Excelsior Springs senior Vada Burton is returning to Columbia.

By placing second in the 130-pound division at the Class 1 District 4 Tournament, held Feb. 10-11 at Excelsior Springs, Burton advanced to Class 1 state girls wrestling competition, slated for Feb. 22-23 at Mizzou Arena in Columbia. It’s her second appearance at state.

Seeded first, Burton (37-5) won three matches by fall, pinning University Academy’s Ashlee Ford, Polo’s Mylie Carr and Penny of Hamilton’s Natali West before dropping the championship match in a 13-8 decision to Oak Grove’s Lauren Phillips.

The Tigers had a few grapplers who were one victory shy of qualifying. They included Aryana Davis, a first-year high schooler, who went 2-2 at 155. After losing by fall to Smithville’s Adalee Pickett, she pinned Kearney’s Danica Green and then Maryville’s Abby Swink to advance to the consolation semifinals, where she fell to Pickett again.

Davis finished her season 14-16. Sophomore Izabella Morgan also was one win short. Wrest…