ON THE MAT
Our Adam Kemp previews the state wrestling tournaments, including a look at Bridge Creek's team
BLANCHARD — Up on the wall of the sweltering practice room at Bridge Creek High School hang four plaques with the wrestling program's accomplishments.
One lists the 11 state qualifiers in school history. Another has a smaller list of state placers. A third displays the program's three state runners up.
The fourth board hangs without a mark on it. On the far right side of the wall, it's waiting for the first name to be etched underneath the header that says “State Champions.”
Bridge Creek's lack of history in wrestling didn't discourage Will Delk when he was seeking out his first head coaching job.
“I saw possibility,” Delk said. “I saw potential and excitement. It was just a matter of trying to build confidence.”
In his first season leading Bridge Creek, the Bobcats have added to those lists of accomplishments already and are looking to do more.
Bridge Creek qualified a program-best 10 wrestlers for the state tournament, nearly equaling the number it had produced in the program's four-year history.
Delk, 31, left his assistant job at Piedmont to take over at Bridge Creek. He hoped to help elevate the program and expand the wrestling know-how of the tiny Grady County school.
Bridge Creek notched a 20-2 dual record this season. The Class 3A Bobcats beat Class 6A teams such as Yukon, Midwest City and Shawnee as well as Class 5A teams Claremore, Carl Albert and Guthrie.
Delk, who is the younger cousin of Perry coach Ronnie Delk, said the win against Yukon was a moment early in the season when realized he had something special.
“I think that gave us some confidence,” Will Delk said. “Don't be intimidated by any name. Don't give anyone respect until they earn it.”
Bridge Creek has two returning state runners up in Kolby Depron and Kolton “Chilly” Smith. The duo said despite experiencing success last year, they both feel more confident heading into this state tournament. The tournament runs Friday and Saturday at State Fair Arena.
“It's been tremendous,” Smith said. “We came to practice with a plan every day, and it's bettered all of us.”
Delk said no wrestler on his team has improved more over the course of the year than senior Colton Howard.
Howard, who goes by Peanut, won about a dozen matches last year. This season, he has more than 30 wins and will wrestle in the play-in match at 220 pounds.
“Mindset changes have a been huge for me,” Howard said. “It's a completely different game to me this year. It's way more fun when you have fun with it. Never made state before and this means the world to me.”
Delk knows the job of molding a program is a marathon, not a sprint. But he's eager to see how a successful state showing could add even more momentum to his program.
“It took these kids going on the mat to get it done,” he said. “As long as I can keep them mentally prepared and feeling good about themselves, then I am doing my job.”