The Holden boys took five wrestlers to the Katy Trail Tournament at Sedalia on December 20-21. The tournament is often considered a pre-state for class 1 schools. It features 48 schools including the top four team finishers from the 2023-24 class 1 state – St. Piux X, Father Tolton, Centralia, and Brookfield.
Returning state medalists, Trent Stout (165) and Aiden Christian (285) were the lone Holden wrestlers that qualified for the championship bracket after pool bouts Friday night.
Senior Aiden Christian finished as champion in the 285lb bracket. Christian went undefeated in the tournament with a 7-2 decision over Ruger Johnson of South Harrison in the finals. Christian became the first Eagles wrestler since Coby Seiz in 2013 to win the event.
Fellow senior, Trent Stout finished 8th in the 165lb bracket. Stout captured his 100th career win with a pin of Easton Freeman of Carrolton in pool action Friday night. Stout finished 5-3 at the tournament.
Graysen Thieman placed third in the consolation bracket (19th overall) in the 138-lb bracket. On Saturday, Thieman won three matches in the consolation bracket, highlighted by his 15-10 decision over Brody Busick of Lathrop.
Sophomores Payton Tye (132) and Kaleb Catron (144) gained valuable experience with 28th-place finishes in their brackets.
NOTES:
* Aiden Christian is undefeated (14-0) thus far on the season. Katy Trail was previously named Battle of Lexington before moving to Sedalia in 2017. Coby Seiz (2013) and Max Mickey (2012) are the only two Eagle previous champions.
* Trent Stout becomes the 3rd member of the 100-win club on the season, joining Ady Yoder and Macey Greene on the girl’s team. Ironically, each 2024 joining member also has a sibling Eagle wrestler as part of the 100-win club.
