Blake Colston
sports@piedmontnewsonline.com
OKLAHOMA CITY – Piedmont brothers Josh and Will Heindselman entered their state championship matches Saturday night at State Fair Arena in vastly different situations.
Will, a 195-pound senior, faced a competitor he’d lost to twice previously this season, while Josh, a 220-pound junior, entered his match as an overwhelming favorite to capture his first state title.
Piedmont wrestling coach Erik Ford recaps back to back state championships from the Heindselman brothers. #okpreps pic.twitter.com/EIqtPFpncG
— Blake Colston (@CBlakeColston) February 25, 2018m-
Both left as champions.
Will upset Altus’ Cabe Dickerson 8-7 in overtime to claim his first state title, and Josh handled Claremore’s Seth Seago 4-1 to cap off a dominant 44-2 season while winning his first championship.
Josh looked on mat-side minutes before his own title tilt as his older brother came through with a series of clutch maneuvers in overtime to seal his state championship. It was the first time he’d ever placed at state.
“I might’ve been happier after his match than I was after mine,” Josh said. “He went out there and wrestled his best match all season. It was exciting to watch.”
Moments later, Will took his turn as spectator as Josh used a third-period takedown to pull away from Seago to avenge a loss in last year’s state title match.
Will’s celebration included a running leap into head coach Erik Ford’s arms.
“I dug my heels in and I was ready to go,” Ford said. “I’ve been working out just for that moment.”
Josh was more subdued after his victory, perhaps the result of a combination of an expectation of victory and pure exhaustion.
“I used a lot of energy yelling in my brother’s match,” he said. “I was really into it.”
Will scored a key early two-point move to establish momentum then held off a strong charge from Dickerson late in regulation to keep the match even at 4.
“I knew if I could just weather the storm I would be good,” he said. “I fought off his shots and wrestled my match.”
It was a match that most assumed Dickerson would win. He’d handled Heindselman twice this season and was 36-4 overall. Heindselman knew the odds and used them to his advantage, though.
“I knew the pressure was all on him,” he said. “My teammates, coaches and family believed in me and that’s what mattered.”
Heindselman broke the tie in the first overtime period then held Dickerson at bay in the second.
Josh, meanwhile, stayed true to his methodical style, forged through a season of dominant performances.
Seago and Heindselman traded escape points early before Heindselman pulled ahead via a stall point then scored the only takedown of the match in the third period.
“I had to keep attacking because I knew eventually I’d get the takedown,” he said. “That’s what I do, I wear them down and by the time the third period comes around it’s easier to score.”
Heindselman, who’s being recruited by the University of Oklahoma, Arizona State and others, already had the idea of compiling an unbeaten senior season with another state title on his mind afterwards.
“That’s my goal,” he said.
The Heindselman’s victories pushed Piedmont into fourth place as a team, the program’s highest-ever finish at state. This was also the first time Piedmont crowned multiple state champions in the same season.
“To finish off the night like that going 2-for-2, I’d definitely like to be in that position again,” Ford said.
Johnson, Hardy, McClure also place
Piedmont tied a program record with five placers Saturday, matching the previous best mark set last season.
At 113 pounds, sophomore Tabor McClure earned a 6-4 overtime decision over Carter Patterson of Ada to secure a Top 4 finish. Tyson Stevens of Glenpool edged McClure 2-0 for third.
Bo Hardy, another sophomore, finished third at 120. Hardy beat Jakob Lyons of Tahlequah by fall in the consolation semifinals then handed Carl Albert’s Jayston Cato a 7-0 loss to take third.
“It was great for him to finish that way,” Ford said.
Senior Fisher Johnson was fourth at 152 pounds. Johnson beat Tahlequah’s Garrett Medlock by fall in the consolation semifinals then was defeated by Lawton Mac’s Nick Mahan 5-3 in the third place match. Johnson finishes his career as a two-time state placer.
Senior 126-pounder Logan Chappell narrowly missed becoming the first Wildcat in program history to place in four straight state tournaments. McAlester’s Ty Nohelty denied Chappell the rare feat with a 6-4 victory in the consolation semifinals.
“This weekend didn’t go the way he had hoped or planned, but he’s a great kid and a great person,” Ford said. “To (place) three times says a lot about his ability and his character.”
Wildcats named 5A academic state champs
Piedmont claimed its second consecutive academic state championship. The Wildcats held a cumulative team GPA of 3.64 to top Class 5A.
Piedmont was presented the award before the start of wrestling Friday night at State Fair Arena in Oklahoma City.
Ford named Coach of the Year
It didn’t take long for the accolades to roll in for Piedmont’s head coach.
Ford was named as the Central Oklahoma Coaches Association Coach of the Year late Saturday night.
In his eighth season at Piedmont, Ford guided the Wildcats to their highest-ever finish at the state tournament (fourth) as Piedmont qualified a program-record 11 wrestlers for the event.
The Wildcats also won a match at Dual State for the first time in program history.
