Senior wrestlers say team ready for dual state
For the second straight wrestling season, the Sallisaw Black Diamonds qualified for the Class 4A Dual State Tournament, which will be a one-day event Saturday at Tulsa Union High School.
The Black Diamonds (11-5) will open up with Cache at noon Saturday. The Sallisaw-Cache winner will meet the Harrah-Bristow winner at 2 p.m. in the state semifinals, with the state championship dual slated for 6:30 p.m.
“I’m always excited for team sports,” said Sallisaw senior wrestler Cole Mayfield, who is expected to be at 157 pounds in the Black Diamonds’ line-up on Saturday. “Wrestling is usually an individual sport, but you always have that team aspect in it. The fact that we get to go to dual state my senior year is a good accomplishment. We had a good, tough district. We’ve had some injuries that has made us rusty, but just getting there is a big accomplishment. We got a good shot at doing some damage up there in Tulsa. I’m looking forward to it.”
A lot of the current Black Diamonds will be experiencing dual state for the first time, like senior heavyweight wrestler Kash Keepes.
“I’m very excited,” Keepes said. “This is my first time experiencing dual state. I’m just really looking forward to it.”
Mayfield said last year’s trip to the Class 4A Dual State Tournament at Enid’s Stride Bank Center has proven to be a big tool in the Black Diamonds getting ready for Saturday.
“We’ve been there before, so we know what to expect,” Mayfield said. “Cache is good. That’s who we had in the first round last year. We know what to expect, and we know what to do to get a win.”
Keepes said his teammates who went last year have given him pointers about what to expect on Saturday.
“They’ve told me a little bit about it,” Keepes said. “I’m just really pumped for it, and I’m looking forward to it.”
This year’s Class 4A Dual State Tournament is beginning the same way last year’s did. The Black Diamonds defeated Cache 41-30 in the state quarterfinals, then fell 43-26 to Cushing in the state semifinals after the Black Diamonds beat the Tigers 33-31 earlier in the season. Mayfield said that loss left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth.
“We beat Cache in the first round, then got upset by Cushing in the semifinals,” Mayfield said. “After beating them earlier in the year, then losing to them in the (state) semifinals where it was important was a tough taste to leave in our mouths.”
Now, it’s been a new season, with new people filling voids where the injuries and illnesses have left openings for them to take advantage of the situation.
“Coming into the year, we were looking pretty high with (Aidan) Ruiz and Mattix Casebolt, and Cason (Craft) coming back,” Mayfield said. “We were looking pretty tough, then injuries killed us. We’ve had some people step up, so we’re excited.”
For Keepes, his one and only wrestling season has been everything he could have hoped for when he decided to come out.
“It’s been everything, and more,” Keepes said. “It’s been everything I could hope it to be. There’s disappointments anytime you lose in any sport, but I’m not disappointed with how the season has gone so far. I’m glad to be where I’m at.”
Obviously, the Black Diamonds want to bring home a Class 4A Dual State Tournament championship, but it would be nice if they can at least get to the finals — one step further than a season ago.
“Improvement is always good, especially for the team aspect,” Mayfield said. “Even though I’m not going be here next year (as he will be a freshman at University of Central Oklahoma), it’s good for them to lean upon something. If we can make it to the (dual state) finals, then they will need to win the finals. Last year, we were at the (state) semifinals. Now, we need to win the semifinals to get to the finals. It’s just stepping stones, and it’s good for the program.”
“I believe we can do that (win dual state),” Keepes said. “Everyone has been working so hard to do that. This group of guys, we deserve it more than anybody. We’ve been working harder than anybody.”
