Poplar Bluff's Storm McClure, top, attempts to roll Dexter's Dylan Handin for a pin during their 130-pound match Thursday night at Peters Gym. McClure won by technical fall, 18-0. (Paul Davis/DAR)

By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor

Paul Swesey's diet has left the Poplar Bluff senior hungry for another trip to Columbia.

After missing a cut to 171 pounds for the SEMO Conference tournament last weekend, Swesey returned to the mat Thursday night at 189 for Senior Night at Peters Gym.

Poplar Bluff senior Paul Swesey, top, pins Dexter's Austin Chamberlain during their 189-pound match Thursday night. Swesey improved to 19-1 on the season, winning by fall at 1:59. (Paul Davis/DAR) [Click to enlarge]

"It was tough, I let a lot of people down," Swesey said. "I have to regain that back coming up this weekend (at DeSoto)."

Wanting to drop down to 171, where he finished sixth at the Class 3 championships last year, Swesey said in doing so he got sick and missed weight. Now he will try to make a fourth trip to the state tournament, this time at 189.

Swesey improved to 19-1 with a pin in the final second of the first period Thursday night as the Mules beat Dexter 59-22.

"I'm kind of upset that it's my last one, but I guess I've got to get over it," said Swesey, who pinned Dexter's Austin Chamberlain at 1 minute, 59 seconds.

Fellow senior Brent Wagner won his 152-pound match by forfeit while John Chesire and Megan Swingle were also honored before the match.

"Wagner is a first-year wrestler (who) wrestles like he's a third-year wrestler," Mules coach Brian Wisdom said. "The kid's got more heart than I could tell you. …

"Paul is going to be missed."

The Mules got five pins, won another win by technical fall and picked up four matches by forfeit.

Wisdom wasn't sure how he felt about the match after his Mules, who are scheduled to wrestle again today in De Soto, beat Dexter 72-12 and 60-21 earlier this season.

"We don't understand sometimes just to keep it turned up," Wisdom said. "To be a smart wrestler you've got to wrestle good every time."

Kelton Thompson, a 215-pound junior, needed just 56 seconds to pin Dexter's Daniel McClendin, improving to 26-12. Dylan Janes (7-2) pinned Dexter's Michael Spencer in 1:10 in his return from an injury while 125-pounder Brandon Bounds (26-11) needed just 63 seconds to pin Dexter's Zack McCoy.

Poplar Bluff heavyweight Dylan Janes gets ahold of Dexter's Michael Spencer on Thursday night. Janes won by fall at 1:10. (Paul Davis/DAR) [Click to enlarge]

Zach Surque improved to 29-8 with his pin of Dexter's David Dement at 3:19 of the 112-pound match. Storm McClure (21-14) had four near falls but Dexter's Dylan Handin kept off his back long enough to avoid the pin as Poplar Bluff's 130 pounder won by technical fall, 18-0.

Jordan Henningson (19-15) had a near fall at the end of the first period but started the second on bottom and couldn't escape Joey Moore. Dexter's 135-pounder picked up a pin at 2:49 that pulled the Bearcats within a point after six matches.

Dexter's Mikey Henley beat Colton Woodsmall 15-4 in the 119-pound match with a pair of second-period near falls and another in the final second of the match.

Brennan Moore and Dexter's Josh Potter were tied after two periods before Potter earned a takedown 42 seconds later. Moore quickly escaped but trailed in the final minute when his shot backfired as Potter spun around for a takedown with 12 seconds left, then picked up a pin at the 5:51 mark.

"It's good that we got this win going into this weekend," Wisdom said. "Maybe this will burn them a little bit more to get after it. …

"Guys that didn't wrestle well will wrestle better this weekend."

Notes: In the junior varsity matches, Poplar Bluff's J Darby Smothers got a pin at 5:07 while Dalton Bilderback won his match by fall at 3:25. Logan Kennedy won his exhibition match 16-3 while Dexter's Brittany Waldner edged Ryan Henningson 8-6. … Megan Swingle earned four letters as the team's manager. …Brennan Moore will go up to 171 this weekend at DeSoto while Chance Berry will wrestle at 160. … The Mules have a double dual against Cape Central and Jackson on Thursday.