Alexis Rowland got an elusive conference championship in her last shot while Poplar Bluff freshman Zoe Freeman won her first title Saturday.
The Mules finished third as a team, 10 points behind Sikeston, after placing eighth last year as the defending champions.
“Happy to see the girls climb back up the rankings this year,” Mules coach Kelton Thompson said.
Breann Thresher and Kayleigh Dazey placed second for the Mules while Madison Hayman and Ambria Campbell each placed third.
Ste. Genevieve won the title by 29 points behind eight top-3 finishes, including Isabel Basler who was named the most outstanding wrestler of the tournament, which was held at the same time and location as the boys for the first time.
“I like it more,” Rowland said. “You’re with more of your teammates. You get more support.”
Thresher, who was one of three individual champions for Poplar Bluff two years ago, finished second for a second straight year.
Rowland placed second in each of the last two seasons.
The senior won at 120 pounds with three pins and an 8-6 win over Jackson’s Mallorie Metzger, who came in with just one loss. Rowland improved to 28-3, winning her first conference title.
“I was concerned at first and then beating the first girl in the first period that was really a boost,” Rowland said.
Metzger had won the previous two meetings by a point and in overtime. In the fourth of five rounds Saturday, the Jackson junior got the first takedown and led 4-0 before Rowland got a late reversal at the end of the second period. Rowland trailed 6-2 before escaping with 72 seconds remaining, then got a takedown half a minute later but didn’t take the lead until a three-point nearfall with 27 seconds to go.
“I was calm, which never normally happens, but being calm I was like ‘OK, I got this,’” Rowland said.
Freeman won both of her matches by fall in the first period to win at 174. The freshman improved to 31-0 on the season needing just 3:33 of mat time for the pins.
“Hope we can get Zoe tested one more time before districts,” Thompson said. “She’s very technically proficient. She does things the right way, she’s coachable, so hopefully she can make some noise in the district.”
The Mules travel this weekend to a tournament at Rockwood Summit before the MSHSAA Class 1 District 1 tournament Feb. 5-6 at Lafayette High School.
Thresher earned a 10-2 win but lost by fall to Basler. Madison Hayman placed third for the Mules with a pair of pins and a 5-3 win while Campbell placed third with two pins and Kylee Hayman had a pin to place fourth.
Dexter’s Kennedy McCormick placed fifth as the Bearcats finished four points behind Notre Dame.