Republic earns two medals at state wrestling tournament

Republic wrestlers brought home two medals from the state tournament in Columbia. Jonathan O’Connell finished second at 138 pounds and Wyatt George finished
sixth at 106 pounds. Senior Michael Taylor, who finished his career with more wins than any other Republic wrestler, fell just one win short of medaling in his fourth state
tournament appearance. For O’Connell, it was the second consecutive year that he made the championship match. He lost 1-0 to Mitchell Bohlken of Smithville in the finals.
George won his first two matches of the tournament, but fought his way back to the medal stand. He dropped his fifth-place match to Ethan Moses of Van Horn.
Taylor nearly reached the medal stand, too, despite losing his opener in a difficult draw. He lost his first match to eventual fourth-place finisher Tyler Leonard of Hannibal,
then won two straight before falling to conference rival Kolton Sanders of Neosho to get eliminated.