CHS Wrestling Coach Phil Limb nears record for most dual wins

Cameron High School Wrestling Coach Phil Limb is just a handful of victories until becoming the winningest dual coach in the history of Missouri. 

Limb crossed the 400-win milestone last week during Cameron’s home opener, and recently picked up nine wins during the past week’s Sam Richardson Invitational in Moberly.

“A lot of good assistant coaches and a lot of good wrestlers, that’s where it all comes from. It’s a good program with good support, and a good school district and administration,” Limb said.

Limb began his wrestling career in Cameron. In 2002, he won the heavyweight state championship. He remained Cameron’s only high school champion for nearly two decades, until he coached 2020 senior Cam Hedgpeth to a state title despite Hedgpeth coming into the tournament as the lowest seed. Limb began his coaching career in Gallatin, but took the reigns in Cameron following the retirement of legendary CHS Coach Lanny Wake. Limb believes what sets Cameron apart from many other high school programs is the hightened expectations due to CHS’s tradition of success. 

“The kids come in, and they expect to when. That goes a long way. They expect to win. There is tradition there. You expect to win and do well (in Cameron),” Limb said.

With Limb sitting at 409 dual wins, and the record being 435, Limb said breaking the record is an accomplishment he can achieve in 2023. He can pick up three more wins when the Dragons return from the Christmas break for a January 5 quad in Maryville. They will head on the road for the next few weeks with tournaments in Kearney, Lexington, Plattsburg, before return home for the Cameron senior night quad January 18.

“From what I can tell, there have been four coaches all-time (with 400 wins) on the boys side. Girls aren’t really tallied into that yet. Some coaches have tallied that in, but on the boys side there are only four coaches. Joe Drake held the all-time record for a while with 413, then Jeff Anderson in Lawson - a retired coach a couple of years ago - I think he broke that,” Limb said.

With Limb being the only active coach in Missouri with more than 400 wins, should he break the all-time dual win record, his record could stand for a long time. 

“I’m a firm believer in the Cameron school district, Cameron wrestling. I love Cameron, and everything about it really. It’s just the community, the wrestlers, that’s what I believe in,” Limb said.