COLUMBIA - Josh McClure was surprisingly subdued as he broke new ground and Zach Benner flashed a pose after punctuating another perfect performance.
McClure created history by becoming Fulton's first-ever three-time state champion and Benner completed a second straight undefeated title run as the two seniors applied a signature close to their extraordinary high school careers at the 86th MSHSAA wrestling championships Saturday night at Mizzou Arena.
McClure (42-1) locked up his third state championship in a row when he manufactured a decisive 12-0 major decision over Berkeley senior Lawrence Woods in the title match at 145 pounds. McClure was also an undefeated state champion at both 113 pounds in 2014 and 138 last year.
"It's awesome," McClure said. "Fulton's a cool community - it really, really is. I love where I'm from and to be the first at something is always cool.
"To be the first at something that big is pretty freaking cool. ... I'm kind of at a loss for words. It's pretty crazy to be the first three-timer."
Benner (43-0) finished off his second consecutive flawless state title with a 5-2 decision over Pleasant Hill junior Tommy Williams in the championship at 220 pounds. Benner went 40-0 to win his first state title at 195 pounds in 2015.
"It feels amazing; it's something I've been working for my whole life - to be at the top," Benner said. "I'm right where I want to be. It just feels awesome."
The Hornets - coming off a Class 2 runner-up finish last year - entered the state championships as legitimate contenders for a team state title, but those hopes were sunk in Friday night's semifinals. Fulton came into Saturday in fourth place, but Benner's title victory launched the Hornets (124.5 points) past Cameron (122.5) and into third.
Cameron still had one wrestler, Levi Marlay, competing for the last state title at 285 pounds against Smithville's Jacob Bohlken, but a 5-1 victory by Bohlken sealed Fulton's third-place finish. It was the Hornets' fourth Class 2 trophy in as many years.
"I didn't think the difference between third and fourth would feel this good, but it does," Fulton head coach Eric Hudson said with a relieved laugh. "We actually, finally, got some help from somebody to move up a little."
Smithville secured its first Class 2 team championship with 198 points, stopping perennial power Oak Grove's three-year title run. The Panthers - pursuing their 17th state championship - came in a distant second with 164 points.
McClure was in charge from the start against Woods (27-8) in the championship at 145 pounds, posting a takedown for the only points in the first period. He then pulled away in the second period, piling on points on an escape, a takedown and a pair of near-pins to widen his lead to 10-0.
McClure topped off his historic win with another takedown in the third period. Afterward, he made a circle with the thumb and forefinger on his left hand and subtly raised three fingers to symbolize his trio of titles.
"I wanted to show some class - I've been there before," McClure said. "I wasn't mad, but I was upset I didn't get the tech fall. Three state titles, nothing to be mad about."
McClure, who was also state runner-up at 106 pounds as a freshman in 2013, accumulated a sparkling 150-9 career record with the Hornets. He might also be departing as the only four-time state finalist - no one knew for sure - in school history.
McClure, though, was more interested in reviewing what Fulton attained as a team during his four years. The Hornets were also Class 2 runners-up in 2013 and finished fourth in 2014.
"I'm content with my career as a high-schooler," McClure said. "I'm happy with what I did ... but my proudest thing is the team. I don't know if Fulton has ever had a team get a state trophy four years in a row.
"That's probably what I'm most proud of - how our brotherhood and our team bond held us to great measures."
Hudson noted that McClure is one of those rare talents that doesn't come along very often.
"He might be that once-in-a-lifetime kid for me as a coach, in being able to wrestle for a championship four times and get three," Hudson said. "There may be a couple of kids coming up that maybe can do that, and maybe Josh serves as their kind of model, their inspiration.
"He has worked incredibly hard and spent a ton of time to get to this level."
With his decorated high school career done, McClure is eager to make the transition to college competition. He signed with North Carolina back in November and is excited to be a Tar Heel.
"I am just stoked," McClure said. "I've been preparing since I committed and signed. ... I'm just trying to soak up as much knowledge and just as much stuff about the sport as I can before I get out there."
