BRANSON MO NEWS: The Missouri wrestling team will begin its quest for its sixth consecutive Mid-American Conference championship on Saturday in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.Ranked No. 3 in the nation, the Tigers dominated the MAC regular season, clinching the title after outscoring opponents 241-43 across seven conference dual meets.Missouri passed through the MAC slate with ease and heads into the weekend’s conference championships with eight wrestlers ranked No. 1 in their weight class among MAC wrestlers. With the national tournament on the horizon, Missouri’s squad is budding with confidence. The MAC sends 25 qualifiers to the NCAA Championships.
“We’re going to crush everybody, and then go to nationals and kick some butt,” 149-pounder Grant Leeth said.The 2018 MAC Championships will mark Leeth’s first postseason at 149 after injuries sidelined him for the past two seasons.At 174 pounds, Daniel Lewis is undefeated in all competitions this year and has shown no sign of slowing down. He knows Missouri, a perennial powerhouse in the MAC, has a target on its back.“We are the baddest and are going to perform,” Lewis said. “We smell blood.”Missouri coach Brian Smith wants his team focused and prepared for the matches directly ahead of them and not anticipating bigger clashes deep in the tournament.
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Leeth, individually ranked No. 3, and Central Michigan’s Justin Oliver, ranked No. 4, could be one of those notable matchups. Leeth narrowly defeated Oliver by a 3-1 margin earlier in the season, and both sit among the top five nationally in their weight class.“I know we’re prepared. It’s about getting confidence in every little detail,” Smith said. “It’s repetition and consistency.”Missouri’s trophy case is already filled to the brim, and the walls at its practice center are lined with championship banners and names of …
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