Black Diamonds wrestlers 3-peat as district champions to qualify for dual state

Call it three-peating, a hat trick or a trifecta. All that matters is the Sallisaw Black Diamonds wrestling team is district champs for a third straight time.

The Black Diamonds ran the table at the District 4A-8 Duals, which took place Tuesday at the Sallisaw Middle School Gym, to earn their third consecutive district champion — and qualify for the third straight season for the Class 4A Dual State Tournament, which will be Feb. 14 at Tulsa Union High School.

As it has for the last couple of seasons, the deciding dual was between the Black Diamonds and the Poteau Pirates, who each dominated their other three duals — each against Stilwell, Hilldale and Broken Bow.

The Black Diamonds handled Broken Bow (77-6 score), Hilldale (72-12) and Stilwell (810), while Poteau did likewise — routing Hilldale (61-12), Stilwell (69-4) and Broken Bow (54-12).

When the Black Diamonds (51) and the Pirates got after it, it was pretty much all Sallisaw as the Black Diamonds won 56-20. The Black Diamonds got pinfall wins from Mylz Oft at 106 pounds, Tilden Gates at 120, Briar James at 144, Alex Reed at 157, Drew Simpson at 190, Hunter Smith at 215 and Tukker Flute at heavyweight.

Dawson Glover got a 15-0 technical fall victory at 138 pounds, while Brody Mills got a 9-4 win at 165.

“This was the best we’ve wrestled all year,” Sallisaw Black Diamonds coach Mark Smith said. “It was the most complete we’ve wrestled at as a team, even tournament wise. We showed a lot of heart. We had a lot of big wins. You got to be proud of Drew, he beat a two-time state placer (Poteau’s Camden Crew). He wrestled without fear. If we can keep wrestling this way, it’s going to be positive for us.”

However, it was a gutty performance by 150-pounder Cash Mayfield that sort of stuck out for Smith — a match in which the injured Black Diamond lost by a 19-3 technical fall to Poteau’s Javier Ortiz.

“Cash stepped out there for us, and he got beat pretty good there,” Smith said. “He’s got a tough injury. He sacrificed for the team. A lot of kids wouldn’t have even gone out there, but Cash sacrificed for the team. That kept them (Poteau) from bumping their guys up that could have made a difference in the dual.”

The sad news for the weekend was due to the arriving winter storm, the decision was made at about noon Wednesday to cancel the Paul Post Tournament, which was slated to be today and Saturday at Paul Post Field House.

So, the next action for the Black Diamonds will be the homecoming dual against the Heavener Wolves at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Sallisaw Middle School Gym — where the junior high wrestlers will go first, followed by the varsity wrestlers.

The Sallisaw Lady Diamonds varsity team will be idle until next weekend’s Maverick Conference Tournament, which will be Jan. 30-31 in Fort Gibson.