With the Holiday break upon us, it’s time to rank out our midseason rankings of the top 25 high school girls wrestlers in the state of Missouri.
While some teams are still only getting their seasons going – or are choosing to pace themselves for the second half stretch – others have been participating in highly-competitive tournaments both in-state and across the country.
Newcomers and decorated champions alike highlight this talented crop of wrestlers. With several competitors moving weight classes this season, production volume during the 2024 Missouri high school wrestling season played a factor in these rankings.
Only wrestlers listed on active Missouri high school rosters were eligible for these rankings.
Advertisement
Other Missouri high school sports stories:
2024-25 National High School Wrestling Rankings (12/27/2024)
Top 25 Missouri high school football rankings (12/24/2024)
Top 25 Missouri Girls High School Basketball Rankings (12/25/2024)
Top quarterbacks in Missouri high school football: Vote for best in 2024
Advertisement
Ranked one of the top 140-pound girls high school wrestlers in the nation by flowrestling entering the season, Juitt is off to a 19-0 start after winning the daunting Kansas City Stampede last week.
A 2023 state champion, Lilly Breeden is proving why she’s one of the best pound-for-pound high school girls wrestlers in Missouri. Off to an 18-0 start in 2024, Breeden cruised to the 100-pound title at the Kansas City Stampede in convincing fashion last week.
Ward would probably sit a bit higher on this list if she had a few more matches this season. Through no fault of her own, she’s only competed in one tournament so far – the Wentzville Liberty Girls Invite – and took first at 130. She currently sits at 5-0 and is easily one of the state’s premier talents.
The defending Class 1 state champion at 100 pounds, Hairston swept the Festus Girls Tuesday Night Scramble, Fort Zumwalt North Tournament, Fort Zumwalt East Tournament and Union Girls Tournament to start 18-0.
Ranked No. 38 nationally in the class of 2005 and No. 10 at 110 pounds by flowrestling, Joiner cruised to the 115-pound championship of the KC Stampede to improve to 9-0.
Advertisement
Wrestling at 145, Haynes has already won the Lady Longhorn Roundup, Valkyrie Clash Tournament, Fort Zumwalt East Tournament and swept the Schuman Scramble for an 18-0 start.
Winning the 130-pound title at the KC Stampede shouldn’t have been as easy as Benson made it seem. She’s now 23-0 to start 2024.
Wrestling at 100 pounds, she’s already won the Valkyrie Clash Tournament, Holiday (Fl.) Knockout, Wentzville Liberty Girls Invite, Bolivar Girls Wrestling Tournament and went 3-0 at the Schuman Scramble. She’s currently 17-0.
While her schedule this high school season hasn’t been as busy as some others, Shelton – reigning Class 1 champion at 155 who has bumped up to 170 this season – managed to sweep the Indian Girls’ Classic with five wins. Her only loss came in a major decision to Highland (Ill.) standout August Rottman in the finals of the Wentzville Liberty Girls Invite.
The reigning Class 1 champion at 170, Thelin is off to a 17-0 start after winning the KC Stampede last week. She bested another person on this list – Willard sophomore Emily Brixey – 8-1 in the finals of the Stampede.
Advertisement
At 190, Vargas is 14-0 with wins at the Wild West Kickoff Classic and Battle at the Katy Trail while also sweeping the Excelsior Springs Girls Tournament.
Nope. You’re not seeing double. Sandy Breeden joins Lilly Breeden on this list as the sisters continue to be a dominant force at Liberty. The reigning Class 2 champion at 105, Sandy Breeden took the 105 crown at the KC Stampede with a 4-2 decision over Oklahoma City’s Krystan Perez. The win improved Breeden to 17-1.
Opponents haven’t stopped her and neither did moving up weight classes. Gibbs, 2023-24 Class 1 Champion at 145, remains undefeated at 155 this season – winning every match by fall. She’s competed at the 2024 Tiger Mat Classic, Lady Longhorn Classic and Blair Oaks Tournament.
Another stellar 155-pounder, McNack is 21-0 after winning the KC Stampede, Nixa Girls Invite, NKC – Tussle for the Tiara and Versailles Girls Tournament.
Stinson has been dominant so far this season. She won every match by fall to win the 235-pound title at the KC Stampede. She also had a big win over Jayden Moehle (Grain Valley) to win the Lady Pirate Invitational. Stinson’s only loss was to Iowa standout and eventual champion Reese Baxter (Raccoon River-Northwest) in the semifinals of the Dan Gable Donnybrook in Iowa City, Iowa. She rebounded with a pair of pins – both in under 1 minute – to take third in that tournament.
