The Fulton Hornets profited from their previous presence at the state wrestling championships, and that has them sitting at the front of the pack in Class 2.
Fulton - sparked by a skilled group of juniors who are state veterans - moved nine of its 12 qualifiers into this morning's Class 2 quarterfinals as the 85th MSHSAA Wrestling Championships got underway Thursday at Mizzou Arena.
The Hornets' quarterfinalists are led by their two unbeaten juniors who are strong favorites to secure state championships - Josh McClure at 138 pounds and Zach Benner at 195. McClure made a perfect run to his first state title at 113 pounds last year, while Benner was state runner-up at 182.
McClure and Benner are both three-time state qualifiers.
Also advancing to the quarterfinals for Fulton are juniors Clayton Bristol (285 pounds), Trenton Clines (145) and Andy Baysinger, sophomores Devan Hudson (113) and Brandon Dews (120), freshman Tucker Caswell (106), and senior Noah Braun (170).
Bristol and Clines are both making their third straight appearance at the state championships, while Baysinger, Hudson and Dews are all two-time qualifiers. Caswell and Braun are both making their first trip.
"A lot of our kids have been in this tournament several times now," Fulton head coach Eric Hudson said. "They understand the emotions of it, know what's going to go on, so they're not too caught up in that.
"I think our kids did a nice job today. They came in and looked like they wanted to win, and that's not always the case. They looked really good today; I was proud of them."
Thursday's outcomes also have the Hornets holding down first place in Class 2 with 31.5 points. Fulton - which finished second in Class 2 in 2013 and fourth last year - is looking to add its first state wrestling title since 1981.
However, just 9.5 points separate the top nine schools in the Class 2 standings. Cameron and Smithville are tied for second place with 30 points apiece, defending state champion Oak Grove is fourth with 29 and Monett is fifth with 28.5.
Ste. Genevieve comes in at sixth place with 27 points, Odessa is seventh (25.5), Pleasant Hill eighth (23), and Kirksville ninth (22).
"You've probably got seven, maybe 10 teams that really brought a lot (of qualifiers), then there's kind of everybody else," Hudson said. "... The key for us, of course, is to keep winning, but when we can, keep from giving up bonus points."
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McClure (37-0) weathered a minor hiccup before pinning Monett junior Garret Bradley in 2:31 in their first-round matchup at 138 pounds. McClure recorded an early takedown and controlled most of the first period, before Bradley escaped his grasp and scored a reversal to tie the match at 2-all with less than 10 seconds left.
McClure countered with an escape just before the period ended to go back on top, then restored order in the second period. He tallied another escape and a takedown to stretch his lead to 6-2, then pinned Bradley with 1:30 to go in the period.
"I had him turned and my hand slipped; he was wiggling and I just gave it up," McClure said of Bradley's reversal. "I ended up getting my one (point) before the end of the period, so that was good.
"I was actually planning on cutting him and just keep taking him down (in the second period), but then I ended up getting him on his back, so I was like, "OK, let's end it.'"
Benner, also 37-0, manhandled Richmond junior Alex Vance in a 16-0 technical fall at 195 pounds. Benner piled up 11 points in the first period on a takedown and a trio of three-point near-pins, then ended the match in the second period with a reversal and another three-point near-pin.
"It was a little frustrating because I was trying to go for the pin to get more team points," said Benner, the state runner-up at 182 pounds last year. "The state refs are pretty stingy about it (calling pins).
"I liked that (Vance) didn't score any points on me and that I pretty much owned the match."
Benner will confront Pleasant Hill senior Kameron Gray (26-20) in the quarterfinals. Gray edged Ste. Genevieve junior Gabe Harman 8-7 in the first round.
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Bristol (27-1) was swift in his first-round victory at 285 pounds, recording a fast takedown and then pinning Owensville junior Anthony Soest in just :44.
"It feels pretty energizing," Bristol said. "Going out here and trying to get what you can get quick for the team and for yourself, it really helped boost my motivation."
Next up for Bristol will be a quarterfinal encounter against Odessa senior Dalton Koch (28-20), who advanced by pinning Monett sophomore Angel Villalta in 3:25 in the first round.
Devan Hudson (26-3) needed little time to subdue Miller Career Academy freshman Deon Partlow, his first-round foe at 113 pounds. Hudson bolted to a 5-0 advantage before pinning Partlow in only :37.
"I just had to wrestle smart and be tough, and not get too sloppy," Hudson said. "I didn't let him get away with anything.
"I just got in on that shot and he kind of pushed me off a little bit - he was pretty strong - but I just fought through it. I came up and finished with that double-leg (takedown) and brought him straight down on his back."
Hudson will battle Odessa sophomore Logan White (32-16) in a quarterfinal matchup. White moved on by blanking Clinton sophomore Jordan Whalan 4-0 in the first round.
Dews (35-4) also made quick work of his opponent, pinning O'Hara senior Devon Maschger in just :44 at 120 pounds. Dews logged a fast takedown before putting away Maschger.
"He was OK and a little strong," Dews said. "I was just trying to get his legs and bring him down."
