It's premature to consider a conversation about the possibilities, given that the state-ranked Fulton Hornets wrestling team still has a critical bridge to cross.
With next week's state championships in Columbia as the ultimate destination point, Fulton starts its trek today at the Class 2, District 2 championships at John Burroughs High School in St. Louis. The Hornets - ranked No. 3 in the state by missouriwrestling.com - are the defending District 2 champions.
Fulton rode the energy of that title, fueled by 12 state qualifiers, to a narrow Class 2 runner-up finish in 2015 that included three individual state champions. The Hornets have followed up in this highly anticipated season by assembling a 23-1 dual record that featured a second straight perfect run to a North Central Missouri Conference championship.
But before Fulton can even begin to ponder state scenarios, it must first successfully navigate its way through the District 2 championships that continue through Saturday. The top four finishers in each weight class move on to the Class 2 state championships Feb. 18-20 at Mizzou Arena in Columbia.
"At this point, we're trying to wrestle for each other and realize that there is a team component here and we know we can be competitive," Hornets head coach Eric Hudson said during Wednesday's practice in the wrestling room above Roger D. Davis Gymnasium. "Even if - individually - a kid has a setback, we need to continue to try to get the next best thing and collect as many team points as we can."
Fulton will be in familiar company with three other NCMC members - No. 9 Mexico, Moberly and Kirksville - in District 2. The rest of the tournament field is made up of St. Louis-area schools - host John Burroughs, Christian, Liberty (Wentzville), McCluer South-Berkeley, MICDS, Normandy Collaborative, Priory, Soldan International Studies, St. Charles West, University City and Winfield.
Hudson believes District 2 is arguably the second-most competitive region in Class 2. The stacked District 4 group in Excelsior Springs includes six ranked schools - defending state champion and top-ranked Oak Grove, No. 2 Smithville, No. 5 Cameron, No. 6 Odessa, No. 7 Savannah and No. 10 (St. Joseph) Benton.
"The Kansas City district is probably the tougher of the two, but we're probably in second after that," Hudson said. "The southern districts (in Ste. Genevieve and Bolivar) aren't quite as tough this year, but you know that stuff cycles, it comes and goes.
"Who's to say at the end that those southern districts don't have a lot of state-placers in them. It's all speculation at this point."
The Hornets will compete in all weight classes except 106 pounds at the District 2 championships. Fulton will be led by a pair of sensational seniors - Zach Benner (36-0) at 220 pounds and Josh McClure (34-1) at 145 - who are returning state champions.
Benner and McClure both made undefeated runs to state titles last year at 195 and 138 pounds, respectively. McClure - who has signed to wrestle next year at North Carolina - also won a state championship with a perfect record at 113 pounds as a sophomore in 2014.
Fulton boasts eight wrestlers who have four or fewer losses this season. Senior Trenton Clines - who also captured a state title at 145 pounds last year - has dealt with ongoing knee issues but is 22-2 at 152. Junior Brandon Dews has compiled a 30-1 mark at 120 pounds, while senior Clayton Bristol is 30-2 at 285.
Sophomore Tucker Caswell has logged a 32-3 record at 113 pounds and senior Andy Baysinger is 31-4 at 160. Senior Kobe Kaminski has recorded a 14-4 mark at 195 pounds.
The Hornets' lineup also includes junior Luke Berrey (30-6) at 170 pounds, junior Devan Hudson (26-9) at 126, sophomore Colton Bristol (23-9) at 182, sophomore Jacob Kern (23-13) at 132 and freshman Julian Schoening (5-15) at 138.
"We're not nervous or jittery," Hudson said. "We have a senior-laden team, so they get what's going on and how things have to work. Everybody's pretty calm."
Fulton has not wrestled since ending the regular season with a 64-6 rout at Marshall on Feb. 2 to clinch the NCMC championship. To keep his roster mentally and physically sharp, Hudson has not backed off on workouts.
"We try to keep the practice room pretty intense," Hudson said. "(Last) Friday they had nothing but live-goes, they had an hour workout after the (Marshall) dual on Wednesday, that was probably one of the more intense workouts that we've had all year long.
"Now, at this point, we're kind of scaling back and we're trying to get to that part where we're peaking. They still get a fairly good workout, but it's more about refining technique, it's about maintaining the cardiovascular that we've got now and trying to make sure that we don't have injuries - and trying to manage those that do."
First-round district matches are expected to start at 5 p.m. today, followed immediately by the quarterfinals and first-round wrestlebacks. Competition picks back up at 10 a.m. Saturday with second-round wrestlebacks, then the semifinals and third-round wrestlebacks, consolation semifinals and first- and third-place matches.
"I think the kids are pretty aware," Hudson said. "If they do what they're supposed to do, there's a strong possibility that they can win the district championship (again), but they still have to go out there and perform."