COLUMBIA, MO – After winning her second state title Thursday, Festus senior Mya Hairston earned a first-place medal, a bracket board and a 12-ounce can of Sprite.
“That was our deal every tournament. Every time I got first (place), my coaches would get me a Sprite,” Hairston said. “I was hoping for a 2-liter if I won it this year.”
Hairston fizzed through the 100-pound bracket to earn back-to-back state titles at the Class 1 Missouri State High School Activities Association girls wrestling tournament Thursday at Mizzou Arena.
The Festus phenom cruised into the state title match with two pins and a technical fall before facing a familiar foe – De Soto freshman Milayna Drummond. The two had met three times during the season and each match was closer than the previous one.
“She changed the things I was beating her with, but I knew what would still work,” Hairston said.
Hairston (45-1) earned a takedown one minute into the match and then stayed in control the rest of the way to earn a 3-0 decision. After her hand was raised, she leapt into the arms of head coach Jarad Sheppard.
Having won a state title as a junior, Hairston felt no lack of motivation in preparing herself to repeat as champion.
“One wasn’t enough. I had another year of high school, why not win another one?” she said.
In addition to her own drive, she was driven by training partner Addison Cupp, who placed third at 105.
“We really wanted each other to succeed. It was high-intensity and we would push each other,” Hairston said.
Together, they watched videos of their matches, pointing out mistakes and working with each other to correct them. They also scouted each other’s upcoming matchups and tried to emulate their opponents’ go-to moves.
“If I had an opponent coming up who only shoots on my right leg, she would shoot on my right leg so I could work on defending it,” Hairston said.
Hairston’s only trip-up of the season was exactly that. At the Wonder Woman tournament in December, she faced Liberty junior Lilly Breeden, who will enter the Class 2 state tournament this weekend with a perfect 46-0 record. Midway through the first period, Hairston stumbled and fell to the mat and Breeden pounced.
“I honestly tripped over my own feet and she locked in on it. Whenever you’re wrestling someone as good as (Breeden), they’re going to use your mistakes to their advantage,” Hairston said.
From then on, Hairston was locked in on a state title.
“I definitely felt a huge target on my back. They’re all chasing me, and that motivated me to work even harder,” Hairston said. “I wanted it bad.”
Smith becomes first Principia girls wrestler to reach state final
In the first year of girls wrestling at Principia, junior Julian Smith put her name in the history books as the first state qualifier, the first state placer and the first to compete in a state title match.
“I don’t really think of it as history. I think of it as, ‘It’s just the beginning.’” Smith said.
Smith (41-4) powered her way through the 145 bracket with two pins before earning a hard-fought 12-6 decision over Gallatin senior Karydon Jones in the semifinal. In the state title match, Smith could not overcome Moberly undefeated junior Breanne Gibbs (54-0) and lost by first-period pin.
Smith, who wrestled the last two years at Ritenour, was one of the few girls in the Principia wrestling room with experience, but she still knew she had a lot to learn.
“It was a cool experience to help other people improve, but I don’t think I was a leader. Maybe next year I’ll be a leader, but this year I just wanted to listen,” she said.
She added, “I’m excited to see what the girls program will be.”
De Soto youth movement yields two state finalists
De Soto freshman Milayna Drummond (100) and sophomore Cheyenne Kincade (110, pictured) both earned a spot on the state championship stage, earning second-place finishes.
Drummond (37-9) won by two pins and a major decision before dropping a hard-fought 3-0 decision to Festus senior Mya Hairston in the title match. Kincaide (42-4) won by pin, decision and major decision, before losing the state title match to undefeated Brookfield junior Jayden Keller by pin.
“It’s really good for our program,” De Soto coach Rich Zimmerman said. “It sets a precedent because they’re both younger and a lot of the girls in our little league look up to them. They’re the hardest working girls in the room.”
For a photo gallery of the Class 1 girls wrestling championships, visit: https://benvessa.smugmug.com/Girls-Wrestling-2024/Girls-Wrestling-2024-25/2025-State-Championships