Casey Jumps can add his name to another exclusive Platte County list.
ROSS MARTIN/Citizen photo
Platte County senior Casey Jumps, right, wrestles with Warrenton’s Jacob Null in the Class 3 Missouri State Wrestling Championships’ 220-pound championship match Saturday, Feb. 18 at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo.
Next week, the Pirates’ most recent state champion will compete in the 25th annual Metro Classic wrestling senior all-star dual at 220 pounds for Team Missouri. The Battle at the Border will be held Tuesday, March 7 on the campus Kansas City (Kan.) Community College in Kansas City, Kan.
The dual starts at 6:30 p.m. Advance tickets purchased from team members will be $8, while admission will be $10 at the door the night of the event.
Although his opponent remained to be determined as of The Citizen’s deadline, Jumps becomes the 23rd participant from Platte County after he became the 43rd individual state champion the previous week. He finished his senior season 47-4 after defeating Warrenton’s Jacob Null with a 2-1 decision in the Class 3 Missouri State Wrestling Championships’ 220 championship match.
Jumps went from a 3-13 record as a freshman to a state qualifier as a sophomore and then a fifth-place state finish as a junior before winning a state title. He wrestled all four years at 220.
Platte County will have a representative on Missouri’s team for a second straight year and third time in four years. In 2016, Matthew Schmitt, Ethan Karsten and Johnny Blankenship all won matches in a 40-17 victory, the fourth straight in the series for the Show-Me State.
Missouri has won six of the past seven and holds a 16-8 all-time advantage over Kansas.
With the 25-year anniversary of the event, organizers plan to honor those who have been a part of the all-star dual's history. Below is a list of all-time participants from local schools.
Platte County (23) — Casey Jumps (2017), Matthew Schmitt (2016), Ethan Karsten (2016), Johnny Blankenship (2016), Matthew Barmann (2014), Blaine Conner (2010), Colin Wittmeyer (2009), Joe Pace (2009), Tyler St. Louis (2008), Joe Henson (2006), Michael Dunkum (2005), Caleb Dixon (2004), Steve Fisher (2004), Brock Wittmeyer (2003), Brett Rolofson (2002), Jake Fisher (2002), Chase Verdoorn (2002), Bobby Fisher (2001), Kiel Giese (2001), Jeremy Duncan (1999), Ryan Campbell (1997), Todd Gair (1992), Justin Gifford (1992)
PARK HILL (28) — Canten Marriott (2016), Sean Hosford (2016), Ke-Shawn Hayes (2015), Hunter Roberts (2015), Ethan Koan, 2015), Colston DiBlasi (2015), John Erneste (2014), Bricker Dixon (2011), Preston Crouse (2011), Alan Waters (2010), Kaleb Friedley (2010), John Eblen (2010), Corey Carr (2007), Eric Graham (2006), Brian Graham (2006), Sean Miller (2005), Mike Gunselman (2004), Josh Moyer (2003), Kevin Green (2001), Caleb Hunt (1999), Brent Urbaniak (1998), Jeremy Brockman (1997), Clint Strider (1996), Ross Merritt (1996), Trent Pearson (1995), Jon Newell (1995), Jeremy Gardner (1994), Joe Roberts (1992)
PARK HILL SOUTH (6) — Chase Gray (2013), Jimmy Carpenter (2013), Nick Gillespie (2012), Austin Baska (2009), Trevor Brown (2009), Time Elder (2000)