The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

High School Sports

Discussion

December 13, 2012

Miami rebuilding Wardog Invitational

The Joplin Globe

GRANBY, Mo. — Several area wrestling teams will wrap up their pre-holiday schedules with tournaments this weekend.

Joplin is one of 17 teams scheduled to compete at the Miami Wardog Invitational today and Saturday.

“We’ve figured out some of the things we need to work on,” said head coach David Myers, who is in his first season at Joplin. “We’ll see how we stack up against these kids. Our district is extremely tough and our end goal is preparing for district.”

Other area teams in the tournament include Caney Valley, Coffeyville and Columbus from Kansas and Grove and Miami in Oklahoma.

“After a long absence, we have Columbus and (Tulsa) East Central back in,” said Miami head coach Mark Malcom. “We’re trying to build it back up like it was in the ’80s and ’90s when it was one of the toughest tournaments in the state.”

The tournament begins at 4 p.m. today with three rounds of pool wrestling. Bracket rounds begin at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Owasso is the defending champion.

“We saw them in a tournament last week,” Malcom said. “If I had to pick right now, I’d have to say they probably have the upper hand.”

The Harrisonville Christmas Tournament today and Saturday has attracted 35 teams, mostly from Classes 2 and 3 in Missouri. Included in the field are Webb City, Carl Junction, Seneca and Nevada.

Neosho returns this weekend to the Kansas City Stampede, a major tournament that has attracted 36 teams from 10 states. Neosho is the only area team in the tournament, which is held at Hale Arena, just north of the Kemper Arena grounds.

Text Only
High School Sports