COLUMBIA, MO – In just five years of existence, the St. Pius X wrestling team has burst onto the Class 1 scene, placing fourth at the state meet last season. Individually, five different Lancers have placed in the top four, but none had ever reached a state title match or won a state championship.
Freshman Cainen Menke broke through those doors Thursday.
Trailing on the scoreboard heading into the third period, Menke secured a pin with 46 seconds remaining to earn the 132-pound state title and the first in St. Pius X program history at the Class 1 MSHSAA Wrestling Championships Thursday in Mizzou Arena.
“Looking back, to be honest, I don’t think I would have said Cainen Menke would be the guy to be here, but he works really hard and I couldn’t be more proud of him,” St. Pius X coach Dennis Alexander said.
As an assistant coach at Hillsboro, Alexander helped his son Gavin earn a state title as a freshman and used the same philosophy when the freshman Menke reached the state title match.
“A lot of people were trying to say things, coach him up and have him look at film (of his opponent), but I said, ‘He’s in the zone. Just let him wrestle,’” Alexander said. “I think that was key, not to fill his head with a bunch of woulda, shoulda, couldas – do this, do that. We let him do his thing, and the proof is in the pudding.”
That pudding may have appeared to be splattered all over the wall during a regular season that included 11 losses, most against Class 3 and 4 opponents, including being pinned 35 seconds into his first match at the Kyle Thrasher Tournament, where he did not place.
“I’d get mad when I lost, but one of my coaches told me that, his freshman year, he got to state with a 13-14 record and placed third, so I knew that those losses were making me better,” Menke said.
Menke placed third in the Class 1 District 1 tournament, losing in the semifinals to Owen Carver of Blair Oaks, but he felt confident coming into the state meet despite a 25-11 overall record.
“I knew if I wrestled my best, I could get to the finals. I didn’t get in my head, I didn’t get nervous, I just went out there and wrestled like it was a normal tournament,” Menke said.
For Alexander, those losses to quality opponents throughout the season helped shape Menke for a deep run at state.
“It was an eye-opener for him. ‘Maybe I’m not as good as I thought I was.’ He knows what defeat feels like, and when you’re able to deal with it early in the season, it makes it a little easier when you walk through that tunnel,” Alexander said.
Jogging out of the tunnel at Mizzou Arena, Menke pinned his first two opponents and then secured a tough, 4-1 decision in the 132-semifinal over Cameron sophomore Carter Flick, who had defeated Owen Carver from Blair Oaks a round earlier.
“After my semifinal, I was really excited. I just hung out and watched my friends wrestle in their third-place matches. Then, I warmed up and dialed in,” Menke said.
In his 132-championship match, Menke faced Lafayette County senior Xavier Myers, who had won a thrilling semifinal with a buzzer-beating takedown. Myers earned the first takedown against Menke and carried a 7-6 lead into the third period.
“I knew if I wrestled like I do, that I could get it,” Menke said.
Menke began the third period from the top position, and in the final minute, turned Myers onto his back.
“He got a bar, he kept cranking that bar until the kid went over, and he was able to finish the deal,” Alexander described.
As a team, St. Pius X placed 10th, with Cash Hancock (120) placing third and Dawson Litterall (165) placing fifth. The Lancers could not replicate their state trophy-earning performance of last season, partly due to the Lancers’ football team reaching the Class 2 state title game in the fall.
“We were banged up after a long football season and it took a toll. We had about four or five starters out with injuries, but I wouldn’t change a thing, it was a great run for the football squad,” Alexander said.
And it was a great run for Menke, who finished the year with a 29-11 record, but more importantly, a No. 1 next to his name as the first Lancer to reach the top step of the podium.
“I’m excited. I’m really happy,” Menke said.
Clark leads three St. Mary’s wrestlers to the podium at state
St. Mary’s junior Audy Clark (53-3) shook off a heartbreaking quarterfinal loss and won four consecutive matches to place third in the 126-bracket.
Clark, who placed fourth as a sophomore, had championship aspirations this season but was pinned in the second period of a scoreless match by Cameron senior Will Erickson.
“It was a loss we weren’t expecting. At first it was very emotional, I couldn’t think straight. I wasn’t myself,” Clark said. “I just had to clear my mind and get ready for my next match.
Clark cleared his head and outscored his next four opponents 33-8, including a 6-1 decision over Valle Catholic senior Kalan Fallert to capture third place.
“I wrestled (Fallert) before and he caught me on my back, so I felt I needed to get that back,” Clark said.
St. Mary’s junior Aiden Timberman (190) and sophomore Lavell McCloud (215) both took fourth place for the Dragons, which finished 13th out of 55 schools in team points.
“Both of those guys are super hard workers. They’re in the room going at it every day. They wanted to place and they achieved that goal. I’m proud of them,” Clark.
Lift for Life senior Lavelle Peete Jr. placed 5th at 190 pounds, winning four matches on the back side of the bracket after a first-round loss to eventual state runner-up Justice James of Lathrop.
For a photo gallery from Class 1 state wrestling, visit: https://benvessa.smugmug.com/Class-3-Boys-Wrestling-Championships/Boys-Wrestling-2026/Class-1-state-tournament
