By Blake Colston
Sports Editor
Makaylee Cannon has already etched her name into the record books and she’s just getting started.
A freshman at Piedmont High School, Cannon last week became the first female wrestler in school history to qualify for the girls state tournament.
“It means a lot. I couldn’t have done without my coaches and my family having my back,” said Cannon, who credited PHS assistant coach Joe Mitchell for helping her develop into a state tournament qualifier. “At the beginning of the year, I didn’t think I’d make it until my junior or senior year.”
Seeded fourth in the 135-pound bracket, Cannon will take on Owasso’s Mak Gregg Friday morning at State Fair Arena in Oklahoma City for the right to advance to face top seed Avery Richey of Vian.
Cannon only has two years of experience wrestling, but has used her raw strength, and determination to get to this point so quickly. Now, her skills and technique are starting to catch up with her will-power.
“Mentally, she’s very driven and very focused. She really, really wants to have success,” head coach Erik Ford said. “She’s decided she wants to be a winner and she’s willing to put in the work, and it shows.”
Cannon’s brother, Zac, helped plant the seed for Cannon to pursue a wrestling career when Piedmont first offered wrestling two years ago. Since then, Cannon has carved out as much time as possible – sometimes getting in three workouts per day – to refine her skills.
“That has made all the difference for her,” Mitchell said.
Cannon’s short-term goal is to earn a place on the medal podium this weekend, but she aspires to do much more than that before her prep career is over. She has big dreams for herself – which include winning a state championship – but even bigger dreams for what girls wrestling can become in Piedmont, throughout Oklahoma and around the United States.
Cannon wants for Piedmont to have a large enough roster to field a girl’s dual team soon. A handful of area schools including Yukon, Harrah and Westmoore have reached that level and PHS is on its way. Including its youth programs, Piedmont has more than 20 girls ascending through the ranks and Cannon is recruiting more on a daily basis.
“I think girls wrestling in Piedmont is only going to get better,” Ford said.
Cannon’s success has already made an impression on a pair of youth wrestlers in Piedmont. Branson Rigdon, a fifth grader, and Emersyn Edge, a first grader, are two of Cannon’s biggest fans. When Cannon competed at Junior High State earlier this month, Edge and Rigdon watched the accomplishment via live stream.
“It’s an honor to have them look up to me,” Cannon said. “It makes me feel great.”
Cannon said Edge and Rigdon will be on her mind as she takes the mat on Friday, and they’ll continue to provide her motivation throughout her career.
“I’m just trying to make it better for them, so by the time they get up there they can make history of their own,” she said.
