. 

Centralia wrestling head coach Luke Grameke said the boys have been great leaders in the locker room and in the gym, bringing infectious energy to the younger kids. Brayden Dubes, Ethan Adams, Kyden Wilkerson each picked up two wins while Jesse Shannon, Brayden Shelton and Dominick Lansche each won one match and had an open.

“We were really excited about this one because this is the last time this group is going to be able to wrestle at home,” Grameke said. “It’s not very often where the lower bleachers are full and the top bleachers are full so it was nice to have that kind of support from our community as well.”

The Panthers are ranked as the top team in the state and are looking to finish atop the Class 1 hill at the state meet following runner-up placings each of the past two years.

Dubes, Shelton and Wilkerson have each posted great seasons, either sitting atop or near the top of the state individual rankings, and are all looking to repeat as state champions. Seth Hasekamp had two opens at the 285-pound spot but is 40-0 this season and was the runner-up in that class in each of the last two seasons. Grameke said his reigning champions want that again.

“They’re ready to go repeat,” Grameke said. “Wrestling season is a long season so they have the light at the end of the tunnel in a positive way. They’re motivated to get the work in and finish on top.”

Dubes won via 17-2 technical fall and a first-period pin, Shelton won via first-period pin, Wilkerson scored two pinfalls, and reigning fifth-place state medalist Shannon pinned his opponent in the first period. Adams finished with two pins, and Wyatt Adkisson, Ian Tuggle and Lansche each had one pin.

Rex Bryson stood out also on Thursday, dispatching Eldon’s Maddox Berlener quickly in the first period with a pinfall. Mexico’s Grant Van Horn, however, proved to be a nuisance and showed why he won a fourth-place medal at the state meet last year. Bryson owned a 6-3 lead in the closing seconds of the third period prior to Van Horn earning two points only for the freshman to just hold him off for the narrow 7-5 decision.

“He is a very gritty freshman,” Grameke said. “He is forward, forward, forward. He doesn’t know how to stop being aggressive and stop being physical. He gave up that first takedown and then battled back. He wrestled the rest of the match really smart and under control. When he had to use technique, he used technique. When he had to use skill, he used skill. When he had to dig a little deep and find a few points because he had heart, that’s what he got done.”

The boys’ only loss was by Payton Mabrey at 215 pounds as he was on the short end of an 8-5 decision against Mexico’s Dalton Ardnt. 

As for the girls, Grameke said the Lady Panthers are great in “spurts” are looking to put everything together to be at their best at districts. They had seniors Gretchen Marriott and Besan Juma honored, which Gramke said are different cases when it comes to wrestling experience this season but are similar in how they lead.

“Gretchen is a three-year starter for us and Besan just moved here from St. Louis this year so she’s a first-year wrestler,” Grameke said. “Both are very energetic, very positive and do a good job of helping lead the younger girls.”

Madie Shelton was close to two victories as she pinned Mexico’s Abby Bowen in her second dual in a 120-pound match but was suddenly pinned by Eldon’s Adysson Gerber despite taking a 14-0 advantage in the third period.

“She’s going to learn a lot from that match,” Grameke said. “Those are necessary evils. She just made one mistake in a core position and that’s all it takes in wrestling. That was a heartbreaker moment for her, but I know she is going to learn from it and ultimately make her better.”