2015-16 Winter Sports Magazine 2015-16 Winter Sports Magazine • N the Zone - 3 LET’S PLAY 20 QUESTIONS with
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the 2015-16 WINTER SPORTS Nz ne MAGAZINE WRESTLING RISING IN THE RANKS Photos, rosters and 4 schedules for every NHS and NJHS FALL winter sports team SPORTS 11HIGHTLIGHTS 2 - N the Zone • 2015-16 Winter Sports Magazine 2015-16 Winter Sports Magazine • N the Zone - 3 LET’S PLAY 20 QUESTIONS WITH ... WRESTLING ANE EPPOND RECORDS LNixa senior and wrestler R • Where do you see yourself in fi ve years: • Favorite thing to do on the weekend: Graduated from a four-year school and looking for a job Hang out with friends and go to football games • Most treasured possession: My car • Three things I’d want on a • Best thing about being a Nixa Eagle: deserted island: Cell phone, Support from everybody — students, faculty, my lighter and mattress mom, who works here — everybody’s behind us. • Best thing about my family: • Favorite sport to watch: Baseball. I grew up playing it. My family has supported me in everything I’ve done • Favorite team: I’m a St. Louis Cardinals fan. and the decisions I’ve made. They’re going to help me get • Hot dogs, nachos or soft pretzel: Hot dog through whatever obstacles are in front of me. • I can’t wait until: Two-pound allowance • Best thing • Favorite movie: “The Rookie” about wrestling: It’s just me and • Favorite color: Orange one other guy. • Favorite thing to do outdoors: I can’t blame I’m a big hunter and I like to fi sh. anyone else for a loss. • Favorite thing to do indoors: I shoot indoor archery. State Champions Dakota Davis 130 (2011) Jake Pritchett (2010, 11) Joe Evans (2004) • What’s on Trevor Collins 171 (2005) Christian Lance 182 (2014) Lane Corya (2009, 10, 12) Chris Campbell (2004) your bucket Nick Velliquette 119 (2006) 6th Place Tony Corsolini (2010, 12) Chuck Schultz (2002) • I really want to: Place at state list? Skydiving Trevor Collins 189 (2006) Tom Evans 145 (2007) Nick Rap(2010) Eric Hack (2001) Trevor Collins 215 (2007) Brandon Curbow HWT (2007) Andrew Cauble (2007, 08, 09, Dustin Martin (2001, 02, 03) • One place I really want to visit: Joe Velliquette 106 (2012) Lane Corya 103 (2010) 10) Seth Isringhauser (1999) I’d like to see the Grand Canyon. • How many texts Joe Velliquette 126 (2013) Stanton Finley 106 (2013) Lyden Corya (2009, 10) Top Team Finish Joe Velliquette 138 (2014) State Qualifi ers Sam Evans (2008, 09, 10) Fourth, Class 3 2007 do you send in a Christian Lance 220 (2015) Floyd Marshall (2015) John Dodson (2007, 08) First State Qualifi er: Seth • When I grow up I want to be an: day: Not very many. Runner-Up Connor Langdon (2015) Kolby Rapp (2008) Isringhauser (1999) Engineer. I’m thinking mechanical, I can’t imagine Nick Velliquette 103 (2005) Nick Baxter (2015) Aaron Ward (2008) First Four-Time State Quali- but maybe civil. Beau Pickering 171 (2007) Austin Heatherly (2015) Jake Medford (2008) fi er (Andrew Cauble (2010) more than 100. Marshall Phelan 138 (2012) Christian Lance (2014, 15) Justin Dodson (2006, 07) First State Match Winner: Xyah Ra 285 (2014) Stanton Finley (2013, 14) Tom Evans (2007) Dustin Martin (2001) 3rd Place Naseeph Al-Roubaie (2013, Chris Duncan (2007) First Freshmen State Medal- Andy Cauble 103 (2008) 14) Dylan Shirey (2006, 07) ist: Joe Velliquette (2011) Lane Corya 120 (2012) Marshall Osborne (2013, 15) Beau Pickering (2006, 07) First State Medalist: Nick 4th Place Cameron White (2013) Trevor Collins (2004, 05, 06, Velliquette (2005) Aaron Ward 152 (2008) Ben Melton (2013, 14) 07) First Four-Time State Medal- Andy Cauble 119 (2010) Xyah Ra (2013, 14) Brandon Curbow (2006, 07) ist: Joe Velliquette (2014) www.NixaEnterprise.com • 123 Sherman Way, Ste. 101 • P.O. Box 594 • Nixa, MO 65714 • (417) 725-3745 Joe Velliquette 103 (2011) Marshall Phelan (2012) Nick Velliquette (2004, 05, 06) First State Champion: Trevor Xyah Ra HWT (2013) Joe Velliquette (2011, 12, 13, Chris Dowdy (2006) Collins (2005) Tricia Chapman, GM Amelia Wigton, Editor Jeff Kessinger, Sports Editor Paul Johns, Sales 5th Place 14) Nathaniel Wilson (2005) First Undefeated Season: Joe [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Beau Pickering 140 (2006) Dakota Davis (2011) Lee VonAllmen (2005) Velliquette 32-0 (2014) 4 - N the Zone • 2015-16 Winter Sports Magazine 2015-16 Winter Sports Magazine • N the Zone - 5 New wrestling room RISING IN to boost stellar Nixa THE RANKS program. Brady Brite a small, extra room where you share a locker for two years and haven’t had a catastrophic qualifier. Top: Senior Connor Langdon, trying to flip his for the Nixa Enterprise room with the PE kids, but we’re really on track injury to any of our athletes.’ If you’re on a Martin will also look for big years out of opponent during a 2014-15 match, is one of here was a time when Nixa wrestlers to step up and recognize our sport a little bit bad floor, you’re going to have injuries to your senior Lane Reppond, whose experience in three returning state qualifiers for Nixa. Langdon moved cafeteria tables and rolled out mats better by building this practice room.” knees, shoulders, a neck injury or something varsity should produce a strong senior season; wrestled at 126 pounds as a junior. for late-evening practice. Compared to the “Better” has several meanings here, Martin more traumatic. So, the No. 1 thing it does is, it and Donovan Benetti, a sophomore who T Below: Nick Baxter works for an advantage new wrestling room, that old routine seems like said. The old room was about 2,000 square makes it safer for the athlete.” jumped from 145 to 182 pounds this year. ancient history. feet, compared to more than 7,000 now, al- Nixa wrestlers, coaches and parents spent They’ll have some big shoes to fill after Joe against a Neosho wrestler during the 2014-15 season. Baxter qualified for state at 132 pounds Nixa wrestling is on a four-year state-title lowing all wrestlers to train at once instead of recent weekends in the wrestling room grap- Velliquette took home medals 2012-14, and as a junior and will wrestle as a light middle- streak, and, thanks to the program’s success rotating and taking turns. The former home was pling with hundreds of sheets of particleboard 2015 graduate Christian Lance medaled last weight during his senior season. and the support of the school district, parents multipurpose, while the new room will “have to build the program’s new foundation. year. None of this year’s returning qualifiers and volunteers, the newly-opened wrestling mats down 365 days a year.” Most impor- Martin said the team recognizes the symbol- placed at state last year, Harris said, so the room stands out as one of Missouri’s best and tantly, he said, unlike nearly every other school ism. season’s goal will be to continue the medal should help Eagle wrestlers bring home more wrestling room in Missouri, Nixa’s new home “It gives our wrestlers an identity” to build and streak and turn in even stronger individual state hardware. features a 6,000-square-foot subfloor of foam be part of the new, upgraded practice room, he performances. Head coach Dustin Martin beams when padding underneath sheets of particleboard said, “and it kind of lets them know our school Martin said this year’s schedule includes a talking about his team’s new room in the FEMA covering the massive new space, creating an district is supporting them. Our kids are excited half-dozen new teams, all Class 4 wrestling safe room second floor and the respect the elevated, cushioned, stage-type layer buffering about it, and we’ll take good care of that room powerhouses, to make Nixa wrestlers prove district has shown the program to invest in it. the mats from hard floor. and be proud to have it.” they belong in those ranks. That might mean But he’s quick to note how it’s not about your Assistant Coach Jeff Harris, who’s been Coaches are also proud of the returning cast taking “a few beatings” before competing to full amenities, but your commitment to the craft. with the program since 1998 and previously this year, with a trio of qualifiers leading the potential, but that’s how you build a program, “I make sure our kids understand: Hey, having coached at Division-I Southwest Missouri State charge. Senior Nicholas Baxter, a light middle- Martin said. the best room in the state is not going to make University — now Missouri State — said the sub- weight, qualified at 132 pounds in his junior “I think we’re on the rise,” Martin said, “and I you the best wrestler,” Martin said. “It doesn’t floor makes an enormous difference in training campaign. Senior Connor Langdon qualified at see a lot of healthy things in our program. I see make you any better at wresting, but it does quality and safety. 126 pounds and will likely stay in that weight good numbers in our youth and good numbers give you more opportunities when you have the “They prevent injuries,” Harris said. “If you range, Martin said. Floyd Marshall, a lightweight in the junior high and support for our facilities, space and the facility. Wrestling, unfortunately, a talk to people who wrestle on subfloors, a lot at 113 pounds, qualified as a freshman and will so I think there’s a lot of great things going, and lot of the time, gets pushed to the side and gets of them will say, ‘Hey, we’ve wrestled on these look to repeat as a potential career-long state I think we’re headed in the right direction.” 6 - N the Zone • 2015-16 Winter Sports Magazine 2015-16 Winter Sports Magazine • N the Zone - 7 Individual LET’S PLAY 20 QUESTIONS WITH ..