The Fulton Hornets wrestling team managed to stay perfect despite the distraction of so many open weight classes.
Fulton - benefitting from six forfeit victories - opened the North Central Missouri Conference portion of its schedule with a 55-21 victory over the Boonville Pirates on Wednesday night.
Sophomore Drew Benner earned a forfeit win at 152 pounds for the Hornets to open the matchup. Freshman John Kingsley and seniors Ryan Fritz and Sean Luetkemeyer followed with forfeit victories at 160, 171 and 189 pounds, respectively, to put Fulton up 24-0.
Also picking up forfeit wins for the Hornets were freshman Kory Masek at 103 pounds and junior Zack McClure at 130.
In the meantime, Fulton (4-0) and Boonville split the eight contested weight classes.
"We weren't very focused to start things off and I wasn't really happy with our performance," Hornets head coach Eric Hudson said. "I wasn't really happy with the way the bout started. It (opening forfeits) wasn't the best environment.
"The guys sitting on the bench then watched a couple of matches and came around to the realization that they were going to have to wrestle. We have some things we need to fix. We stayed on the mat and didn't work our way back up to our feet."
Here are the rest of Wednesday night's individual results, by weight class:
•112 pounds: Rory Concannon (B) defeated freshman Jared Kaiser (F) by 2-1 decision; 119: sophomore Phillip Barkho (F) def. Michaela Rumbaoa (B) by 6-4 decision; 125: sophomore Cody Pae (F) pinned Josiah Searfoss (B) in 3:22; 135: Trevor Ditto (B) pinned sophomore Kelcey Nunley (F) in 3:37;
•140: sophomore Brian Dennison (F) def. Phillip Wilkinson (B) by 9-0 major decision; 145: senior Josh Curtin (F) pinned Andrew Broyhill (B) in 1:22; 215: Kyle Cook (B) pinned freshman Paul Books (F) in 4:53; 285: Brennan Hammers (B) pinned sophomore Mack Kelley (F) in 2:44.
Fulton competes in the Camdenton Laker Invitational at 9 a.m. Saturday.
Centralia.......................................60
North Callaway basketball (VG)...35
CENTRALIA - The No. 8 seed Ladybirds lost two key players during a second quarter in which they were outscored 26-4 on Wednesday night in the consolation semifinals of the 55th-annual Centralia Invitational Tournament.
North Callaway senior guard Kelsey West and senior forward Morgan Brown-Emmons both dove for a loose ball and collided, with West's head striking Brown-Emmons' elbow. West did not return, while Brown-Emmons came back briefly in the third quarter but was then forced out for the rest of the game.
No. 4 Centralia, meanwhile, transformed a slim 15-13 deficit after one quarter into a commanding 39-19 halftime advantage. The Lady Panthers led 50-27 entering the fourth quarter.
Senior guard Hannah Vore, junior guard Jordan Gray and freshman guard Jaida Gray ended up with eight points apiece for the Ladybirds (1-3), who lost to the Lady Panthers for the second time in eight days. North Callaway dropped its season opener at Centralia 55-47 on Nov. 30.
In limited play Wednesday night, Brown-Emmons collected a team-high six rebounds.
Kaitlyn VanMaanen topped the Lady Panthers (2-1) with a game-high 12 points and Ashley Carlson added 10.
"We couldn't handle their physicality," Ladybirds head coach Jack Peace said.
North Callaway travels to South Callaway at 6 p.m. Monday.
Fulton basketball (VB)..................54
Boonville......................................46
BOONVILLE - Senior guard Rob Pittman logged a team-high 14 points Tuesday night as the Hornets prevailed over the Pirates in their North Central Missouri Conference opener.
Senior forward Blake Calvin also supplied 11 points for Fulton (2-1).
The Hornets - paced by Austin Moore's 14 points - rolled to a 53-35 victory in the junior varsity game. Burke Echelmeier contributed 13 points.
Fulton plays its home opener against NCMC foe Marshall at 6 p.m. Friday at Roger D. Davis Gymnasium.
Fulton Kids Wrestling Club features
four champions at Hannibal
HANNIBAL - Fulton Kids Wrestling Club members Owen Uhls, Dawson Wright, Milo Henry and Dylan Pearson each won their weight classes in their respective age divisions at the Hannibal Tournament last Sunday.
Here are the rest of Fulton's place-finishers at Hannibal:
•Second place: Eli Henry, Eston Dews, Jackson Caswell, Sam Wood, Trevor Dunmire, Julian Schoening, Jacob Kern, Luke Berrey, Tucker Caswell and Brandon Dews.
•Third place: Aaron Pearson, Grant Wright, Paige Clines, Dustin Loucks, Gavin Miller, Keaton Rice, Matthew Breeden and Trenton Clines.
•Fourth place: Danny Williams, Jaren Kern, Josh Dunmire, Peyton Dunkel and Dylan Anderson.
•Fifth place: Jadon Henry, Austin Anderson and Evan Dews.
Meanwhile, Andy Baysinger earned a first-place finish at the Belton Tournament last Saturday.
Fulton opened its season at the Wentzville Kick-Off Classic on Nov. 28. Individual champions included Eli Henry, Aaron Pearson, Josh Dunmire, Seth Gilbert, Jackson Caswell, Jadon Henry, Dawson Wright, Milo Henry, Breeden, Isaiah Pani and Clayton Bristol.
Here are Fulton's other tournament place-finishers at Wentzville:
•Second place: Evan Dews, Uhls, Grant Wright, Rice, Dylan Pearson, Skylar Kaminski, Bristol, Berrey, Brandon Dews and Trevor Dunmire.
•Third place: Tommy Kingsley, Tucker Caswell, Gavin Miller, Dennis Kingsley, Kobe Kaminski and Austin Anderson.
•Fourth place: Brenton Shirley, James Bodenhorn, Grant Avery, Eston Dews, Loucks and Dylan Anderson.
Centralia......................................42
N. Callaway basketball (8th/B)....38
AUXVASSE - The Thunderbirds slipped to 5-7 on the season after Tuesday night's four-point loss to the Panthers.
Brandon Hagedorn finished with 18 points to pace North Callaway, while Cole Branson chipped in with 15.
The Thunderbirds play at Montgomery County at 7:15 tonight.