Chris Bowie

Brant Whitaker, a fourth grader at David Barton Elementary School in Boonville, competed at the Brute National Wrestling Tournament in Kansas City over the weekend of April 11-14 in the 85 pound weight division.
A total of 1,375 wrestlers from 36 states competed in 12 grade-level age divisions battling for National Championships on 14 mats.
While earning a bye in the first round from his past performances at the Brute Nationals, Whitaker got off to a good start in the tournament by beating Tom Culp from Illinois, ranked in the top 10% nationally, with a 6-1 victory.
Whitaker then had an impressive victory in the semifinals over Bronko Goddard, a three-time state placer from Arkansas, 11-0.
That put Whitaker in the finals on Sunday against another Arkansas native Dylan Allison, which Brant beat 12-0 to win the Brute National Wrestling Championship.
It was a very exciting three days of wrestling at the Independence Center in Kansas City for the National Championships.