Missouri Military Academy wrestling doesn’t have any holes in its roster this season.
That means that the Colonels expect to have wrestlers competing at all 14 weight classes and even have …
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Missouri Military Academy wrestling doesn’t have any holes in its roster this season.
That means that the Colonels expect to have wrestlers competing at all 14 weight classes and even have multiple cadets vying for the same spot in most cases.
Head coach Levi Iman said the roster of about 35 brings a bigger influx in the smaller weight classes of 106 and 113 pounds.
“We’ve got four of five kids that are going to be able to fill those two spots for us,” Iman said. “Even with the lower number of guys we had come out, we have depth in each weight class. We have two or three guys in most of our weight classes so we have a good backup and we’ve got a good practice partner for everybody.”
Iman is excited to add newcomers like Daniel Bravo and Tyler Isbell to fill those lower weight classes.
The core of MMA’s team will be its senior group led by Ryan Miles. Last season, Miles qualified for state after winning 33 matches and went 0-2. He did have a tough draw by facing the eventual state champion Marco Dalakishvili, of St. Pius X (Kansas City) in his first match, and then lost a 3-1 decision to St. Francis Borgia’s Adam Ashworth.
“He’s looking really good, and he’s ready for some more,” Iman said. “He wants to go to state again.”
Michael Pfeifer is another key senior that hopes to bounce back after a couple of injuries last season and Adam Swenson and Blake Krull also are in that senior group. Nathaniel Summers is a junior heavyweight that will be with the Colonels for a full season after joining them mid-season a year ago.
Iman wants all of the wrestlers to be better prepared for districts and for end of season bouts. Keeping that in mind, MMA is scheduled to go to the Battle on the Katy Trail tournament in Sedalia, which will bring talented wrestlers from 60 schools, and a tournament at St. Mary’s South Side in St. Louis to face tougher competition.
“Of our district last year, it’s got about 75 percent of those schools,” Iman said about the Katy Trail tournament. “It’s going to be a great tournament for our guys to be able to go into and get a little bit of district competition.”
