In the early ’90s, Clinton High School wrestling dominated the mats across Missouri. Under Coach Ray Niles’ leadership, the Cardinals built a legacy, and today, the CHS wrestling teams of 1990–1994 were officially inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in honor of that unforgettable era.
Their accomplishments during those years were nothing short of extraordinary. Between 1990 and 1994, the Cardinals finished in the top four of Class 1–2 in four out of five seasons. The 1991 team captured a state championship, while the 1990 and 1992 squads earned third-place finishes, and the 1994 team secured fourth.
That dominant stretch also produced an impressive group of individual state champions:
🔴Kendal Koch – 130 lbs (1990) **Kendal Koch also claimed a title in 1989, helping set the stage for the remarkable run that followed.
🔵Shane Green – 125 lbs (1991)
🔴Brandon Peck – 171 lbs (1991)
🔵Jon Koch – 112 lbs (1992)
🔴Doug Walrath – 189 lbs (1992)
🔵Matt Morrison – 112 lbs (1994)
🔴John Pickens – 160 (1994)
Numerous other wrestlers were state qualifiers and state medalists.
Present for today’s induction ceremony were members and coaches of the 1990-1994 wrestling teams, Clinton School District administration, Board of Education member (and former bus driver for the wrestling teams) Marilyn Parratt, as well as friends and family members of the inductees.
Today, we are proud to honor these teams, athletes, and coaches as they take their place in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, a well-deserved recognition for a legendary era of CHS wrestling.
