Black Diamonds ready to end season at state
The Sallisaw Black Diamonds wrestling team state qualifiers — 10 total, but likely nine being able to actual wrestle at this weekend’s Class 4A State Tournament, which will begin Thursday and end Saturday at Oklahoma City’s Jim Norick State Fair Arena — were glad to make state after qualifying in last weekend’s Class 4A Regional Tournament in Bristow.
“I was state bound,” said 132-pounder Mason Duke, who got his 100th victory of his prep career during the regional, about getting to make state when he knew he made it to the thirdplace match — which he won. “It felt great.”
“I was glad that I got out of the regionals,” said 106-pounder Cason Craft, who was one of three Sallisaw regional champions. “I’m ready for state this weekend.”
“I was just pumped,” said 157-pounder Brody Mills, who was a regional runner-up. “I was excited. I have some good workout partners, and I’m just trying to get ready for state.”
“It was exciting,” said 175-pounder Hunter Smith, who was third at regionals. “I’m just excited to be able to go to practice every day to get better.”
“I was was excited to make the top five to go to state,” said 190-pounder Caden Pollard, who grabbed the last spot for state after winning the fifth-place match on Saturday at regionals. “I’ve put in more work this season. To work my way into the bracket felt good.”
“I was excited to have another week in wrestling, and have a chance to compete (at state),” said 165-pounder Bodie Adams, who was a regional champion.
“I was really excited,” said 113-pounder Morgan Duke, who was fourth at last weekend’s regional tournament. “I knew I had to work hard in order to place high.”
One state qualifier, 215-pounder Noah Flores, could only think about one thing, what will be necessary to do well at this weekend’s state tournament.
“I’ve got to practice harder to get ready for state,” Flores said. “That’s about it.”
For Sallisaw 150-pounder Cole Mayfield, he not only was a regional champion, but he will get to have a shot at repeating as a state champion after he did so last year at 150 pounds in the Class 3A State Tournament as a Warner Eagle. He said that there was not much of a change in his mentality going from being a Class 3A wrestler to a Class 4A matman.
“It’s kind of the same thought processes,” Mayfield said. “I won my region, so I will be the higher seed. I’ll have a good spot in the bracket. It’s really the same mentality. I just have to get there and work my hardest.”
The state qualifiers are hoping to end Saturday night as a state champion in their respective weight class.
“I would feel really happy, excited and proud about winning (state),” Morgan Duke said.
“I would be ecstatic,” Adams said. “I would be so excited. It would make me want to be ready to come back next season, put in all the work and have another great season with my team.”
“It would be exciting, Smith said. “It would be a great feeling.”
“It will feel great,” senior Mason Duke said. “I’ll know that I ended my high school career the best way I could. I’ll be happy going to college knowing that I accomplished this.”
One state qualifier has all the confidence in the world he is indeed going to be crowned a state champion on Saturday night.
“There’s no ifs, ands or buts,” Mills said. “I’m going to go out there as a state champion on Saturday night. That will give me great motivation the next two years of high school to go win (state) the next two years.”
For Pollard and Flores being seniors, they could not think of a better way to end their prep career than with a state championship.
“I would be on top of the world,” Pollard said. “Ending my senior year as a state champ would put me over the top.”
“It would mean that I went out with a bang,” Flores said. “I’d be really excited about that.”
Both Mayfield and Craft are not only thinking about winning state — or in Mayfield’s case, repeating — but they’re thinking about how to use the state tournament for bigger and brighter things.
“It would be definitely great,” Mayfield said about repeating. “I’m always looking for that next state title. I’m looking for that Fargo (N.D.) title (at USA Nationals Junior/Age 16-and-Younger Tournament in July). I’m always pushing for that next level. I want to be nationally ranked and have a national title under my belt.”
“It would be awesome to go to state and win it as a freshman, but I’ve got bigger goals,” Craft said. “To one on that U-17 (Age 17-and-Younger) World Team at 45 kilos (99 pounds). That’s my goal this year. OKC is just another trip. It’s just another weekend.”
Sallisaw’s 10th state qualifier was Mattix Casebolt, who was fourth at 120 pounds, but he suffered an injury during the regional tournament and possibly won’t get to wrestle at state this weekend.
