Centralia boys wrestling had another strong showing on Feb. 3 at home and believe they aren’t at their best yet.

The Panthers defeated Chillicothe 47-36 and Fulton 52-15 in their regular season home finale. It was also Senior Night so Rex Bryson, Marshall Kable and Blake Bodine were recognized during a ceremony before they stepped on home mats for the final time. 

Head coach Luke Gramke said he challenged the kids to “clean some things up” because they didn’t look their best during the weekend’s Highway 13 Throwdown tournament in Higginsville. The Panthers were the runner-up in that tournament, but Gramke said there were improvements three days later.

Centralia Senior Night Photo Gallery

“It was a pace and tempo situation,” Gramke said. “I didn't think we were the most controlling wrestlers on (Jan. 31). We didn’t get to our ties, we didn’t have good head-and-hands defense and we didn’t have good leg-attack defense. I challenged them to clean those things up and we did. It was evident from every single wrestler up and down the lineup.”

Centralia had familiarity with Chillicothe because the Panthers wrestled them in a dual near the end of the past two seasons. Centralia had a 35-30 lead this time before the final two matches were won by Jaden Decker and Kable at 215 and 285 pounds, respectively.

Gramke said Centralia is covered whenever it loses a bunch of seniors like it did after last season’s state championship. The Panthers are ranked second in Class 1 because of the efforts of the talent the team has coming.

“We have some quality kids,” Gramke said. “The amount of competition in our wrestling room is pretty awesome. We’ve got so-and-so ready to rock and roll. They’ve waited this out, they’ve bought into the program and they do a great job.”

Eason Gooding is a freshman who picked up a pinfall after wrestling a competitive match at 126 pounds. The junior Decker’s pinfall win gave Centralia some breathing room and sealed the dual victory.

“Eason Gooding, you know every time he steps on the mat that he’s going to go hard,” Gramke said. “It’s going to be a flurry. You’re not going to see a lot of wrestling moves that you’ve ever seen before. It’s going to be highly entertaining. It’s a high-effort that does it with a smile on his face.

“Jaden Decker’s pace was increased and temp was increased and he put himself in a position to win that match,” Gramke added.

The team’s wrestlers have a group of seniors to look up to this season. Kable had a busy Senior Night with two pinfall victories, Bryson picked up a quick technical fall victory in his lone match after being named Mr. Grappler by the team and Bodine sat out but hopes to be back before districts. 

Kable said he was thankful to have two opponents on Senior Night and was happy that they each featured different styles.

“Everybody’s got their own unique style,” Kable said. “Each of these kids did something a little different that I hadn’t quite seen fully this season. It gave me something to look at and prepare for toward postseason.”

Kable has been wrestling since he was eight years old and remembers when he was younger in the high school program, looking up to the seniors. He is now one of the kids they look up to, and he doesn’t take this role lightly.

“I’ve grown by looking up to the previous leaders of the wrestling room, knowing I want to be like them some day,” Kable said. “Now I’m a senior, I get to step in their shoes. It feels like an honor.”

Kable and Bodine each made the podium during state last year, and Bryson was a state champion. Gramke said Kable has made a big jump in the program after not seeing much varsity action as a freshman but knows the senior has “his eyes on a much bigger prize.”

“It’s hard work and discipline,” Gramke said. “It didn’t happen on accident. It happened in the weight room, he had a great football season, and he’s extremely disciplined and coachable. If he makes a mistake, he learns from it and typically doesn’t make it again.”

Gramke said Bryson has been “a staple to our program from the moment he stepped on a wrestling mat.”

“He was a freshman who could instantly compete and now he is a senior leader,” Gramke said. “Everybody looks up to him, and he’s a great kid on top of all of that. His character is far greater than his athletic gifts.”

Bodine didn’t wrestle on Senior Night, but Gramke said he is looking forward to him following up a “terrific” season.

“Blake Bodine is a feisty kid,” Gramke said. “Last year, I don’t know how many matches where he may have given up the first takedown or given up a turn. Come the third period, there was no quit in him.”

Gramke admitted he would be “pushing the envelope” with his kids when he started coaching, but he has adopted a more conservative approach when it comes to a wrestler’s health. If they don’t feel great, they are sitting. He believes this will result in Centralia having its best lineup at the best possible time at districts on Feb. 20-21 in Higginsville.

“We fully expect to be at full strength come district time,” Gramke said. “We’ll have all 14 weight classes represented. They’ll be excited to finally be at full strength come district time.”