Cape Wrestling Quad Meet: Jackson wrestling remains perfect, Tiger upperweight Connor Poole’s comeback season

Getting a hand raised has a way of making wrestlers smile.

So, there were plenty of wide smiles on the faces of the red-and-white clad wrestlers of Jackson following their dominant clean sweep at Wednesday’s Cape Quad Meet held at Cape Central High School.

The Indians, who have breezed to an 8-0 record this season, came roaring out at the opening whistle and never let up, shutting out Kennett 78-0 before hammering McCracken County (Ky.) 71-4.

“The first match we were a little bit lackadaisical and we weren't real focused,” head coach Steve Wachter said. “Then we really came back that second match and really got focused and wrestled really well. I thought we wrestled well on our feet, and especially good on top. But we wrestled some really good kids. They had a couple of really good kids, and we wrestled well tonight against them. I guess I really like it because we haven't had school and it's hard to keep everybody focused when you're out of routine.”

Jackson sure got back into a routine after picking up bonus-point victories in 26 of its 28 contested bouts on Wednesday.

Fresh off a Granite City Tournament championship, junior heavyweight Brysen Wessell had the match of the night against Kennett in the opener. Facing a quality opponent in senior Kevin Thompson, Wessell used a pair of go-behind takedowns in the first and third period to capture a convincing 7-0 win.

Against McCracken, the highlight for the Indians was junior Kade King’s dominant three-takedown performance over Camdin Freibory at 138 pounds. King used a pair of slick single-leg takedowns in the opening two periods before putting the Mustang away for a 12-0 major decision.

“He was really strong starting off,” King said. “And I just think me getting moving and getting loose and getting that first takedown really helped me gain more confidence. I knew he was probably the best one on the team, but I also feel that I'm one of the best ones on our team too, so I’ve just got to go into it with confidence.”

Among the many wrestlers who looked sharp, the Indians also got big nights from sophomore 152-pounder Caleb Schlick, who picked up a pin and a 13-1 major, sophomore 120-pounder Nolan Turner, and freshman 106-pounder Kael Davis.

With that, Jackson remains in prime position to reclaim a SEMO Conference title and could not have asked for a stronger start, winning eight duals by a combined 487-52 count and earning 10 individual titles in four tough tournaments.

As the Indians prepare to unwrap an increasingly more difficult itinerary in 2025, Wachter believes his well-balanced team is poised to meet the rigors that both a conference and state-wide schedule routinely offers.

“We've had some really outstanding competition at Granite City and at KCI (Kansas City Invitational),” Wachter said. “I don't know if you can get it any better than at KCI than what we had. So, I think our preparation is good coming into conference and district with whoever we get. The question is, ‘are we going to use what we've been through to help us to get better and to kind of reach that point to where we can make it to the state championships?’”

King feels that vibe and believes that Wednesday’s outing can be a springboard for the rest of the year, especially when the postseason rolls around.

“We’re going to have a tough dual next week against St. Gen,” he said. “I feel like this is going to give us more confidence because we’ve got to carry this over to next week and beyond.”

With Jackson’s tri-meet against Eureka and Troy Buchanan tomorrow evening cancelled, the Indians will rest up and turn the page to next week when they travel to Sikeston for a tri-meet against the host Bulldogs and Ste. Genevieve on Wednesday, Jan. 15.

Cape Central splits in home quad

First-year head coach Preston Hobeck and his Cape Central Tigers went 1-1 in their home quad on Wednesday after defeating McCracken and falling to Kennett.

Junior 215-pounder Connor Poole led the way, earning a pin against McCracken’s Domonique Bryant and a forfeit against the Indians to continue his hot streak. The Tiger upperweight also captured a 2024 Tiger Classic title at heavyweight just three weeks ago, majoring Thompson of Kennett 10-1 in the finals.

This all comes a year after Poole blew his knee out during the 2023 high school football season.

“Last year I didn't get to wrestle because I had a complete PCL tear and meniscus tear,” Poole said. “And really just getting back to confidence and working off the rust from not being able to get out on the mat last year has been the biggest thing so far.”

He — along with several previously unproven Tiger wrestlers — have helped plug gaping holes in the lineup early this season, and his progression serves as a bright spot for a youthful team under a new regime.

“I think just the overall technique and effort has gotten a lot better over the course of the season,” Poole said. “People have quit and the numbers have dwindled down, but really now we're getting into the nitty gritty. People that we know want to compete and want to come and wrestle every single day. We’re maturing as a young team and that's all we really can do.”

Cape Central returns to the mat this Saturday, Jan. 11, for the Central Rebel Invitational Tournament in Park Hills.