Whitaker lives up to Tolton wrestling success with undefeated state championship season
COLUMBIA, Mo. (BVM) — Brant Whitaker is one of the best high school wrestlers in Missouri, and he has proved so over the past few years. After wrestling his first two years at Boonville High School, Whitaker transferred to Fr. Tolton Catholic High School for his junior year where he went a perfect 32-0, and won an MSHSAA Class 1 state championship in the 160-pound weight class. Living up to the expectations in a storied wrestling program, Whitaker hopes to repeat his success in his senior year.
Whitaker has been wrestling over the past decade of his life. But the 18-year-old was also involved in many other sports and activities growing up, including football, swimming, motorcycle racing, and triathlons.
Neither of Whitaker’s parents were ever involved with wrestling, but rather it was a friend from kindergarten that inspired the Tolton high schooler to try out the sport. After going to a practice with him, Whitaker was hooked and has stuck with wrestling ever since.
The competitive aspect is what always drew Whitaker to wrestling, and by age 10 or so, he realized he had a special talent within the sport. By that time, he began competing in national tournaments and discovering he could compete at a high level. By eighth grade, Whitaker was working out at a regional Olympic Training Facility at the University of Missouri.
Whitaker began his prep wrestling career at Boonville, and acclimated well to the next level right away freshman year. His success in his first season would lead him all the way to the state final in the 145-pound weight class, where he would unfortunately fall short. It was a tough loss, but also a motivator for the wrestler.
“Getting second at state was definitely disappointing because I was right there,” Whitaker said. “I wanted more and I remember thinking afterwards that now I can never be a four-timer.”
But since that state championship defeat, Whitaker has lost just one high school match.
In his sophomore season, Whitaker continued his domination on the mat with a 49-1 record, and this time made sure he finished the job, winning a state title in a 4-0 decision.
“I finally won a state championship sophomore year and that felt amazing,” Whitaker said. “Boonville had an amazing wrestling team and it was a really fun experience there. The guys were phenomenal and we had a really good roster.”
After his sophomore year, Whitaker transferred to nearby Tolton Catholic. In just nine years of existence, the Tolton wrestling program has become dominant within the state. The Trailblazers have featured numerous multi-time state champions over the past several years, including Jaydin Eierman, Will Tindal, Brock Mauller, Jarrett Jacques, and Teague Travis – who won his third state title wrestling alongside Whitaker this year.
Catholic himself, Whitaker was drawn to the school in large part to get a Catholic education. For him, the elite wrestling program was an added bonus to attending the school.
“It’s really cool to be right where those past champions were at,” Whitaker said. “Excellence breeds more excellence and putting yourself in a winning environment creates winning. It’s been great so far.”
Despite entering into a program that has high expectations, Whitaker did not feel any pressure before the year started. However, he and many others would face adversity right before the season began.
Just weeks before the start of his junior wrestling campaign, one of Whitaker’s good friends and wrestling partners, Jackson Careaga, took his own life. It was a tragic loss, and Whitaker made sure to dedicate his upcoming wrestling season to his late friend.
“Dedicating the season to Jackson was the most meaningful part of my season,” Whitaker said. “I’m super tight with the whole family and what happened just wasn’t right. But the whole season was for him and it’s definitely what I focused this year on.”
The Tolton wrestler would pay tribute to Careaga throughout the season, in part by wearing the crazy wrestling socks he used to wear during each match.
Whitaker’s junior year was again a special one. Wrestling at a new program, the 18-year-old did not miss a beat, going a perfect 32-0 en route to winning a second consecutive state title, this time in the 160-pound weight class.
After the state title win, Whitaker pointed up to Careaga’s family watching in the stands. He also gave a thumbs up to Careaga’s little brothers while being honored on the podium. It was a satisfying close to the season for Whitaker, who accomplished the goals he set out to achieve at the beginning of the year.
“I really wanted to set a standard for myself and not only go undefeated but leave no doubt in anyone’s head,” Whitaker said. “I wanted to send a message to the whole state that I’m here and I’m ready to wrestle. This year’s state title meant a lot to me and it also went beyond wrestling.”
Now months removed from his second state championship, Whitaker is proud when he looks back on what he accomplished junior year, and knows he left zero questions about his talents on the mat. But the rising senior hopes to keep what he has started going at Tolton during his final year of high school wrestling. The ultimate goal is to win a third straight state championship, but Whitaker also hopes he can help develop the younger guys on his team.
“This is definitely going to be a team building year and I am going to be the most experienced wrestler on the team,” Whitaker said. “So I want to work on developing the team and help develop skills so we can bring some kids to state. I don’t want to go by myself.”
The future of the program remains bright under the leadership of coach James Williamson, who Brant credits for helping create a smooth transition for him into the program while also helping him further develop on the mat.
“James is amazing and is in amazing shape,” Whitaker said. “He works as a personal trainer and we are definitely one of the most in shape teams when it comes to matches. He’s also a great technician of the sport and really knows what he’s talking about. He’s just a great coach.”
Whitaker has competed in numerous national tournaments including a third place finish at the National High School Coaches Association nationals at Virginia Beach in 2018. He has also received numerous accolades over his career, but maybe none more important than being named to academic all-state teams in each of his first three years of high school wrestling.
The past experience and success in the sport have Whitaker set up for a Division I college wrestling future. He has been talking to colleges non-stop since sophomore year, and the move to Tolton while winning a second state championship has only raised his stock.
As of right now, Whitaker has not yet decided where he will wrestle at the next level. Some schools on his short list include Princeton, Cornell, Wyoming, and North Carolina State. But the soon-to-be senior will continue to keep his options open as he heads into his final year at Tolton.
No matter which school he chooses, the standout wrestler has one objective in mind for his college career.
“My goal for my college career is 100% to be a national champion,” Whitaker said. “I don’t know at what point it will come but in my head I know it’s going to happen.”
Beyond college, Whitaker also has lofty aspirations, most notably competing for his country in the Olympics someday.
“My goal ever since I was little was going to the Olympics and wrestling really well,” Whitaker said. “Getting that recognition is the biggest honor you can get to me so I’m definitely going to be competing in Olympic trials and trying to get on that team.”
In the face of adversity, Whitaker put together a tremendous junior season to add to what has been a special wrestling career thus far as a whole. A bright future awaits the 18-year-old as he continues to try to accomplish his goals at each level, one step at a time.
