Young team set to defend state titles

Comanche football coaches and wrestlers did not have much time to relax at the end of the season as several coaches and players switched gears to prepare for the upcoming wrestling season.

“It has been pretty smooth after just a couple of days,” said Casy Rowell, head coach. “A lot of these guys played football, so they are used to being around me and know what to expect.”

Rowell is taking over for the retired Jason Miller, who led his team to a Dual State Championship and a State Championship last year. Along the way, Miller picked up state and national coach of the year awards.

“Coach Miller really got the program in order and rolling, so it’s not difficult coming in here,” Rowell said. “The kids work really hard and know what it takes to win.”

The Indians return a young, but solid nucleus. Six state qualifiers are back, including state finalists senior Lake Epperson and sophomore Kooper Doucet. Also back as state qualifiers from last year are sophomore Kasen VanBuskirk, junior Gunnar Yates, junior Owen Bigford and sophomore Tucker Oliver.

The six went a combined 5-9 at the state tournament last year.

“We looked at the teams from last year and took out all the points of seniors, and we still placed in the top five,” Rowell said.

There are only three seniors on this year’s squad - Epperson, Kanyn Allen and Gage Allie.

“There’s no pressure at all,” Rowell said with a laugh. “Winning two state championships and having a state and national coach of the year and having state and national assistant coach winners.”

Rowell, though, said pressure is a good thing.

“At the top is where we want to be, we want to be one of the best programs not only at the state level, but in the nation as well,” Rowell said. “That is why we have a K-12 program and we have Blake Hare working with the youth. If you start them young, by the time they reach high school, the high school coaches just have to tweak them.”

Comanche stopped Perry’s long winning streak of state titles last year, and the goal is to go on a run like the Maroon did, but Rowell admits it will not be easy.

“It’s really anyone’s ballgame,” Rowell said. “There are about five or six teams that could win it, but it could come down to us, Perry and Marlow. Blackwell, Sperry and Bridge Creek will be good, too.”

The Indians look to have representatives in every weight class, which can be huge when the opponent gets six points for a forfeit.

“We should have everything covered,” Rowell said. “Our heavyweight Cade White won’t probably be back until January, but we have someone else who can step in there.”

Something new this year is a girls' team. They practice at the same time as the boys and go through the same workout. Rowell is the head coach and they added Dilynn Hare as an assistant.

“We were glad to have Dilynn Hare join us and for us to be able to have a team where they could wrestle against each other,” Rowell said. “Some parents don’t feel comfortable with their daughters wrestling boys and I completely understand that.”

It is somewhat different from one aspect.

“It’s completely starting from scratch,” Rowell said. “We invested in gear and we’re holding them to the same high standards as the boys. It really is a free-for-all as a coach. These girls had never wrestled before and as a coach it’s exciting to watch them do things you taught them in practice.”