COLUMBIA, Mo. — Earnest James Chandler simply couldn't wait.
The newborn came into this world Friday afternoon just as his oldest sister, Abby, was competing in the second round of Missouri Class 2 girls wrestling state championships at Mizzou Arena.
Just over 24 hours later, Abby had a state crown to go along with a brand-new baby brother.
"He wanted to see my championship," Abby said.
Chandler, properly motivated, blitzed the field by winning all three of her contested matches by fall.
The 235-pounder finished off a perfect weekend by pinning Grain Valley sophomore Jayden Moehle just 33 seconds into the championship match Saturday.
Chandler broke into tears seconds after the victory that capped off an exciting two-day stretch.
Chandler's mom Maggie was due to give birth February 29 and was unable to make the state tournament. Heath, the proud father, came up to Columbia to see his daughter before he was summoned back to the St. Louis area around noon Friday when his wife went into a labor.
Heath actually watched Abby's match while coaxing his wife along with the birth, which came around 3:36 p.m.
"I flew back to St. Louis really fast," Heath said. "The timing of the baby coming was just as Abby was about to come up the same time as the delivery. I had the phone in one hand, watching (the MSHSAA telecast), hoping to support the wife too.
"As soon as the kid popped out, Abby pinned her opponent seconds later to get into the semifinals."
Earnest, quickly known as E.J., came in at 7 pounds, 14 ounces. He registered at 21 and a quarter inch long and was five days early.
Maggie was able to watch her daughter win the state title while holding the new child, a moment she will cherish forever.
"Can't decide which was better, him or her winning," a tired Maggie said from her hospital bed late Saturday. "Both are unforgettable."
Abby was a girl on a mission all weekend long. She became the first female state champion from the Cedar Hill school, which has a strong boys wrestling tradition.
"What you saw was a lot of hard work from her and it really paid off," Northwest wrestling coach Bob Wilhelm said. "She stayed focused with a lot going on around her."
Chandler pinned Fort Zumwalt East senior Riley Korkamp early in the quarterfinal round seconds before E.J.'s initial appearance.
The hard-working Chandler finished third and fourth in her previous two state appearances and performed like a champion all season long on the way to a 37-3 record.
"She is the poster child for Northwest wrestling," Wilhelm said.
Chandler had plenty of reasons for the emotional display after the final. Not only did she accomplish a lifelong goal of become a state champion, but she did so to honor her friend Chris Allen, a volunteer assistant coach at Northwest, who died earlier this year at age 20.
"He took me under his wing from the get-go," Chandler said. "He showed me the ropes, taught me everything I know. He was my practice partner. It made this so much better thinking about the work he put in for me."
Chandler, who will continue her wrestling career at Missouri Baptist University, jumped into the arms of fellow senior and close friend Lily Mouser after the contest. Chandler closed her career with 34 pins over her final 41 victories.
On Sunday, she planned on greeting her new baby brother for the first time. One of her first duties as big sister is to place the state championship medal around his neck.
"It's going to be so exciting," Chandler said.
Scenes from the Missouri Class 2 girls wrestling state tournament
"My goal was to set a tone right away,'' Lafayette senior Andrew Wier said. "I couldn't be happier about the way things finished up."
Northwest Cedar Hill senior Abby Chandler celebrates after winning the 235-pound championship of the Missouri Class 2 girls wrestling state tournament Saturday at Mizzou Arena. Chandler is Northwest’s first girls state champion.
Northwest Cedar Hill's Lily Mouser (left) celebrates with teammate Abby Chandler after Chandler won the 235-pound championship during the final day of the Missouri Class 2 girls wrestling state tournament on February 24, 2024 at Mizzou Arena on the campus of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, Post-Dispatch