Sports
Wrestler's High School Career Ends With Flourish, But No Title
McCluer North senior wrestler Patrick Whitener finished his season with a 37-10 mark and second place at state.
McCluer North senior wrestler Patrick Whitener entered the 81st Missouri State Wrestling Championships at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo. last weekend ranked as the state’s No. 7 wrestler in Class 4 at 145 pounds.
Yet, with just one more successful move, Whitener would have ended his Stars wrestling career at No. 1 and as a state champion.
In the 145-pound state title match, Whitener proved to be a stubborn and determined opponent, but he could not come up with a winning move in his 3-2 defeat to Waynesville's Gabriel Asano.
Whitener finished his season with a 37-10 mark. McCluer North wrestling coach Jake Lapinski had one other grappler competing on the final day of the state tourney last Saturday. Stars junior Darrell Pampkin had a shot to take third place at 130 pounds.
However, Pampkin lost a very tough match, 9-7 in overtime, to Troy’s Joseph Weber. An exhausted Pampkin then lost in his next match later in the day to Nixa’s Dakota Davis, 8-2, to finish in sixth place at 130 pounds.
Pampkin finished 41-13 this season and will be among the state’s top-10 wrestlers when next season’s rankings are released in the fall, assuming he remains at 130 pounds. A move up in weight class is possible for Pampkin but would likely not impact his top ranking.
The Stars, who placed 17th in Class 4 at state, won their third consecutive Suburban North Conference championship this season. It was their 11th league title in the past 12 years. McCluer North finished second at the Class Four District Two meet to Francis Howell Central.