Washington Wrestling Crowns Four State Medalists; Kendra Bliss Wins 125-Pound Title
Four Washington High School wrestlers earned all-state honors by placing in the top six of their respective weight classes during the MSHSAA Wrestling Championships on Friday and Saturday, February 24-25, at Mizzou Arena in Columbia.
Leading the way was Kendra Bliss, who captured the first individual state championship in the history of the girls wrestling program.
Also earning medals from Washington were Annelise Obermark (second place), Julia Donnelly (third place) and Casey Olszowka (third place).
Bliss (49-3) cruised through the bracket to win the girls Class 2 title at 125 pounds. She registered first-period pins in all four of her matches, winning in 33 seconds, 11 seconds, 1:53, and 1:28. She defeated Nixa’s Addison Harkins (45-6) in the finals.
Bliss’ most impressive win came in the semifinals, where she pinned Lebanon standout Halea Bartel (45-4) in 1:53. Bartel went on to place third at 125.
“It really hasn’t kicked in. I think it will sink in eventually, but right now I just feel like I got my job done and did what I was supposed to do. I worked my butt off to get here. It was time that I kicked it in and ended the season strong,” Bliss said. “All the work I put in, I wanted to make it count. I wanted to make all the work worth it. I just wanted to come out here and wrestle. Whatever was destined to happen would happen. Being a state champion was 100 percent my goal. I felt like I had the potential to do it, so why not make that my goal.
“It’s crazy to be the first state champion in our girls program. I hope it inspires other girls to wrestle. Wrestling has changed my life, and I hope it changes someone else’s life. This is my passion. I didn’t know this would be my passion or I would be a state champion until I started wrestling. I hope I can inspire other girls from our school or in middle school to join.
“I want to thank my parents and my coaches. My parents have been there from day one. They’ve always believed in me. I wouldn’t be here without their support. Coach (Josh) Ohm has been there from day one, too. Having those people in my life is how I got here.”
Obermark (44-8) reached the state championship match at 135 pounds, dropping a 12-6 decision to Parkway South’s Janiah Jones (32-2) in a rematch of the district championship contest.
“The first time I faced her at districts, I got pinned in the second period. This time, I didn’t get pinned and I scored a few more points. My goal for next year is to come back to state and get first,” Obermark said.
The biggest moment of the weekend for Obermark came Friday in the quarterfinals, where she defeated previously unbeaten Brenya Crahan of Nixa by an 8-0 decision. Crahan (51-1) went on to place third at 135.
“I think my best match was definitely beating the Nixa girl. That felt really good,” Obermark said. “It’s still hard to believe I was in the state championship match. I broke my ankle at the very end of last season. I wasn’t sure how it was going to feel this season. As the season went on, I was having fun again and thought that I could keep doing this.”
Donnelly (34-4) capped her standout wrestling career with her third state medal at 110 pounds, defeating Liberty’s Jaden Breeden (38-8) by a 4-2 decision for her highest career finish. She lost in the semifinals to Lebanon’s Jessa Joiner (50-1), who went on the win the state crown.
“I’m happy to get us team points and to get my third medal. I was hoping for first place just because I’m a go-getter. I’m proud of how far I’ve come. This isn’t the end for me. I know I can get better,” Donnelly said. “In the third-place match, I didn’t have a strategy. I lost to her at Wonder Woman, but this was my last high school match and I did not want to lose. In the semifinals, I wrestled not to lose, instead of to win. I wish I could have seen her in the finals instead of the semifinals. I don’t ever look at the bracket. I thought I’d be wrestling her in the finals. I guess I wasn’t totally prepared. I’m happy I could help this program the way it helped me. This sport has been my escape, my go-to. I’m glad I can call these people my family. I love them all.”
Olszowka (53-3) took a more difficult route to claim his third-place medal at 157 pounds in the boys Class 3 ranks.
After losing his first-round match to Helias’ Eli Homan, Olszowka went on the win his next five matches to claim third-place honors. He won a 6-2 decision over Belton’s Landon Littleton (47-10) in the third-place match.
“I’m happy to get on the podium, especially after losing in the first round. I would have liked the chance to take out the top wrestler in the state in the second round (Hillsboro state champion Sam Richardson), but I didn’t get that chance,” Olszowka said. “Having to go through wrestlebacks, you just have to have the right mindset and the confidence to do it. All of those matches were tough, especially the last two. I’m happy to end the season with a win. I put in a lot of work with Coach Ohm to get here. The goal for next year is to be on top of the podium as the state champion.”
Donnelly, a senior, plans to continue her wrestling career at NAIA powerhouse Grand View University (Des Moines, Iowa). Bliss, Obermark and Olszowka all are juniors and will be looking for big senior seasons next winter.
Washington had 11 wrestlers competing at the state championships.
For the Lady Jays, Ava Griffey (120) was one win away from the medal stand with a 2-2 record, finishing the season with a 41-10 record. She recorded wins over Daphne Worley of Branson and Sydney Stifter of Belton.
Maggie Ortmann (155) also was a win away from the medal stand with a 2-2 record, finishing the season with a 38-15 record. She recorded wins over Lainey Ferrell of Holt and Ryan Garthoeffner of Rolla.
Nina Zimmermann (105) won her first-round match over North Kansas City’s Elena Moore, but lost her next two matches to end her season with a 45-9 record. Her quarterfinal loss came against eventual state champion Kate Cooper of Timberland (37-0).
Kristin Sprung (145) dropped both of her matches, but went the distance in both and lost by decisions of 6-1 and 1-0 to end her season with a 27-24 record.
For the Blue Jays, Couper Deckard (120) posted a 1-2 record at state, defeating Helias’ Aleksandr Careaga by a 6-2 decision in the first round of wrestlebacks. He ended the season with a 39-14 record.
Devon Deckelman (126) posted a 1-2 record, defeating Pacific’s Caden Browning by a 7-4 decision in the first round of wrestlebacks. He ended the season with a 40-12 record.
Parker Kelpe (113) lost both of his matches, including a 12-8 decision to Hillsboro’s Gabe Barnett in the first round of wrestlebacks. He ended the season with a 31-20 record.
Photos of Washington wrestlers at the MSHSAA Wrestling State Championships are below.