Advertisement
Fuglsang has been singing a winning tune. Wrestling at two weight classes (110 and 115), Fuglsang remains unbeaten at 20-0. She won the Versailles Girls Tournament at 115 before going to 110 to win the Bolivar Girls Wrestling Tournament, 2024 Union Girls Tournament and the Nixa Girls Invite.
A defending Class 2 state champion at 170, Calvert hasn’t been beaten this season and owns a head-to-head victory over Willard standout sophomore Emily Brixey.
Brixey has three losses and three second place finishes this season. Two of her losses, however, came at the hands of No. 10 Alana Thelin – in the KC Stampede and Lady Pirate Wrestling Invitational. She also took second at the Nixa Girls Invite, losing by fall to Winnetonka’s Autumn Calvert.
Evans went 5-0 at the Raytown Holiday Tournament and 2-0 at Battle of The Braids and currently carries an 18-2 mark. Her losses so far have been a 10-8 decision to Juliana Tice (North Kansas City) in the finals of the NKC – Tussle for the Tiara 2024 and by fall to Sandy Breeden in the semifinals of the Lady Pirate Wrestling Invitational.
The Class 2 runner-up behind Jessa Joiner at 115 pounds as a freshman last season, McDowell is off to a strong start after winning the 120-pound class at the KC Stampede. That performance came on the heels of a third-place finish at the Valkyrie Clash Tournament.
Advertisement
Won the Valkyrie Clash and Chip Allison Tournaments at 190 pounds and took second at the KC Stampede – her only loss an 8-2 decision to Emma Heaton of Canyon Randall, Texas.
Moehle has been tested early in the 235 class. At 15-4, she has second place finishes at the Steve Leslie Girls Invitational and the Lady Pirate Invitational – losing to Logan Sumner (Blair Oaks) and Alexis Stinson (Liberty) in the finals, respectively. After four wins at the KC Stampede, she suffered consecutive losses to Chloe Vawter (Little Axe, Okla.) and Sophiea Quinn (Lebanon).
A former Class 2 champion, Gonier defeated Crystal Loera (Garden City, Kan.) to reach the 125 finals of the KC Stampede before losing to Violet De La Cruz of Conroe Woodlands College Park (Texas). She also won the Park Hill Girls Invitational and swept her matches at Battle of the Braids and Excelsior Springs Girls Tournament
Freeman hasn’t seen much time on the mat in the early season – she’s won her only recorded match by fall – but her talent is undeniable. Wrestling at 235, she’s one of the best in the state any time she steps into the circle.
The talented senior has seen the podium twice so far this season – winning the Lady Longhorn Classic at 170 pounds and placing second at the Chip Allison Tournament.
Advertisement
Also considered: Kamryn Bourbon, Nixa; Ellie Higginbotham, Willard; Paige Strauch, NKC; Sophiea Quinn, Lebanon; Kendall Angelo, Oak Park; Keely Fallert, Oak Grove; Calyese Dupree, Nixa; Jacinda Espinosa, Rock Bridge; Ella Healthman, Nevada; Averi Dawn, Nevada.
The Missouri Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday on whether the so-called “Missouri First” map is unconstitutional.
The map, passed by Republican lawmakers in September and signed by Gov. Mike Kehoe, stretches the boundaries of the 5th Congressional District, a Democratic stronghold, eastward into heavily Republican regions of the state. It also moves part of the current 5th District into the 4th and 6th districts, currently represented by Republican congressmen Mark Alford and Sam Graves. Incumbent Democrat Emanuel Cleaver is running for reelection in the 5th District.
Opponents of the Missouri First map’s main argument focused on the map being passed by lawmakers without any new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The congressional boundaries tossed out by the Missouri First map were based on the 2020 U.S. Census.
Advertisement
Attorney Chuck Hatfield represents those challenging the new map passed by Republican lawmakers last fall.
“The whole idea is tethered to the census data. You must do it at the census, and you only do it at the census,” Hatfield told the High Court. “The court’s precedents also support this.”
Solicitor General Louis Capozzi, representing the Missouri Sec. of State’s office, disagreed, saying the Missouri Constitution is silent on mid-decade redistricting.
