Show-Me Showmen

By Jake Singleton
The Journal Staff

Blue Springs’ Clarance Neely and Chris Chionuma help lead Missouri to a 32-24 win over Kansas in the 16th Annual U.S Army Metro Classic Dual.

Blue Springs seniors Chris Chionuma and Clarence Neely helped spark the Missouri all-star wrestling team to a 32-24 win over the Kansas all-stars in the 16th annual Army Metro all-star wrestling classic at Kansas City Community College. Chionuma, who was 33-4 overall and a state champion at 160-pounds, wrestled down a weight class to face Sabetha’s Jordan Meyer. Meyer entered the match 38-1 with his lone loss coming in state, but lost by technical fall (21-6) to Chionuma, who began a six-match winning streak by Missouri that allowed them to separate themselves from the order rivals. “Chris dominated his guy,” said Wildcat wrestling head coach Mike Hagerty. “It was truly a takedown clinic.” During the six-match stretch, Neely, who was 50-2 and a state champion at 171 pounds, kept things going with an 11-7 win over Leavenworth’s Phil Witt. Witt entered 42-8 overall and was a state runner-up. “Clarence dominated on his feet and struggled on the bottom against a guy who was very tough on top,” Hagerty said. Other Missouri winners included: Raymore-Peculiar’s Justin Forrest (119) 5-1 over Blue Valley’s Jake Tanenbaum; Kearney’s Colin Pierce (125) 15-8 over Blue Valley North’s Nathan McCormick; Platte County’s Tyler St. Louis (140) 8-5 over Gardner-Edgerton’s Aldon Isenberg; Oak Park’s Marcus Armato (160) 14-6 over Prarie View’s C.J. Randell; Oak Park’s Brent Hayes (189) 16-2 over Shawnee Mission’s Matt Baker; Oak Park’s Kolton Kono (215) 13-5 over St. Thomas Aquinas’ E.J. Walter and Oak Park’s Elijah Madison (285) 9-4 over Rossville’s Duane Zlatnik.