State Champ Herron named KMAland Missouri Boys’ Wrestler of the Year
By KMAland Trevor Maeder
Rock Port High School senior wrestling star Ryder Herron recently wrapped up his time as a Blue Jay wrestler with his second state title and with that comes the title of 2026 KMAland Missouri Boys’ Wrestler of the Year. Herron topped the field in the Class 1 285-pound bracket.
“It feels great,” Herron said of winning his second state title. “It’s awesome getting to represent Rock Port and wear the name on my chest. It was pretty fun.”
The seeds to Herron’s 2026 state championship began in 2025 when he caught fire at the end of last year and ultimately won it all.
“I didn’t expect myself to win it last year,” Herron said. “When I won it last year, I immediately thought I had to prove myself. The pressure was an all-time high because I felt I was expected to perform at my peak level in every match. I think that might have made me better.”
Herron’s wrestling season started later than usual after he helped Rock Port football play for a state championship.
“I had a similar experience last year,” Herron said. “I missed like five meets, so my match count was pretty low this year. It really made me focus on getting better in practice because I wouldn’t have as much time on the mat.”
Herron suffered only two losses this year, dropping a decision at the Mid-Buchanan Invitational on January 10 and losing by a 4-3 decision at the Albany Tournament on February 7.
“I found my stride last year on a couple of things and started to hone in on that,” he said. “When I was on the bottom, I thought nobody could hold me down every match. I was disappointed in the two losses, but I kept confidence in myself. In one loss, I wasn’t having a great tournament. In the other, I screwed myself in the first 15 seconds of the match and couldn’t claw myself back.”
He won his district tournament and finished the season 34-2 after state tournament wins by pin, pin, major decision and decision. He capped his run to the championship with a 7-2 decision over North Callaway’s Gunner Wenneker.
“My first two matches were pretty quick,” Herron said. “I really locked in for the second day. In the semifinals, I had a kid I had never wrestled before. We scouted him out and knew what to expect. I think that was the fourth time I had wrestled him (Wenneker). I knew what to expect, so I went out there and did what I could.”
The state title marked the end of the road for Herron’s wrestling career. A standout lineman, he will play football at Central Missouri in the fall.
“I’ve been wrestling since I was three years old,” he said. “It’s hard to imagine my life without wrestling. It’s shaped me into a better person and gave me a gritty mentality. It made me more determined because it’s a hard sport. Leaving it behind is going to be tough, but I’m glad I ended it on a high note.”
Rock Port’s Teten named KMAland Missouri Girls’ Wrestler of the Year
By KMAland Trevor Maeder
Rock Port High School senior Emma Teten recently concluded her wrestling journey – one that started four years ago – with a strong season culminating in a trip to the state tournament. Teten’s hardworking season was rewarded with the KMAland Missouri Girls’ Wrestler of the Year honor. Teten compiled a 34-6 record in her senior year and qualified for state at 115 pounds. She qualified for state all four years of her high school career and finished one match short of a medal this year.
“It was a good season,” Teten said. “I really enjoyed my high school career, but it was difficult to cut down and work hard. I learned that failure is OK and will help me in the end. I started the year at 125, but I lost a bunch. I worked my butt off to cut to 115 and that seemed to be a lot better.”
Teten felt her technique was on point throughout her senior season. “I focused on my shots and perfected one or two,” she said. “It seemed to help me a lot. Whenever I was on top, I got my butcher and that worked.”
Teten picked up her 100th career win on December 9 and ultimately finished with 128 career victories. “It was so gratifying,” Teten said of her career. “I’m so thankful for those (wins) because it solidified that my hard work wasn’t for nothing.”
For Teten, her senior season wrapped up a wrestling career that started in junior high. “My eighth-grade year, a couple of my friends were doing wrestling,” she said. “I’m not good at basketball, so I wanted to try it. I thought it was interesting, but had been scared, too. One day, I convinced my parents and tried it. Wrestling has meant a lot to me. It taught me hard work and dedication. I built a lot of friendships along the way and learned so much.”