Dews goes up against St. James freshman Mikey Crocker (25-2) in this morning's quarterfinals. Crocker logged a 10-4 decision over Notre Dame (Cape Girardeau) senior Noah Huff in the first round.
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Caswell (37-4) opened a trio of stirring rallies for the Hornets when he toppled Cameron sophomore Chase Foreman 4-2 in overtime at 106 pounds. Caswell trailed 2-0 when he came up with a reversal with :36 remaining in the third period, pulling even and forcing the extra period.
Caswell then needed only :18 in overtime to score the decisive takedown of Foreman.
"You've just got to keep a clear head and not let the adversity get to you," Caswell said. "You've just got to know that what you've been doing all year that's helped you be successful will continue to do it for you."
Caswell clashes with another freshman, Monett's Joel Barrientos (45-7), in the quarterfinal round. Barrientos pinned Sumner freshman Keith Clay in 1:20 in the first round.
Baysinger (25-6) pulled off a comeback of his own at 160 pounds when he pinned Pleasant Hill sophomore Cole Lightfoot in 4:15. Baysinger built an early 5-0 lead, but Lightfoot battled back and was up 9-8 heading to the third period.
Baysinger produced a reversal to go back on top, then quickly ended the match when he rolled up Lightfoot just 15 seconds into the period.
"I realized that I really had to move (in third period)," Baysinger said. "I was just trying to get up and get points."
Baysinger will now meet O'Hara senior Maverick Griffin (45-3) in the quarterfinals. Griffin pinned St. Clair sophomore Codie Stroup in only :40 in the first round.
Braun (22-8) also rallied for a 6-4 first-round triumph over Logan-Rogersville senior Luke Francaviglia at 170 pounds. Braun trailed 4-2 but tied the match with a two-point near-pin near the end of the second period, then went in front to stay when he tallied a reversal early in the third period.
"I just rode his arm pretty good and got out on bottom," Braun said. "(Coach) Hudson tells us all the time, nobody can hold you down on bottom, nobody can do it.
"That's the mindset you have to have, that's the mindset I had and went out and got a couple of points, and finished it out on top."
Braun's quarterfinal opponent will be Oak Grove senior Dalton Brinegar (38-1), the state runner-up at 170 pounds last year. Brinegar advanced by easily pinning Central (Park Hills) junior Dustin Saunders in only :17 in their first-round match.
Junior Trenton Clines, a 145-pounder, was Fulton's only wrestler moving on to the quarterfinals despite not wrestling Thursday. Clines (31-2) earned a rare first-round bye when his scheduled opponent - Odessa junior Taylor Airrington - was moved to a different match in the bracket after another qualifier was declared ineligible.
Clines will square off against Marshall freshman Ryan Henderson (35-11) in the quarterfinals. Henderson advanced with a 12-7 decision over Sullivan senior Travis Mogab.
"It would be nice to get those first-match jitters out of the way, but (today's) the new day," Hudson said. "You weigh in again, you warm up at the beginning of the day again, so it's just another day-at-the-tournament type thing for him as far as procedures and how things will go."
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Reaching this morning's second-round wrestlebacks for the Hornets were 132-pound junior Jason Pae and 182-pound senior Taylor Gillooly.
Pae (14-5) - clearly affected by a shoulder injury - suffered an 11-4 loss to Ste. Genevieve senior Tanner Jones in the first round. Pae, though, rallied from a 6-4 deficit in first-round wrestlebacks to down Clinton sophomore Benny Ladd 9-6.
"He went out there and found a way to win that match," Eric Hudson said. "He was obviously a much better wrestler than that kid, but he's just so beat up that it's hard for him to do some of the things that he would like to do in a match."
Gillooly (14-2) was blanked by Ste. Genevieve junior Albert Gonz 4-0 in the first round, but recovered by promptly pinning Richmond senior Wyatt Bulk in :43 in first-round wrestlebacks.
"He did something out of character for himself (in first-round loss) and got kind of sloppy, and we gave way to an early two points that we shouldn't have," Hudson said. "... In that second round, he turns around and goes back, and looks like regular Taylor.
"That was good; I hope that he can kind of keep that same demeanor as we progress."
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The only Fulton wrestler eliminated Thursday was 152-pound sophomore Luke Berrey, a first-time qualifier. Berrey (28-11) dropped a 5-2 decision to Owensville junior Wyatt Harrell in the first round, then bowed to Oak Grove junior Tristan Stack in a 5-1 decision in first-round wrestlebacks.
"A lot of the kids (in the bracket) are junior-, senior-type kids, so those kids are bigger, faster and stronger than us right now, and it kind of showed today," Hudson said. "I think Luke wrestled a little tentatively, so we'll get in that weight room and get back to work.
"It's not that he wasn't working hard and trying to score, it just wasn't happening today. It was a good season for him, he did a nice job and I'm proud that he could qualify."
Quarterfinal matches are scheduled for 9:30 this morning, followed immediately by second-round wrestlebacks. Semifinals and third-round wrestlebacks start at 6 tonight.
Fourth-round wrestlebacks will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, with third- and fifth-place matches set for noon. State championship matches will begin at 4:30 p.m.