GRAPPLING FOR STATE TITLES
The Dual State Wrestling Championships began Friday at Firelake Arena in Shawnee and concludes Saturday
SHAWNEE – Mustang coach Brian Picklo crouched before his team, which was huddled in the corner of the red mat.
The Broncos, coming off a 50-15 thrashing of Jenks in the quarterfinals of Class 6A Dual State Tournament, ignored the clamor happening on surrounding mats. Picklo wanted to make sure his team remained focused, knowing their goal of capturing their first dual state title had to go through the top team in 6A.
“We've got a giant task,” Picklo said. “We've got to slay the giant tomorrow.”
Picklo said his challenge when he took the job was to change the mentality about Mustang wrestling. Three years later, Mustang is on the brink of becoming the top team in the state's largest classification.
That giant he mentioned is Broken Arrow, which defeated Deer Creek 42-11 during the quarterfinals at Firelake Arena. For nearly 10 minutes, Picklo spoke to his young team about the next battle they would have to fight to reach their goal.
There's one starting senior on the team: Picklo's son, Cameron, a Cornell signee. Cameron Picklo said he doesn't feel as if there is more pressure on him because of his seniority, but he hopes his work ethic has helped set the standard.
“Being a senior and seeing everyone who has come up with me, it's really exciting,” Cameron Picklo said. “We're all on the same page. We're all working for each other.”
Most of the current Broncos wrestled for Coach Picklo in junior high. That team once faced Broken Arrow, losing 72-0 in one of the first duals of that season. A couple months later, when they wrestled again, Mustang won by a point.
On Saturday, many of the wrestlers on those two teams will compete again. Cameron Picklo said he knows the challenge his team is facing. His father is happy to see how the losing mentality is gone from Mustang, and he's thrilled to watch his team against top competition on Saturday.
“We haven't even been in the position to compete with a Broken Arrow for years,” Picklo said. “Tomorrow at noon will be the big test for us.”