By Blake Colston
Sports Editor
Barrett Byers’ nerves were getting the best of him. His stomach was not cooperating, and he was due on the mat in a few minutes for a match that could decide the district title.
“I was trying to get a little bit of energy, and it wasn’t sitting well with me,” he said.
The junior 120-pounder, who wrestled up a weight class Thursday night, pulled it together just in time.
Byers’ third-period fall against Guthrie’s Allyn Orndoff sent a raucous home crowd inside the Wildcat Athletic Center into a frenzy and clinched Piedmont’s 10th district title in 11 seasons. With the district crown, Piedmont earned a trip to Class 5A Dual State after a one-year hiatus. Class 5A Dual State will be held Feb. 10-11 at Enid’s Stride Bank Center.
“I did it for everyone around me, like my teammates and coaches,” Byers said of his crucial victory. “I feel like we’ve been talking since school started about how we needed to be at Dual State this year.”
Byers was leading only 4-2 in the third period when he caught Orndoff a little off balance and put him on his back. His nerves were long gone by then.
“It’s a mental game. You’ve got to trick yourself a little bit,” Byers said of shedding his pre-match anxiety. “Once you step out there it’s like you’re in your own world.”
With the victory over Guthrie already clinched thanks to Byers, defending state champion Cash Donnell punctuated Piedmont’s unbeaten day with a fall of his own 1:04 into the final match of the evening at 132 pounds.
“We were hoping it would be a victory lap,” head coach Erik Ford said. “Tonight, it got to be.”
The dual started off at 138 pounds with PHS sophomore Jayden Fuston building some early momentum for PHS with a fall over Colby Wilder in less than a minute.
“He wrestled lights out,” Ford said.
Piedmont’s Brogan Hardy (215), Jackson Blackburn (175) Ian Mitchell (150) and Justin Woolery (113) all won their matches by fall. At 157 pounds, Kolten Luschen of PHS defeated Gabe Sanders 16-1.
“Our guys wrestled awesome all night long,” Ford said.
District Champs! Headed back to Dual State! #CWCW pic.twitter.com/mnlmxaleyW
— PHSmatcats (@phsmatcats) January 20, 2023
Ford said that going into the dual, Mitchell and Luschen’s matchups were both considered toss-ups. In the end, each went Piedmont’s way in resounding fashion.
PHS doesn’t have much time to celebrate its district title. The ‘Cats are back on the mat tomorrow at Yukon’s Jay Hancock Memorial Tournament, which begins at noon at YHS.
Ford said the district title should help build some momentum with all of Piedmont’s most important matches still to come.
“This tonight is going to be huge for our guys. To be able to experience that and gel as a team,” Ford said, “I’m proud of the way our guys responded.”
