A team started it all. A state championship took them to never seen heights. And a brotherhood kept it going.
Five senior wrestlers on April 26 will be signing National Letters of Intent to wrestle at each of their respective colleges. Four of which, will be accompanied by a teammate.
Seniors Dylan Collins (113 lbs.) and Ryan Harrison (175 lbs.) will attend Labette County Community College for the fall semester of 2012. They will be joined at the ceremony by seniors Garrett Comer (160 lbs.) and Ty Kirkland (165 lbs.) signing for Ouachita Baptist University.
The fifth signer, Pedro Ortuno (120 lbs.), will sign for Arkansas Baptist.
The heightened competition, longer matches, and harder practices doesn’t phase any of them, but makes them work even harder.
“We continue to stay in shape by working out to build strength and increase our conditioning,” said Comer.
In addition to the workouts, the wrestlers will compete in off-season wrestling tournaments to bridge the gap between high school and college seasons.
Harrison even works out up to five days a week, two times a day, participating in weight lifting in the morning and running at night.
“Next year, we’re going to be competing for National Championships, so it’s going to take all we got to reach that,” said Harrison.
And Harrison will be doing that for the “right school for him.”
“The way they train us, and want us to succeed makes it the right one,” said Harrison. “They will do what it takes for that to happen.”
Collins agrees in the aspect of wrestling, and the school itself.
“It’s a great wrestling school and the team has a great brotherhood,” said Collins. “Plus it’s a small town, so I can concentrate on school and wrestling.”
Besides the great wrestling program at Ouachita Baptist, Comer respects their “awesome science program.”
Comer wants to work in a science laboratory after college, so his placement in college fits the glove.
Accompanying Comer at Ouachita Baptist is his best friend, Kirkland.
“Coach Ward (wrestling head coach at Ouachita) wrestled for Oklahoma State, and they always produce solid wrestlers and coaches,” said Kirkland. “And he’s put Ouachita on the map as the No. 15 Ranked Division II wrestling program in the country.”
For Ortuno, he is going without a friend, but with good reason.
“I went to Baptist because I liked their wrestling program and business school,” said Ortuno. “It’s closer than other schools as well, and I wanted to be near home.”
