LOCUST GROVE, OK —
OKLAHOMA CITY — Locust Grove finished fourth as a team at the state tournament Saturday.
Locust had 78 points, 5.5 points behind runner-up Tonkawa. Perry captured the state title with 104. Head coach Johnny Cook speaks highly of this year’s team.
“With what we had to go with this year, we probably overachieved. I was very pleased with their performance,” Cook said. “This team and the 2005 team are the greatest teams I’ve ever coached. Greatness in here is not measured by how much you win, but where you are compared to where you should be.”
The Pirates placed four wrestlers, three of which found themselves in the finals.
Senior Mikel Baker placed for the first time in his career, ending up on top of the 220-pound weight class. Cook said Baker deserved the championship more than anyone else in his weight class, because of his hard work.
Baker pinned his final opponent 1:27 into the second period. Baker defeated Tre Locust from Vian. Locust pinned Baker in the regional finals the previous week.
Junior Cub Yeager also claimed his second state title at 126 pounds. Yeager ended the season with a 39-0 record and pinned his first two opponents at the state tournament.
After being the first wrestler to end their season undefeated, Cook says Yeager can be the greatest wrestler to ever come from Locust Grove.
“Cub has a chance to be the best we’ve ever had here. He can be an all-American four more times and be our first three-time state champion. But you can’t be the best unless they make everyone around them better, and he did that this year. But he needs to lead his team to a state title and we fully expect him to do that,” Cook said.
Junior 113-pounder Braden Bennett worked his way to the finals in order to place for the first time in his career. Bennett is still not pleased with being a state runner-up.
“It felt great to make the finals, but I’d much rather win it. I can’t be satisfied with just making the finals, I want to finish as a champion,” Bennett said.
Junior Trey Loveall also placed fourth for the Pirates.
Sports
Baker, Yeager win state titles
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