Dexter's McClendon takes third at SEMO Conference wrestling tourney

Jerry Jarrell photo Dexter's Daniel McClendon (on top) is shown moments before he pinned an opponent in the medal round of the SEMO Conference Wrestling tournament held Friday and Saturday at the Bearcat Event Center. McClendon finished third in the 189 lb. competition.

Daniel McClendon's third-place finish was tops for the Bearcats this past weekend as Dexter hosted the always competitive 12-team SEMO Conference Wrestling Tournament at the Bearcat Event Center.

McClendon, a senior wrestling at 189 lb.., pinned his opponent in the medal round Saturday to take third and put the finishing touches on what turned out to be a good day-two for the Bearcats.

Saturday was a little more generous to us," Dexter coach Rick Schwab commented. "We went over .500 as a team and made a good showing in the finals round winning 11 out of 12 matches."

The majority of the Dexter wrestlers came into the tournament unseeded, due in part to the caliber and quality of wrestlers in the SEMO Conference. The hurt the Bearcats because on day one, the higher seeds wrestle the lower seeds. A wrestler opened tournament competition with five-matches in a pool format where they earned position for medal round.

"As it has been since I've been here, the competition at this tournament is outstanding," Schwab noted. "Our wrestlers have improved tremendously over the years, but they are only scratching the surface to hang in with these top competitors.

"The majority of our wrestlers did not get seeded for this tournament, so the first day was very hectic for us since the seeded wrestlers wrestle the non-seeds," he continued. "We only won six matches out of twenty Friday night and those were pins by Zach McCoy, Brauk Burge, and Wes McCollough, along with two decisions by Daniel McClendon."

While the competition is tough, Schwab said the experience will help his team in the long run.

"The competition we see at SEMO Conference really allows us to put things into perspective," Schwab noted. "We have some great class two wrestlers (Dexter's class in the MSHSAA tournament) in our program, but when we face schools like Farmington and Jackson (larger class schools) it really shows us that we need to keep building to be the best. Being in this conference helps us to prepare for districts in three weeks. We know how to wrestle against good wrestlers, but this tournament helps us to compete against great wrestlers."

Farmington, came away with the SEMO Conference title with a total of 434 points. Jackson, Ste. Genevieve, Poplar Bluff and Cape Central round out the top five finishers.

Dexter will be back in action tonight when the Bearcats host the New Madrid County Central Eagles at the high school gymnasium. Junior varsity and exhibition matches will get underway at 6 p. m. with varsity action to follow.

Dexter's Final Results:

2010 SEMO Conference Tournament

103 -- Hunter Hardin -- 7th

119 -- David Dement -- 7th

130 -- Zach McCoy -- 7th

135 -- Ryan Vanover -- 5th

140 -- Dylan Hardin -- 7th

145 -- Cody Stevens -- 9th

152 -- Brauk Burge -- 7th

160 -- Wes McCoullough -- Injury Default -- 6th

171 -- Zach Watson -- 7th

189 -- Daniel McClendon -- 3rd

215 -- Ben Rodgers -- 7th

HWT -- Zach Lacy -- 5th