Three county wrestlers heading to state

By CRAIG HALL
POTEAU—Poteau’s wrestling team improved to 14-14 in dual meets this year.

That success carried over to the regional tournament as two Pirates qualified for the state tournament starting Friday.

Freshman Tyler Tustin won the 4A East Regional, the first Poteau freshman to win a regional and only the second freshman to qualify for state.

Senior Shane Baxter finished second in the regionals. Talihina’s James Cody Brigance also qualified for state for the third time.

Tustin, at 125, is 32-3 on the season while Baxter (160) is 34-7.

Poteau coach Rob Gray was not surprised at the success of his wrestlers.

“I knew they would do good if they wrestled up to their abilities,” Gray said. “I’m not really surprised in Tustin even though he is a freshman. I didn’t know how he would handle the pressure but he stepped up and handled it well.”

Photo by Craig Hall Poteau's Shane Baxter, left, and Tyler Tustin made it to the state wrestling tournament which starts Friday.

Tustin opens the tournament against Buddy Counts of Weatherford, a senior who is 18-8 on the season. On the other side of the bracket is Cushing’s Ty Fittje, a defending state champion who is 40-0 on the season and defeated Tustin this season.

“He’s lost to the guy on the other side of the bracket who won the west regional,” Gray said. “He lost once but Tustin never gave up. He just got beat.”

To get to the finals, Tustin will have to defeat Sterling Hawkins of Tuttle, a sophomore who defeated the Poteau wrestler last year.

“He’ll have to step up,” Gray said of Tustin. “He’s got a decent chance to get to the finals. He’s got to stay on his feet. If we can keep Tustin on top he’ll have a shot.”

Baxter opens with John Barron of Clinton, another senior who finished third in the west regionals and was 31-8 this season. If Baxter wins his first match, his next opponent is Matt White of Woodward, who won the west regional and is 34-1.

“He’s going to have to wrestle in a tough weight,” Gray said of Baxter. “If he can handle the pressure and step up he’s definitely in the mix.”

Talihina’s Brigance is making his third state appearance, despite wrestling at a school that does not have a team. He competed as a sophomore and made it to the finals before transferring to Talihina.

He finished third in the West regionals last week at 215, losing to Perry’s Anthony Lopez in triple overtime in the semifinals. Brigance (40-3) opens with Ty Goodno of Newkirk, a senior with a 28-6 record. If Brigance wins, he could face Lopez in the second round.