COLUMBIA, Mo. — Lafayette High senior Andrew Wier felt like he had something to prove, and he made his point in a big way Saturday night.
Wier took control early and survived a few tight moments later before coming away with an 8-3 victory over Fort Zumwalt North sophomore Deacon Moran for the Class 4 championship at 190 pounds in the Missouri boys wrestling state tournament at Mizzou Arena.
The victory wrapped up a 32-4 season for Wier, who last season pinned his way to the title match at 190. There, he suffered a one-point loss to two-time champion and three-time medalist Cole Ruble of Seckman.
On Saturday, Wier led Moran 4-1 after a period and 6-2 going into the third.
"My goal was to set a tone right away,'' Wier said. "I couldn't be happier about the way things finished up."
Wier's title is the first for a wrestling family. His coach and father Joe was a two-time medalist who finished as an Illinois Class AA runner-up as a senior for Belleville West. He went on to wrestle at Missouri before turning to coaching. Another son, Alex, placed sixth as a junior and fifth as a Lafayette senior.
In a switch, Joe Wier was in Andrew's corner on Saturday night.
"We give the kids an opportunity to pick their coaches; Andrew wrote that when he got to the championship — when, not if — he wanted me there with him,'' Joe said. "I'm not normally there with him. It wasn't easy, but we got through it. We lost Andrew's grandma a month and a half ago; she loved to watch wrestling and ended up as an angel on his shoulder this weekend.
"I'm just so proud of him; he went out and wrestled a good, smart match to beat really good kid. He wrestled like a senior who'd been there before."
Andrew Wier's championship put the finishing touch on Lafayette's runner-up team finish behind Kansas City power Liberty in Class 4. Staley of Kansas City and Columbia Hickman rounded out the top four.
Lafayette, which finished fourth last year, had with eight medalists Saturday, including four-timer Dylan Roth, who placed fourth at 126. Roth took sixth, fifth and second in previous seasons. Other top finishers for the Lancers were freshman Riley Sumner (third at 106), sophomore Calum Brown (sixth at 113), freshman Caleb Frankenberger (third at 120), senior Drew Mattison (third at 138), junior Aidan Schoen (fourth at 144) and freshman Carter Brown (third at 175).
Seckman's Orine goes out on top
Seckman's Draegen Orine (43-3) put the finishing touch on his prep career with a 15-5 major decision over Staley's Miller Sipes (35-8) at 132. Orine placed third as a freshman and was a state runner-up as a sophomore.
"It feels really good to finally get it done,'' he said.
Orine spent last season at Wyoming Seminary, a boarding school and wrestling powerhouse in Pennsylvania. The Blue Knights are coached by Cornell Robinson, who previously enjoyed great coaching success at Timberland and CBC.
"Things just didn't work out for me there,'' Orine said. "I came home, took some time off and then got back to work. It took some time, but eventually I made it back and ended up having a great senior season."
Draegen is the younger brother of 2019 Post-Dispatch Wrestler of the Year Kai Orine, who won three titles after placing third as a freshman. The Orine brothers will be reunited next year at North Carolina State University.
Howell Central's Keen wins at 138
A three-time qualifier who placed fifth last year, Francis Howell Central senior Noah Keen (38-3) posted a 13-4 major decision over CBC freshman Colin Rutlin in the title match at 138.
"When I walked away last year, I knew that exactly one year later I'd be a state champion,'' said Keen, who's yet to decide where he'll compete in college.
"I wrestled (Rutlin) at the Thrasher Tournament earlier this season, so I had an idea what to expect, but I try not to focus too much on my opponents. As my coaches say, the best version of you is you. I just wanted to take charge right away, keep the pressure on and get that championship."
Other area finalists
• Northwest sophomore Eli Porter (37-6) lost by technical fall to Fort Osage sophomore Kaison Schreier (50-0) at 106.
• At 120, Parkway South freshman Camron Duffield (35-3) lost by tech fall to four-time medalist and three-time champ Hunter Taylor (39-1) of Liberty.
• CBC freshman Colin Rutlin (42-8) lost by major decision to Howell Central's Keen.
• Seckman's Drake Jenkins (36-8) was beaten by major decision by Nixa's Malachi Rider (33-2) at 157.
• Ryan Thornhill (25-2) of Eureka was pinned in the third period at 175 by two-time finalist and first-time champion Peyton Westpfahl (40-4) of Liberty.
• At 190, Fort Zumwalt North sophomore Deacon Moran (38-2) fell 8-3 to Lafayette's Wier.
Lafayette's Andrew Wier (right) grapples with Fort Zumwalt North's Deacon Moran in the championship match at 190 pounds at the Missouri boys wrestling state championships on Saturday, February 24, 2024 at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo. Paul Kopsky | Special to
Francis Howell Central's Noah Keen does a flip after winning the Class 4 championship at 138 pounds at the Missouri boys wrestling state championships on Saturday, February 24, 2024 at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo. Paul Kopsky | Special to