COLUMBIA, MO- Prior to the state tournament as a freshman last year, Parkway South’s Camron Duffield walked to the top section of Mizzou Arena to get a bird’s eye view of the scene and a sense of appreciation for what he had accomplished.
It did not produce the desired effect.
“I got some butterflies,” he said.
He advanced to the state title match, but lost by technical fall and never felt comfortable during the championship match.
“I was so nervous. I didn’t really believe in myself,” Duffield said in an interview with Metro Sports STL last Saturday. “Last year was a shock, but this year I am more prepared and ready for the big scenario. I want to be the one to get the tech (fall) this year.
Duffield scored a whopping 24 points in less than two periods and won by tech fall to win the Class 4 state championship at 138-pounds Saturday at Mizzou Arena is Columbia.
“I was a lot more confident this time. I wasn’t nervous. I was just ready to win,” Duffield said.
Duffield (42-2) displayed his outstanding hand-fighting and shot-taking from the start, earning his first takedown nine seconds into his match against Liberty freshman Ross Davis. By the end of the first period, the score was 12-3.
“Last year, I was shooting and getting out of position, but this year I’ve been getting in more and finishing,” Duffield said.
The new 3-point takedown rule played perfectly into Duffield’s game this season. He compiled 75 points in his four matches of the state tournament, winning twice by technical fall and twice by major decision. In all 39 of his 42 wins were by pin or tech fall.
“My best position is neutral, so it helps me to have three-point takedowns. It fits my style,” Duffield said.
His only two losses came in close decisions, including a 12-10 loss to Whitfield junior Jackson Barrett, who wrestled for a state title in Class 3 on Saturday.
“I shot too much and most of them weren’t set up, so I really worked on not taking bad shots to where I’d get out of position and scored on,” Duffield said.
And after his technique was in a good place, Duffield made sure his mental game was equally in order.
“The quickness and the speed is there, but the biggest thing about him is that he stays poised, calm and collected. It’s what he was all week, and it’s what he has been all season,” Parkway South coach Andrew Wallace said.
Prior to the state championships this year, Duffield once again walked to the top of Mizzou Arena.
“I didn’t want to feel what I felt last year,” Duffield said. “I went in confident, and I knew what I was capable of doing. Getting a comeback like that feels great.”
Carter Brown wins 215 state title, helps Lafayette earn third-place team trophy
Lafayette sophomore Carter Brown, who placed third at 175-pounds last year, went up two weight classes and won the state title at 215 with a 10-0 major decision over Liberty sophomore Mason Bindel.
“It’s a big change. Everyone feels a lot bigger and stronger,” Brown said. “I usually don’t try to score right away, I try to tie them up and wait it out.”
But Brown (43-4) wasted little time Saturday. He earned a takedown 1:06 into the match and earned an additional three back points to take a 6-0 lead. He completed his tournament with a pin, a technical fall and two major decisions while only yielding one point in total.
The saying this year for the Lafayette wrestling team was ‘Be the storm.’
“To me, ‘being the storm’ means trying to go out there and dominate as much as you can,” Brown said.
Lafayette stormed to the podium with eight medalists, tying the record they set last year, and their 125.5 team points trailed only Liberty-KC (187) and Hickman (157).
Our kids definitely brought a flurry with them this week. We took some setbacks, but I’m really proud of how we came back. Our bounce back was huge. Any time you score 125 points at the state tournament, that’s a big week,” Weir said.
Howell North’s Dannegger completes undefeated season with state title
Francis Howell North sophomore Wyatt Dannegger’s won the 106-pound title by third-period pin over Staley senior Gunner Dahms to cap a perfect 35-0 season.
Dannegger earned takedowns in the first and second period and secured a pin 50 seconds into the third.
“I wasn’t expecting a pin, but I got his other shoulder down,” Dannegger said.
Dannegger’s last loss came in triple overtime during the ‘blood round’ at last year’s state tournament. He weighed only 90 pounds while wrestling in the lowest weight class of 106.
“It’s not how I wanted it to go last year, so I used it to work hard in the practice room. Last year I was pretty small, but I put some weight on this year and got it done,” Dannegger said.
For a photo gallery of the Class 3-4 boys state championships visit: https://benvessa.smugmug.com/Class-3-Boys-Wrestling-Championships/Boys-Wrestling-2024-25/2025-State-Championships-Class-3-4