For the first time ever, the Greenwood Bulldogs are state champs in wrestling after capturing the 5A Dual State Championship last weekend at Greenbrier. The meet was held at the city’s event center last Friday and Saturday. The ‘Dogs defeated five other schools in a field of 16 to win the title.

A couple of schools choose not to participate due to a lack of qualified athletes, according to GHS Head Coach John Kincade, who founded the Bulldogs’ program back in 2012. Wrestling is still new to many Arkansas high schools.

Greenwood’s 30 student-athletes constituted one of the largest teams at the meet. The Bulldogs were also essentially seeded #1 on the bracket that featured four pools of four teams each.

Last year the Arkansas Activities Association realigned all high school sports in the state except for football, allowing Greenwood to drop down in classification to 5A after competing for the past five years against all 6A and 7A schools on the state level.

Greenwood had fared well even in the old setup, placing as high as fourth in the state and producing several individual state champs in multiple weight categories. But the new arrangement will help the Bulldogs’ wrestling program to remain competitive for years to come.

But the biggest factor in Greenwood’s future success on the mat is the relative youth of this year’s squad, with 14 freshman and just four seniors. Among his starters, Kincade has five freshmen, three sophomores, five juniors, and only one senior. There are also three girls on the team.

Anchoring this year’s team is senior Dylan Wilson, junior Colton Tuck, and sophomore Ty Moose. All three were prominent in last weekend’s results and all three will be competing next month, February 22-23, in the Class 5A individual meet at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock.

The Bulldogs easily defeated Mountain Home (78-0) and Little Rock Christian (66-12) on Friday night in pool play, positioning themselves for Saturday against Sheridan, Russellville, and Hot Springs Lakeside.

After blanking Mountain Home, Greenwood lost just two live matches to Little Rock Christian. On Saturday the ‘Dogs outpointed Sheridan (72-12) and Russellville (46-26) before topping Lakeside (48-27) in the finals.

Competing for Greenwood were Hayden Rofkhar (106 pounds), Gustavo Martinez (113 pounds), Marko Dominguez (113), Garrett Haralson (120), Ty Moose (126), Tatum Sadler (132), Gus McKusker (138), Colton Tuck (138, 145), Greg Dean (145, 152), Dylan Wilson (160), Garrett Newman (170), Travis Cox (182), Beau Asher (195), Jayden Martin (195), Tyler Crossno (220), Casey Erskine (285), and Jeremiah Presson (285).

In the finals against Lakeside, Greenwood’s Hayden Rofkhar won by a fall, while Gustavo Martinez took his match by a 9-7 decision. Garrett Haralson lost his match in a fall and Ty Moose earned a forfeit.

The Bulldogs’ Tatum Sadler lost a 10-4 decision, but Gus McKusker won in a fall. Colton Tuck was credited with a win by forfeit and Greg Dean won over his opponent.

Dylan Wilson earned a victory by fall, but Greenwood’s Garrett Newman lost his match by a fall, as did Beau Asher. Tyler Crossno won and Jeremiah Presson also both won by fall. Crossno’s victory was the turning point in the finals, assuring Greenwood of the state crown.

After returning from the state tournament, Coach Kincade talked about the GHS wrestling program and his team’s accomplishment winning the state title.

“We beat Lakeside at our place during the season and we beat Searcy at their tournament, so we were basically the #1 seeded team,” he explained.

“We have about six or seven real good studs, and the other guys have been winning matches [too]. We have somebody in all 14 weight classes, and that’s a huge advantage. Having 37 kids on the team is very beneficial.”

Asked if winning the state title was more special because he founded the program at Greenwood, the coach said, “To start with the youth and see them grow up is kind of neat,” referring specifically to Ty Moose and Colton Tuck, both of whom began wrestling at a very young age. Kincade’s private wrestling academy started with kids as young as four and five years old.

The coach was also more than happy to share the glory and credit for his team’s success with his assistant coaches, the parents and booster club, and school administration.

“You surround yourself with good people,” he said, “and they have really helped out a lot.” David Tuck has been with Kincade since the program started in 2012 and is the father of Colton Tuck. “He’s been my righthand man,” said the coach.

Caleb Erskine, a former GHS wrestler currently working on his engineering degree from the University of Arkansas, has returned to help the program.

Robert Moore is the newest addition to the staff after working with the wrestling program at Fort Smith Southside. All three men are unpaid volunteer coaches.

“I want to be a mentor to kids and teach them the right way,” said Kincade. “Our kids buy in to their coaches, and I think that’s the secret here at Greenwood. They will go all out.

“I’ll be honest, last weekend we beat some people that we probably shouldn’t have beaten. I’m just very pleased with this team. When we won that final match, I couldn’t even talk because of the emotion and the pride in our kids,” said the coach.

“I also have great support from our parents. I’d say 80% of them were there. It’s a real good situation,” he said. “I have never seen a group of parents who support wrestling like they do.”

The wrestling parents run the booster club and help raise money and provide food and other necessitates for their sons and daughters to compete.

“None of this would have been possible without the administration. The Superintendent, Mr. Ciesla, has been so supportive, and my principals, Mr. [Jerry] Efurd and Dr. [Cody] Chatman, and [Athletic Director] Dr. Smith, have been 100% supportive.

“I’m very appreciative of my assistant coaches. It’s a collaborative effort, and with that kind of support you’re going to be successful.”

Kincade also gave a nod to the coverage of his program by the Greenwood Dog Pound website and local newspapers. “It’s so important to a program,” he said. “People don’t know about your program if it’s not out in the news.”

Kincade, who also coaches junior high football, is known as one of the “good guys” in the coaching field, so he fits right in with all the other coaches at Greenwood, regardless of sport.

His modesty aside, he deserves much credit for the success of his program and the way he treats his student-athletes. So congratulations coach, and we look forward to more championships in the future.