Sims finishes 4th at 115 pounds, becomes program’s 3rd multi-time state medalist

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Charley Sims clearly felt the finality, and the emotions poured out Saturday afternoon in the tunnel of Mizzou Arena.

Platte County’s star senior didn’t end her career with the desired outcome but did leave an undeniable impact on the program. She made a move up the podium, finishing fourth at 115 pounds in the Class 2 MSHSAA Wrestling Championships to become just the third multi-time state medalist in program history. The only other members of the exclusive group for the Pirates: KayLyn Munn and Sarina Bertram.

As a junior, Sims finished sixth at 115 pounds as a first-time state qualifier and picked up one extra win this time around but lost the final match of a standout three-year career.

“I’m obviously not happy about my last match,” said Sims, who does not plan to wrestle in college at this time. “I love my teammates, and I love my coaches. When I go out there and perform, I just try to do it for them.”

With the most qualifiers since sending a program-record five in 2023, Platte County scored 15 team points and tied for 38th out of more than 70 teams. Sims went 3-2, while freshman Ariel Humphreys (100) also won a match Friday in her state debut. The Pirates placed sixth in a very competitive Class 2 District 4 field two weeks earlier with senior Gabriella Ciccarelli (120) and sophomore Ava Blankenship (135) rounding out the group to advance.

Sims made the state semifinals at 115 for a second straight year with a 16-9 decision over Willard senior Lynnae Dixon a huge key in reaching the medal stand again. However, Sims didn’t have the same joyous reaction as last season after guaranteeing her spot on the podium after seeing a 14-0 lead nearly dissolve and going to her back once in the third period.

“Last year, the goal was to place and this year it was to place higher,” Sims said.

Sims’ quest for an upset run to a state title ended with a 16-3 loss by major decision to Branson sophomore Alyssa Salemie (32-4), who went on to finish as a runnerup for a second straight year.

Kicked to the consolation side of the bracket, Sims (49-10) earned a rematch of the District 4 title match with North Kansas City senior Anh Ngo, who won the first two career meetings between the two. Sims evened up the all-time series after coming up with a late takedown to earn a 6-3 decision.

Ngo secured the match’s first points with a takedown early in the second period, but Sims eventually tied the score 3-3 with two escapes and a penalty point for an illegal leg lock. Sims then ended up in a rematch with Dixon (36-11), who controlled the entirety of a 5-0 decision in the third-place match.

“Facing that same opponent twice can be a difficult task,” Burress said.

Still, Sims’ fourth-place finish gave Platte County at least one state medalist for the seventh consecutive season. She made the progression to this point after ending up one win shy of advancing out of districts as a first-year sophomore — incidentally after a loss to Ngo in the first of four meetings in their careers during the 115 third-round wrestlebacks.

Sims started slowly this season but turned in solid tournament showings in late December with the lone loss to Ngo in the finals at KC Stampede that didn’t little to slow momentum that carried all the way into the state semifinals.

“When she changed her mindset, it has just been a great ride for her this year,” Burress said. “She’s done such a fantastic job of keeping the right mindset and staying positive and being a good leader, showing others how it’s done.”

Humphreys finished a standout debut season with a record of 51-12 with her two state losses coming to medalists — Troy sophomore Isabella Cullen (43-7, third) and Willard sophomore Chloe Kirksey (34-10, sixth).

A fourth-place finisher at District 4, Humphreys didn’t quite reach the second period in a first-round loss to Cullen, who secured a pin in 1 minute, 50 seconds. However, Humphreys came to earn a 12-7 decision over Fox sophomore Shaylynn Mills (26-12) for her first career state win but only to run into Kirksey coming off of a quarterfinal loss to Francis Howell Central junior Addison Holtgrewe (33-12), the eventual bracket runnerup.

Kirksey won a 17-2 technical fall over Humphreys on her way to reaching the medal rounds.

“Down here was just a different level,” Burress said. “She did a great job. Fifty-one wins is incredible.”

Ciccarelli (38-21) placed fourth at District 4 but ended a four-year career as a well-deserved state qualifier. She drew Belton senior and eventual state champion Sydney Stifter (62-1) in the first round and lost by fall in 0:47. Ciccarelli’s final match ended up a 14-2 loss by major decision to Marquette senior Ryan Wurman (43-8), who ended up finishing sixth despite losing her first match, as well.

“Everyone’s victories are different. She did a great job of getting here this year,” Burress said. “Just stayed with it and grind and grind and grind, and good things happen.”

Blankenship continued a track to become just the second four-time state qualifier in program history with Munn, a three-time medalist and Platte County’s lone state champion the other.

A district runnerup at 140 as a freshman and a third-place finisher two weeks ago, Blankenship (36-21) went 0-2 for a second straight year, but like Humphreys, her opening loss came to an eventual medalist. Mehlville freshman Maleyah Morrow (31-13) pinned Blankenship in 2:39, while Francis Howell Central senior Amelia Iden (32-20) recorded a fall in 57 seconds.

Blankenship dropped a weight class and found better form late in the season after freshman Mattie Blankenship, her younger sister, suffered a season-ending elbow injury.

“(Ava) got a little nervous this week, but hopefully, she works those things out over summer wrestling and gets to where she’s on the attack all the time,” Burress said. “I think her best days are in front of her. And with her sister, they’ll feed off of each other and keep getting better.”

With three qualifiers eliminated at the end of Friday’s action, Sims ended up wrestling the final three matches for the girls in Burress’ accomplished 29-year tenure at Platte County. He started the program in 1999 when Missouri added the sport with just three wrestlers on the roster and built the Pirates into a competitive team, highlighted with a 2025 District 4 runnerup finish.

Burress exits having coached the first 10 state medalists for Platte County.

“I’m really happy to get one girl to place here,” Burress said. “I definitely don’t regret anything. It’s been great. I think it’s starting to sink in a little bit more. I’ve been fortunate enough to coach great kids and have great families and great community support. It’s all been a blessing for me.”