Benner fell behind 2-0 when Williams (44-2) tallied a takedown in the first period of their championship at 220 pounds. Benner answered with a reversal before the end of the first period to pull even, then went in front to stay on a two-point near-pin in the second period.
After tacking on a point on an escape in the third period to add another undefeated title, Benner flexed his muscles and then celebrated with his brother, assistant coach Drew Benner, and Hudson. Drew Benner was a Fulton state champion at 135 pounds in 2010.
"He (Williams) took me down in the first (period) and I knew I had to go," Zach Benner said. "... Going into the second (period), I was pretty happy whenever he picked bottom because I knew I could work him pretty well from there."
Benner, who came close to matching McClure as a three-time state champion with a runner-up finish at 182 pounds in 2014, compiled a remarkable 148-11 career mark. He also took fourth place at 170 pounds in 2013.
"I hadn't really thought about it much until this year, but it's an incredible thing, an incredible feeling," Benner said of his individual honors. "I'm really proud of my boys, we've all worked hard - been dedicated in the practice room.
"We all have that one goal in mind, we all want to be at the top."
Hudson stressed that Benner's intensity on the mat separated him from his opponents.
"That's it, right there, he is a competitor," Hudson said. "Everything he does, he wants to win. ... He's just a fierce, fierce competitor. He's the type of kid that can flip the switch; there's not a lot of kids that can just turn it on and get after it.
"He's one of those that can."
McClure and Benner's title feats were preceded by medal finishes from five other Fulton wrestlers earlier Saturday. Junior Brandon Dews took fourth at 120 pounds, seniors Clayton Bristol and Kobe Kaminski came in fifth at 285 and 195, respectively, and senior Trenton Clines and junior Luke Berrey logged respective sixth-place finishes at 152 and 170.
Dews (36-3) duplicated his fourth-place outcome from a year ago at 120 pounds when he dropped an 11-7 decision to Ste. Genevieve senior Wes Dickens in Saturday's third-place match. Dews had pinned Richmond sophomore Austin Bowman in 2 minutes, 47 seconds in fourth-round wrestlebacks.
Bristol (36-4) earned his third consecutive medal at 285 pounds after pinning St. Charles West junior Marcus Paddack in 1:48 in the fifth-place match. Bristol was a third-place finisher last year and took sixth in 2014.
Bristol lost a 3-1 decision to Mexico sophomore Terrese Aaron in fourth-round wrestlebacks, after defeating Aaron for a District 2 championship on Feb. 13.
Kaminski (20-6) medalled in his only state appearance by scoring a 3-1 decision over Moberly freshman Chance Richards in the fifth-place match at 195 pounds Saturday. Kaminski - who took last year off to concentrate on football - tumbled in a 10-5 decision to Cameron senior Tyler Gerber in fourth-round wrestlebacks.
Clines (28-5), who was slowed by a knee injury throughout the season, suffered a narrow 1-0 loss to Buffalo freshman Floyd Miller in the fifth-place match at 152 pounds. A state champion last year at 145 pounds and a sixth-place finisher at 138 in 2014, Clines bowed in a 10-4 decision to Smithville junior Austin Purtle in fourth-round wrestlebacks.
Berrey (35-10) was pinned by Chillicothe junior Dean Adkins in 2:19 in the fifth-place match at 170 pounds. Berrey had edged Adkins 7-4 in the quarterfinals Friday morning.
Berrey lost a 5-2 decision to Potosi sophomore Ben Turnbough in fourth-round wrestlebacks.
Hudson explained that the Hornets can take satisfaction in their Class 2 status over the past four years.
"It is pretty special," Hudson said. "You feel like you got a little cheated because we never got that group of seniors a first-place trophy, but it's still something that a lot of teams can't say.
"You've got your dynasties that are going right now that can say that, but as far as teams from central Missouri, we're not close to a major metropolitan area or anything like that. We don't have a lot of people moving in that have athletes. We've got what we've got, so I think we have to feel kind of good about that."