With the largest group of wrestlers in program history, the Durant High wrestling team embarks on the 2024-25 campaign with a definite eye for the future.
Head coach Jim Taylor welcomes 62 grapplers, including 33 freshmen, which will definitely provide plenty of opportunity to fill all 14 weight classes in each dual this year.
Durant begins the season on December 10 at Plainview and will have a constant stream of action after that until Class 5A regional action February 17-22.
“It’s the largest group we’ve ever had in high school, and we’ve had to put down mats in the indoor facility to have room for all of them to work out,” Taylor commented. “It’s a good problem to have as far as a lot of wrestlers in each weight. We’re probably going to level off around 50, but a lot of them are young and inexperienced. Most of the freshmen wrestled in middle school so they have an idea of what we are looking for, but the jump to high school is pretty big when it comes to physical maturity.
“It is definitely promising for the future with that many young kids in the program.”
Seven of the boys group return with experience as weight division regulars this season, several of which saw outstanding success in the Lions’ preseason competitions. That includes three finalists in the
Durant Wrestling Schedule
Dec. 10 Plainview Away Dec. 12 Little Axe Home Dec. 13 Tahlequah Tourney (girls) Away Dec. 17 Sulphur Home Dec. 19 Madill Away Dec. 20-21 Duncan Tourney (boys) Away Jan. 3 Glenpool Tourney (boys) Away Jan. 11 Pauls Valley Tourney Away Jan. 14 Davis Home Jan. 17-18 Carl Albert Tourney Away Jan. 21 Ardmore Home Jan. 23 District Duals at McAlester Away Jan. 25 Duncan JV (boys) Away Jan. 28 Dickson, Caddo, Coalgate Home Jan. 31 MW Conference Tourney Away Feb. 1 MW Conference Tourney Away Feb. 8 Ardmore Tourney Away
prestigious Southmoore Preseason Open just a couple weekends ago.
Sophomore Aiden Polk (150 pounds), junior Britton Trotter (165 pounds) and senior Adam Haney (175 pounds) all reached the championship match in that event with freshman Olivia Crossland winning the girls’ title at 100 pounds.
Taylor pointed to Polk, Trotter, Haney and junior Mack Barbush, who is expected to fill the 144-pound slot, as strong leaders with all having legitimate shots to ultimately qualify for the state tournament.
“We feel pretty good where we are right now, but we still have a long way to go in order to get to where we want,” the Durant head coach commented. “Having three make the finals in the Southmoore preseason event was tremendous after not having any in the finals last year.
“You would like for the freshmen to fill in the lower weight classes just with physical maturity, but we’re going to need some in the larger weights this year. Our heavy weights are really young. We have three heavyweight wrestlers, and all are freshmen. It’s just difficult for those guys because they are often facing upperclassmen with more physical strength.”
Other returning weight class regulars for the Lions include sophomore Canan Walls at 106 pounds, sophomore Shawn Humphrey at 126 and senior Matt Frazer at 132.
Taylor will be looking to see who steps up from the huge group of underclassmen to take those other slots during the course of the season.
On the girls’ side, the Lady Lions will have 11 participants, but nine of those will be freshmen as ju- nior Kyra Dry and sophomore Chloe Marlow are the lone high school returnees.
As Crossland showed however, the freshman crew is high on talent and athleticism but just needs to gain more mat time experience.
“Kyra and Chloe can both go out and win some matches for us,” Taylor said. “They just have to continue working on technique but will be solid leaders. Those ninth graders have a chance to be really good as they develop. We just have to get them as much time as possible on the mat because they will all go compete.”
Crossland is expected to be a mainstay at 100 pounds with Madison Rivera at 115 and Emma Davis, who took second at Southmoore, penciled in at 135 pounds.
The girls squad as well as the boys should get a wealth of mat opportunities with the first home dual for the Lions set for December 12 against Little Axe. There will be an individual girls tournament at Tahlequah with the boys going to the Duncan and Glenpool invitationals. Both groups will take part in tournaments at Pauls Valley, Carl Albert and Ardmore in addition to the Midwestern Conference Tournament at Shawnee.
One highlight of the second half of the schedule is a home festival on January 28 that will include wrestlers from Dickson, Caddo and Coalgate.
“There’s a lot of excitement in the program right now,” Taylor added. “We’ve had some success here but been down the last year or two. This young group is looking to rebuild and be competitive. I think the large numbers will help with that. We’ve just got to find ways to get them on the mat in competition. We’re going to about every tournament we can. I’m a firm believer that the more people we can get on the mat, the better we will be in the future.
“We’ve got several home duals this year and that festival later in the season that will also serve as our Senior Night. We’ve got Dickson and kids from Caddo and Coalgate all coming in so we are hoping for a big crowd and kind of celebrate wrestling in the area.”
