Roark becomes first two-time champion, 3 others medal

By Kyle Troutman [email protected]

With 10 seconds left in the Class 2 175-pound title match, senior Colton Roark, defending state champion had only one thing on his mind — “I cannot get put onto my back right now.”

With a few seconds of escaping and a few more of grappling, Roark made Cassville wrestling history, becoming the first ever in the program to win two state titles.

“It feels amazing,” Roark said. “Unbelievable. Just like last year — it’s amazing.”

Roark, a four-time state medalist and now two-time champion, said his focus in the tunnel before the title bout was singular.

“I was thinking this is 6 minutes for the rest of my life, for the last time ever,” Roark said. “I have just got to go out on top having the knowledge of I might not ever step on a mat again. Might as well do it in a good fashion.”

The championship match was Roark’s only full six-minute bout of the tournament, having pinned his first-round opponent in 18 seconds and his quarterfinal opponent in 45 seconds, then getting a 15-0 technical fall over his semifinal opponent in 1:28. 

However, in the championship against Savannah’s Kaiden Phillips, Roark said he adjusted his approach.

“Coach Fortner before the match told me he kind of likes tie ups a lot,” Roark said. “I knew I had to be careful a little bit more than with the other kids throughout the tournament. I kind of tried to slow down, have my own little slower pace. I definitely didn’t open up like normal, but I wish I could have.”

The final result, a 6-3 decision, hinged heavily on a takedown in the first period, with only 2 second remaining on the clock.

“He had that strong over hook, but I had perfect leverage with my under and I saw his leg standing there,” Roark said. “He’s pretty heavy on his feet, so I thought if I was quick enough, I can get there and make something happen. It worked out for me.”

In the closing seconds, Roark clung to the lead and to legacy.

“It was the last 10 seconds of my career,” Roark said. “I cannot get put into my back right now. Survive. Do my best to stay on my feet. Go out on top.”

For Roark, the fourth trip to state carried added weight.

“Football-wise, I want to do that in college, more than wrestling recently, so the fact that this could be my last time wrestling in front of friends, family and crowds [was on my mind],” Roark said. “Wrestling has a special place in my heart, and I just really wanted to go out with that big win at the end.”

Roark said sharing the experience with a large Cassville contingent —seven other boys and one girl — left a major impact.

“It was awesome,” Roark said. “I think that’s the most we’ve brought my whole high school career. The ride up on the bus, the team bonding at the mini golf place, letting all these kids that are younger come see such a cool event — I just try to pave the way and show them a good way to go, and just try to be a leader.”

Coach Nathan Fortner said Roark’s championship run was the product of talent and preparation.

“Colton is just a very special wrestler,” Fortner said. “He’s got all the athletic ability in the world.”

“When the lights come on, that kid can lock in,” Fortner said. “He pays attention and watches matches and picks up on little things that his opponents do. He’ll come up to me and talk to me about stuff they do before I even get a chance.”

Fortner said as Roark surmised, the title bout required discipline.

“We knew it was going to be a tough match,” Fortner said. “Colton wrestled a really smart match. He controlled the ties, he controlled the position. He was never really in danger.”

Roark finished his career with 194 wins and joined an accomplished senior class that elevated the program standard.

“Between Colt, Tristan Thompson, Riley James and Ethan Sizemore, there was probably close to 600 wins between the four of them,” Fortner said. “They really paved the way and upped the bar for the wrestling program. A lot of thanks to them. They deserve it; they earned it.”

Cassville’s season as a whole set a new benchmark.

“I was really proud of my guys this year,” Fortner said. “This was the best season we’ve ever had. From beginning to end. We were 12 and one in duals, and the only team we lost to we had beat earlier that year.”

At districts, Fortner believed the Wildcats were peaking before injury shifted momentum. James, a senoir three-time state qualifier and three-time medalist, suffered a knee injury that ended his career early.

“Districts, that first day and going into the second day, we had probably the best wrestling I had seen since I’ve been at Cassville,” Fortner said. “We were up on the No. 1 projected team in the state, [Seneca, which finished in second place at state behind Odessa]. We had a lot of momentum and then Riley blew his knee out. I think momentum’s a real thing in sports, even individual sports, and we fell apart a little bit from that moment on.”

Even so, multiple Wildcats reached Day 2 at state, with Roark leading the charge with the title, junior Boni Lopez earning a fifth-place medal and senior Tristan Thompson taking sixth place.

“In the sport of wrestling, you can lose pretty quick,” Fortner said. “There were just some matches that kind of got away from us, but the effort’s always there with this team.”

Lopez, at 106 pounds, reached the semifinals but fell in the next two, ultimately winning the fifth-place bout with a nearfall in the dying seconds to turn a 6-8 loss into a 10-8 victory. Lopez said he rebounded from last year’s disappointment to reach the podium.

“Last year, I lost in the blood round at districts and didn’t make it to state,” Lopez said. “It feels pretty good to go out there and come back with the medal. I was feeling down after the two losses [in the semifinals and consolation semifinals at state], but my coaches just told me to keep wrestling, just to go out there and have fun.

“The experience has been pretty good. My teammates and coaches just helped me throughout the season cutting weight and everything. It’s been a pretty good time.”

