The 2024 Missouri Class 2 state runners-up, reigning conference champs, and nationally-ranked Nixa girls wrestling team concluded its 2024-25 regular season by hoisting the Class 2 District 3 title while qualifying 10 wrestling for the elusive state championships.

The title marked Nixa's sixth of the season, as the Eagles were also the top team at the Festus Scramble, Nixa, Lafayette, Liberty, and Central Ozark Conference (COC) tournaments. The COC title imprinted Nixa atop the conference for the fourth consecutive year. The Eagles were also runners-up at the highly competitive Kansas City Stampede.

In dual competitions, the Eagles capped off another undefeated season, marking its second straight. Nixa ousted the likes of North Point (63-14), Francis Howell (51-24), Seckman (45-33), Ozark (54-24), Kearney (60-22), and Logan-Rogersville (42-0).

Nixa hosted Bixby, Okla., in a marquee dual on Jan. 16, featuring two nationally-ranked teams. The No. 14-ranked Eagles took down the No. 2-ranked Bixby Spartans 50-27, with victories from Hanna Egley, Ashton Mayes, Abigail Weitzel, Addison Harkins, Brylee James, Ava Frye, Kamryn Bourbon, Natalie Edmisson, and Cali Dupree. 

The Eagles successfully completed their district title defense on Feb. 14-15 at Belton High School. Nixa topped 22 additional teams with 266.5 points, besting runner-up and host Belton's 204.

10 wrestlers placed in the top four, including three district champions, and qualified for the state championships.

No. 1 seed's junior Addison Harkins (125), freshman Kamryn Bourbon (145), and senior Cali Dupree (170) were atop the podium in their respective weight classes with first-place honors.

Harkins, the 2023 and 2024 state runner-up, received two byes and pinned her next two opponents, Camdenton's Camila Morley (:17) and Glendale's Lydia Renkoski (:23), in under 25 seconds. In the semifinals, the 125-pounder had a 12-2 lead over Rolla's Vittoria Wiley before pinning Wiley in the second period (2:44). The title bout began slowly for Harkins. Smith-Cotton's Jasmine Wolfe took an early 3-0 lead with a takedown, but an escape and takedown of her own from Harkins gave her the 4-3 lead after the first period. From there, it was all Harkins, as she kept Wolfe off the scoreboard for the duration of the match and scored seven additional points for the 11-3 major decision victory. 

The freshman sensation Bourbon coasted her way to the 145-pound title. She received a first-round bye, pinned Willard's Ally Holmes in the first period (:37), next defeated Ozark's Riley Ridinger in the second period 16-1, and had another opening-period pin (:48) against Hillcrest's Tailynn Pohlsander, which advanced her to finals. Bourbon faced Waynesville's Gabriela Hoag for the title, led 9-2 after the first, pushed the lead to 15-4, and eventually pinned Hoag in the second (3:31), capturing the first district crown in her debut Nixa season.

The reigning 2024 state champ and 3x medalist, Dupree, had a first-round bye and pinned her next three opponents to advance to the 170 title bout. In the round of 16 and quarterfinals, it only took one period, as she defeated Ozark's Avery Tennison (1:36) and Lebanon's Carli Alford (1:05). With a 3-0 lead after the first period, she scored an escape in the second and seconds later pinned Camdenton's Mila Krenzel (3:03). Dupree's championship match against Willard's Emily Brixey did not come as easy. It was a tie match (0-0) after the first period, and she led 1-0 after the second. In the third, Dupree landed a takedown late in the period to ultimately defeat Brixey by decision 4-0 and capture her fourth consecutive district title.

Four additional grapplers competed in title matches and finished with the silver.

Sophomore Hanna Egley, the No. 4 seed, pinned her first two opponents within a minute and upset the top seed Rolla's Kiara Sederburg in the third period by decision 4-0, securing her first state berth, before falling in the 100 title match to Belton's Jobi Colbert.

2024 state medalist and the No. 2-seed sophomore Ashton Mayes advanced to the finals with two first-period wins by fall, including pinning Ozark's Emily Price (1:21) to earn her second straight state qualification. Mayes fell to Lee's Summit West's Kinley Harker in the 105 championship.

The defending district champion and No. 2-seed junior Mylee Harper secured her third straight berth. Harper pinned her first two opponents and won by decision 13-8 over Springfield Central's Jaidyn Pohlsander in the semifinals, which granted her qualification. Harper fell in the 110 title bout due to a medical forfeit.

Fifth-seeded and 2024 state qualifier senior Jessie Nelson pinned her opening-round opponent. Upset the No. 4-seed Neosho's Carmen Peren (Fall 5:35) and the top seed Waynesville's Yisel Perez (Fall 5:40) to secure her second consecutive berth. Nelson fell to the second seed Willard's Harmony Moore in the 190 championship tilt.

Brylee James (135), Ava Frye (140), and Larissa Downs (235) all placed third to secure their state tickets. 

Nixa's 10 state qualifiers will compete in the Class 2 state tournament from Feb. 28 - March 1 at Mizzou Arena. They are seeking to capture the program's first state title after earning three consecutive state trophies: 2024 2nd, 2023 4th, and 2022 2nd.