eCEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The Maryville wrestling team concluded their stay at the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) National Duals with a ranked win as they defeated the No. 10-ranked West Liberty Hilltoppers 25-18 in their third dual of the tournament. Following their bout with West Liberty, the Saints fought to a close battle with fellow Missouri-power Central Missouri, but fell just short to a 25-10 loss, ending their trip 1-3.
 
Evan Binder, Jeremiah Larson and Ryan Herman all went perfect on day two of the tournament with Binder earning two major victories while not giving up a single point. Larson was dominant versus West Liberty, grabbing a 17-2 tech fall while Herman earned a pin against No. 9 Parker Bently of the Hilltoppers.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Against the Hilltoppers, the Saints saw Binder earn the first victory, with his major at 133 being sandwiched between two extra-point wins by West Liberty. The Saints went onto rattle off three straight wins including a Javier Gutierrez 11-3 major, leaving it 14-9 going into 174. The Hilltoppers refused to quit, earning a decision and a fall at 174 and 184 before Larson and Herman could shut the door with two big extra point wins.
 
The Missouri battle saw extra points galore early as the Mules kicked it off with a tech at 125. Binder and Hudson Hackbarth made up the deficit and more with back-to-back majors, the latter being a clinic as Hackbarth grabbed five takedowns for the 18-8 win.
 
Three more Mules' wins left the Saints in the hole, with Dalton Litzsinger's pin being negated by a UCM pin at 184. The Saints needed bonus points at 197 and 285 but fell just short for the 25-20 result.
 
#25 MARYVILLE 25, #10 WEST LIBERTY 18
125       #8 Logan Davis over Diego Barajas TF 19-4
133       Evan Binder over James Armstrong Jr Maj 10-0             
141       Khyvon Grace over JP Homfeld Maj 11-3    
149       Collin Reif over Anthony Wood Dec 5-0      
157       Javier Gutierrez over Jayden Jett Maj 11-3  
165       Evan Morris over Levi Abbott Dec 14-13     
174       Oliver Byerly over Dalton Litzsinger Dec 12-8             
184       Ty McGeary over Caden Gousetis Fall 0:46             
197       Jeremiah Larson over Brandon Johnson TF 17-2             
285       Ryan Herman over #9 Parker Bentley Fall 6:32
 
#14 CENTRAL MISSOURI 25, #25 MARYVILLE 20
125       #3 Jakason Burks over Diego Barajas TF 16-0             
133       Evan Binder over Peyton Shepard Maj 8-0               
141       Hudson Hackbarth over Jack Lage Maj 18-8             
149       Garrett Lyons over Collin Reif SV-1 4-1        
157       #6 John Ridle over Javier Gutierrez TF 15-0
165       Anthony Erickson over Evan Morris Inj 2:13
174       Dalton Litzsinger over Paul Hernandez Fall 3:31
184       #12 Damon Ashworth over Caden Gousetis Fall 0:37    
197       Jeremiah Larson over Brayden Dillow Dec 10-3
285       Ryan Herman over Torin Forsyth Dec 7-5
 
UP NEXT
The Saints keep the dual action going, this one in Moloney arena as they battle the Quincy Hawks on Thursday, Jan. 16 starting at 7 p.m.

DAY 1 
The Saints began their Friday matches with a closely fought bout against No. 9-ranked Tiffin, falling just five points shy of the upset. Maryville then found themselves against the King Tornado, dropping that bout 26-16.
 
Dalton Litzsinger went 2-0 on the day, earning a 4-3 decision over No. 15 Jakob Hurley of Tiffin and following that up with a sudden victory over his King adversary.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
In the dance with the Dragons, it took until 141 for the Saints to find the win column with Hudson Hackbarth putting on the moves for an 18-0 tech fall, earning two separate four-point near-falls. Collin Reif in his 2024-25 dual debut kept the train rolling, earning a major to give the Saints a 9-8 lead heading into 157.
 
Two extra point wins for the Dragons at 157 and 165 proved to be the difference in the dual as the Saints earned decisions at three of the four final classes to end it 22-18.
 
After a short break, the Saints were right back at it, this time storm chasing with a battle against the King Tornado. The teams traded wins at 125 and 133, with Evan Binder dominating for a 14-1 major. JP Homfeld followed that up with a 12-8 win of his own at 141. But much like the match with the Dragons, extra points were the thorn in the Saints' side as the Tornado rattled off a fall and a tech fall at 149 and 157 to go up big. Back-to-back wins by Evan Morris and Litzsinger brought the score to 17-13, but a late pin at 184 was the nail in the coffin for the match.
 
#9 TIFFIN 22, #25 MARYVILLE 18
125        Anthony Aniciete over Sam Shafer (Major 14-6        )
133        Maximus Shore over Evan Binder (Maj 16-6)
141        Hudson Hackbarth over Christopher Oleksiak TF 18-0                                           
149        Collin Reif over Gavin Owens Maj 8-0                             
157        Casey Barnett over Javier Gutierrez Fall 1:37             
165        Nolan Gessler over Evan Morris TF 15-0                    
174        Dalton Litzsinger over Jakob Hurley Dec 4-3                             
184        Caden Gousetis over David Davis Dec 14-7                           
197        Lucas Salmon over Jeramiah Larson Dec 7-5              
285        Orest Nazarchuk over Jake Powell Dec 6-4                             
 
KING 26, #25 MARYVILLE 16
125        Tyson Upchurch over Sam Shafer (Fall 3:39)          
133        Evan Binder over Alex Fernandez III (Maj 14-1)          
141        JP Homfeld over Ashtan Hendricks (Dec 12-8)         
149        Brennan Watkins over Logan Rubinstein (Fall 5:34)  
157        Trent Mahoney over Javier Gutierrez (TF 16-1)            
165        Evan Morris over Joe Bertrand (Dec 11-5)
174        Dalton Litzsinger over Clinton Morrisette (SV-1 10-7)
184        Ethan Lopez over Caden Gousetis (Fall 6:23)
197        David Bertrand over Jeramiah Larson (Dec 10-4)
285        Ryan Herman over Jacob Telles (Dec 2-0)