Thompson, a four-time qualifier at 165 pounds, battled back from injury to return for his final tournament, only to see it ended by the nagging knee. Thompson won his first two matches to ensure a medal, but in the consolation semifinals, his knee gave out. 

Settling for sixth place, it was Thompson’s third medal of his career.

“I was out from late December to mid-February, and it felt good to come back,” Thompson said. “I was good, my knee was good, and getting back felt awesome. It had been a rough season so far, but it ended worse. 

“Not many can say they made it all four years, so I was happy to be here, but it was not how I wanted it to go.”

Thompson said for younger wrestlers hoping to make waves at state, the biggest quality needed is work ethic.

“Wrestle hard,” he said. “Find a love for it, grind and grind, have faith in yourself, what you know and what you do, and everything will be good.”

The fourth Cassville program medal went to the only female wrestler who qualified, junior Analeigh Winchell at 155 pounds. Reaching the semifinals with two Day 1 wins, Winchell fought a tough semifinal that resulted in a loss, and from there, she said it was tough to get back in the groove.

“It was more exciting this year being able to come to state, and I hope to come next year again with more girls,” she said. “It was a lot better here the second time because the nerves were not as bad. It’s pretty fun with all the guys. They are very supportive, which I feel a lot of people might not expect since I was the only girl here. 

“I think my mindset overall was not as good on Day 2. After my first match, I just went downhill and it was tougher to focus.”

Despite the second-day disappointment, Winchell said the first day was a thrill.

“It was definitely overwhelming, and I feel I didn’t show a lot of emotion, but inside, I was really excited I was guaranteed a placement spot after the first day,” she said.

Casey Parsons, Cassville girls wrestling coach, said she’s proud of Winchell’s effort, and she is excited for what her senior year may bring.

“I am so proud of Analeigh,” Parsons said. “I know she didn’t end how she wanted, but to be a two-time state medalist is a huge accomplishment. I believe this will light more of a fire inside her for her senior year! 

Zach Myers, at 190 pounds, was a returning state medalist competing in his second state tournament as a sophomore. This time around, Myers fell in his first match, won his second, but suffered a Day 1 elimination with a loss in the second consolation round. He said the experience will drive his offseason.

“It’s not how I wanted it to go after I worked hard all season to get here,” Myers said. “I have two more years, and going into the offseason I want to work 10 times harder. I want to push the pace. State was awesome, and it felt good to bring as many people as we did this year. It blows my mind how many we qualified. It helps that we wrestle together, support each other and push each other through each round.”

Rylen Holman, a first-time qualifier at 126 pounds, dropped his opening match but won his next two to reach Day 2. However, a 4-2 decision left him one win away from the medals. Despite the disappointment, the junior is looking ahead to another run.

“It was awesome to get the opportunity to come,” Holman said. “It didn’t quite go as I would have liked, but I have another year to get back. I’m really glad I made it to Day 2. It was awesome to go out there with the couple seniors and wrestle with them one more time. 

“I look up to the seniors because they are a good group, and I will try to follow in their footsteps. I like the team. They are all my friends, and I love the lineup and who we wrestle with.”

Fortner said Holman’s work ethic stands out.

“He did everything,” Fortner said. “We did two-a-days starting in January. I went in early at 6 a.m. Ryland never missed a day. He did all the things right.”

Junior Kole Fry, a first-time qualifier at 132 pounds, fell in his first two matches and was eliminated. He said the environment was memorable.

“It was a pretty cool and fun experience,” Fry said. “I was really tired because I didn’t eat much since I was over weight. It was a good experience being with all the seniors, and working with them in practice helped a ton.”

Tyler Hodge, a freshman at 157 pounds, was pinned in his first two matches, but he said the experience was memorable and educational.

“It was pretty fun,” he said. “I went to state a few times with club, but high school is much different and much bigger. I felt like I was not so alone because I had people with me who had been there, and I can count on them. It was a big help with everything.

“For the most part, I feel pretty good about how I did. There’s a few things I could change, but I did decent. Next year I feel I will have a better look going in because I’ve already been there, so i’ll be more prepared.”

Ethan Sizemore, 285-pound senior at his second state tournament, suffered the same two-match elimination fate.

“I’m happy I made it a second time because not a lot get to do that, but it definitely did not go the way I wanted,” Sizemore said. “It meant a lot to be with the same group of guys I’ve always wrestled with and to see how people grow in that time frame, both as people and as wrestlers. The most fun part is the practice in Hearnes the day before state starts. You get to see all the Mizzou stuff hanging.”

Sizemore said to find success at the state level, a major necessary quality is consistency.

“Keep stacking the good days,” he said. “Consistency is a key factor. Show up and put in the work no one else will see. That helped me leaps and bounds. I went from three wins my freshman year to qualifying for state twice. That takes hard work.”

Each of the seniors had their own shout-outs to give after their matches. Thompson had a special message for a man who helped carry him through his prep career, Cassville assistant coach and his father, Troy Thompson.

“Thank you, dad,” Tristan Thompson said. “I love you.”

Thompson and Sizemore also wanted to credit two other coaches, Chris “Papa” Fortner and Matthew Allen, for their guidance over the last four years. Allen is taking a job at another district following this school year. Troy Thompson will also leave a vacancy in the assistant coaching ranks.

The final message came from the history-maker, Roark, who no matter what sport he is playing ends his interviews with the same four words.

“I love my mom,” he said.