Francis Howell Central senior Terrel Wilbourn closed out a spectacular prep wrestling career as a “three-peat” state champion.
Wilbourn won the 140-pound state title at last weekend’s Missouri State High School Activities Association Class 4 state championships in Columbia. Wilbourn defeated Keenan Hagerty of Blue Springs 6-3 in the championship match to finish his senior season with a 29-1 record. Wilbourn’s victory over Hagerty in the state finals avenged his only loss of the season.
On his way to the state championship, Wilbourn also defeated Tyler Sennabend of Parkway South and Chad Holman of Lee Summit North by pin fall in the first two rounds. In the semifinals, he defeated Blake Pepper of Seckman 7-3.
Wilbourn compiled a stunning record of 127-3 during his three-year state championship run. He finished 49-2 as a sophomore when he won the state title at 112 pounds. As a junior, he finished the season with a perfect 51-0 record and a state title at 130 pounds. He also earned an all-state medal as a freshman when he finished fifth at 103 pounds. His overall record for his four-year career at Howell Central was 175-7.
Antoine White wins state
Another local wrestler to bring home a state title was Antoine White of Hazelwood West, who won the Class 4 championship at 119 pounds. White defeated Ben Henson of Francis Howell Central 5-3 to earn his first individual state championship. White was a state medalist as a sophomore and a junior.
White advanced to the state championship match with victories over Blake Dixon of St. Joe Central, Danny Ferrel of Seckman and Colton Orlando of Timberland. He finished his senior year with a perfect 29-0 record.
Several other athletes brought home state medals as all-state performers. In Class 4, Patrick Whitener of McCluer North was the state runner-up at 145 pounds. Hazelwood Central’s DuShawn Frasier finished in fifth place at 152. Frasier had a 37-2 record. Frasier’s teammate at Central, Tyrone Williams, finished in third place at 160 pounds. Donnell Walker of Parkway South finished in sixth place at 285 pounds.
In Class 3, Nicholas Bolden of Hazelwood East brought home a fifth-place medal at 285 pounds. In Class 2, McCluer South Berkeley’s Almando Conner was the state runner-up at 145 pounds. Conner finished the season with a 39-3 record. Teammate Herschel Prater finished in fifth place at 285 pounds.
In Class 1, Whitfield High sophomore Chris Wilkes finished third in the 130-pound weight division. Wilkes finished the season with a 54-2 record as he helped the Warriors to a state runner-up finish in the team standings.
East Side medals
On the Illinois side, Belleville West sophomore Mech Spraggins and Cahokia High senior Thomas Gantt brought home state runner-up medals from the IHSA State Championships, which were held in Champaign.
Spraggins was the state runner up at 119 pounds in the Class 3A state meet while Gantt finished second at 140 pounds in the Class 2A meet. Spraggins has been a state finalist in both of his years of varsity competition. Mascoutah High’s Lavion Mayes was a third-place finisher in the Class 2A, 140-pound weight class.
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