“Mid-decade redistricting had happened in Missouri in the 1870s, and mid-decade redistricting was common around the country in the first half of the 20th century,” he argued. “Article III, Section 45 of the Missouri Constitution sets out only three requirements for the redistricting of seats in Missouri, ‘The district shall be composed of contiguous territory, as compact, and as nearly equal in population as may be.’ And as long as the General Assembly complies with those three rules, this court said that Missouri courts, ‘shall respect the political determinations of the General Assembly.’”
Meanwhile, roughly a hundred demonstrators held signs across the street from the Missouri Supreme Court building, condemning the Missouri First map and calling for the Missouri Supreme Court to strike it down.
Advertisement
“Voters should choose our politicians,” said Missouri League of Women Voters Director Kay Park. “The League (of Women Voters) believes redistricting should keep communities of similar culture and race together to strengthen their vote and promote partisan fairness.”
The Missouri Supreme Court will rule on the congressional district map later.
Missouri senior forward Mark Mitchell was recognized Monday with a second-team selection to the All-Southeastern Conference teams.
Mitchell has led the Tigers all season long and tops the team in scoring (17.9 points per game), rebounding (5.2) and assists (3.6). He would be the just the second player in program to lead all the categories in one season, joining Albert White from the 1998-99 season.
Mitchell is also on pace to become the first player in program history to average at least 17 points, five rebounds and three assists since Anthony Peeler in 1992, the year he took home the Big 8 Conference Player of the Year award.
Mitchell was the only Missouri player to be recognized in SEC postseason awards.
Advertisement
Five players were named to each of the three All-SEC teams.
Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas), Ja’Kobi Gillespie (Tennessee), Thomas Haugh (Florida), Labaron Philon Jr. (Alabama) and Tyler Tanner (Vanderbilt) made the first team.
Acuff was named the conference’s player of the year and freshman of the year.
Joining Mitchell on the second team were Nate Ament (Tennessee), Rueben Chinyelu (Florida), Otega Oweh (Kentucky) and Dailyn Swain (Texas), while Rashaun Agee (Texas A&M), Alex Condon (Florida), Keyshawn Hall (Auburn), Aden Holloway (Alabama) and Josh Hubbard (Mississippi State) were named to the third team.
The All-SEC defensive team consisted of Chinyelu, Somto Cyril (Georgia), Felix Okpara (Tennessee), Billy Richmond III (Arkansas) and Tanner. Chinyelu was selected as the defensive player of the year.
Advertisement
Appearing on the all-freshman team were Acuff, Amari Allen (Alabama), Ament, Malachi Moreno (Kentucky) and Meleek Thomas (Arkansas).
Swain was selected as the newcomer of the year, while Urban Klavzar of Florida was named the sixth man of the year.
The 2026 Missouri high school basketball state championship brackets continue on Monday, March 9, with eight games in the sectional and quarterfinal round of the higher classifications.
High School On SI has brackets for every classification in the Missouri high school basketball playoffs. The championship games will begin on March 19.
Missouri High School Girls Basketball 2026 Playoff Brackets, Schedule (MSHSAA) – March 9, 2026
Advertisement
Sectionals
Doniphan vs. Potosi – 03/09, 6:00 PM CT
Advertisement
St. James vs. St. Francis Borgia – 03/09, 6:00 PM CT
Notre Dame de Sion vs. Oak Grove – 03/09, 6:00 PM CT
Smithville vs. Benton – 03/09, 6:00 PM CT
Cardinal Ritter College Prep vs. Clayton – 03/09, 6:00 PM CT
Advertisement
Orchard Farm vs. Kirksville – 03/09, 6:00 PM CT
Advertisement
Boonville vs. Strafford – 03/09, 6:00 PM CT
Reeds Spring vs. Nevada – 03/09, 6:00 PM CT
Advertisement
Quarterfinals
Festus vs. Lift for Life Academy – 03/13, 6:00 PM CT
Grandview vs. Kearney – 03/13, 6:00 PM CT
MICDS vs. St. Dominic – 03/13, 6:00 PM CT
Advertisement
Helias vs. Marshfield – 03/13, 6:00 PM CT
Advertisement
Quarterfinals
Jackson vs. Marquette – 03/13, 6:00 PM CT
Advertisement
Rock Bridge vs. Staley – 03/13, 6:00 PM CT
Incarnate Word Academy vs. Troy-Buchanan – 03/13, 6:00 PM CT
Kickapoo vs. Lee’s Summit West – 03/13, 6:00 PM CT
