COLUMBIA -- Sikeston's three qualifiers competed in the first round of the Class 3A state wrestling tournament on Thursday at the Hearnes Center in Columbia.
Kyle Weeks (125), Cleveland Anthony (130) and heavyweight Joe Johnson all lost their first round matches, but Weeks and Anthony went on to win their wrestle-back matches to stay alive in the tournament.
"You kind of had to expect the first round," said Sikeston coach Chris Hodgkiss. "Cleveland and Kyle were both four-seeds, and Joe was a three-seed. They all had really tough first matches. It was good for two of the three to come back in the second round and get a win to stay alive."
Weeks and Anthony will compete in the medal round today starting at 2 p.m. If they win that match, they will place at least in the top six and earn All-State honors.
"I think (All-State) is possible for both of them," said Hodgkiss. "That was their goal coming in."
In the first-round, Weeks was pinned by Excelsior Springs' Trent Lowry. In his wrestle-back, he defeated Nixa's Chuck Schultz by a score of 9-6.
Anthony was pinned by Helias' Matt Chinn in the first round, then came back to beat Odessa's Ryan Ridinger in the second round by a score of 7-5.
Johnson was pinned by Marshall's B.J. Coslet in the first round, then was pinned in the wrestle-back by Aaron McKie of Carthage.