Boys Wrestling Soars To Historic Heights (Recap)

The Eagles soared to new heights during the 2023-24 season. They clinched a conference title, took second place at districts and boasted eleven state qualifiers.

Sullivan capped off a year of highs at the Class 2 Tournament, where they landed their best finish in program history at eighth place. The Eagles also brought home two state medals, with Colton Brendel and Conner Roach clinching third in Columbia.

Other season highlights included winning the DeSoto Bob Georger Classic for the fourth consecutive year, finishing first at the Blair Oaks Duals and taking fourth at the Wentzville-Liberty Invitational.

The Eagles went 10-2 in their duals last winter. They stomped out MICDS 72-6, St. Charles West 66-12 and Owensville 57-13 for their biggest sweeps.

Carl Lawrence was awarded All-Area Coach of the Year for pushing Sullivan to the top and each wrestler to their greatest ability. He described last season as one he “would never forget,” stating, “We had great things happen this season as a team and individually for our guys. It is sad to see some of our seniors leave the program, but I am happy of the foundations they have left for the future Sullivan wrestlers.”

Colton Brendel (40-5) and Dominic Ransom (31-9) had historic seasons for Sullivan. They both passed 100 career victories and won conference and district titles. The two also took first place at Brentwood and second place at DeSoto.

Brendel capped off his accomplished four years with a third-place finish at state and a first-team all-area selection for the 165 class. After graduating, he plans to compete in track and field at Southwest Baptist University.

Ransom was named a first-team all-area wrestler for the 144 class.

Conner Roach (37-4) reached great heights last winter, clinching third place on the state podium. He notched a conference championship under his belt and placed second at districts. The junior was the runner-up for All-Area Boys Wrestler of the Year award and was named to the first team for the 132 class. He also landed  in first place at DeSoto, and second at Wentzville-Liberty.

Adam Peregoy (39-9) eclipsed 100 career wins in his senior season, took first at conference, and earned first-team all-area honors for the 150 class. The senior also finished first at Brentwood, second at the Bob Georger Classic and third at districts. He will continue wrestling at Westminster College after leaving a legacy behind for the Eagles.

Dayton Skaggs (24-16) left it all on the mat his senior year, winning a conference championship and being the district runner-up. He landed a second-team all-area spot for the 190 class. Skaggs also clinched the top of the podium at Brentwood and took fourth at DeSoto. He will take the next step of his athletic career at Crowley’s Ridge College.

Camden Henderson (35-10) was the district and conference champion of the 113 class. He also finished first at DeSoto and third at Brentwood. Henderson capped off his sophomore year with first-team all-area honors.

Carter Blankenship (27-15) finished his junior season with a second-team all-area selection. He was also the district and conference runner-ups for the 120 class. Blankenship kicked off his year with a fourth-place finish at Wentzville-Liberty and took third at Brentwood and DeSoto.

Eli Peregoy (13-4) had a successful junior season, finishing second at districts and qualifying for state. He also placed third at DeSoto and earned a first-team all-area selection for the 138 class.

Oliver Borton (26-19) received an all-area honorable mention in the 126 class for his efforts last winter. The sophomore’s top finishes were third place at districts, conference and Brentwood.

Nolan Center (24-12) was dominant on the mat as a junior. His best placements last year were first at Brentwood, third at DeSoto and fourth at conference.

Kane Strehl (25-23) clinched state his senior year after taking 4th at districts. He placed 3rd at Brentwood and 4th at Four Rivers. Strehl received an all-area honorable mention for the 175 class in his final season as an Eagle.

Jeremiah “J-Rod” Rodriguez (13-13) finished his accomplished high school career with an all-area honorable mention in the 215 class. He took second place at conference, third at districts and competed at state during his senior year.

Draysen Nolie (6-12) also wrapped up a successful career on the mat last winter. The senior was awarded an all-area honorable mention for the 138 class, and finished second at conference. After high school, Nolie plans to compete on the rodeo team at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College.