The GHS wrestling program is starting its 11th season under founder and head coach John Kincade, a former high school and college wrestler in Oklahoma before coming to Greenwood more than 15 years ago after coaching 19 years in the Sooner State. Kincade started the Bulldogs’ program in 2012 and quickly made them into one of the premier wrestling teams in Arkansas by winning multiple state championships.
The Bulldogs were young and finished fifth in Class 5A last season and fourth the year before but have several wrestlers on the verge of blossoming into their full potential over the next couple of seasons. “We were a young team this year,” said the coach at the end of last season. “[But] I have 10 returning starters and five state placers [coming back] next [season], with some good young kids coming into the [program]. The future looks bright for the Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs.”
The girls’ wrestling program also continues to grow with 13 young ladies on the 2023-24 roster after the success of freshman Farrah Crossno last season, winning an individual state championship at 105 pounds. This season’s squad includes seniors Jorja Betts and Fallon Van Lare, juniors Lanie Atkinson, Kaylea Brooks, Baylee Kaestner, and Jocelyn Martinez, sophomores Farah Crossno, Lyndsey Jurley, and Brianne Mancini, along with freshmen Katelynn Allmon, Afton Bridges, Emily Daggett, and Kira Myrose. Girls’ wrestling is expanding rapidly across the state, according to Coach Kincade.
The GHS boys’ roster has over 30 athletes starting with eight seniors – Jacob Edwards, Ryan Frank, Luke King, Jarod Pace, Zachary Sieck, Eli Whitaker, Bryce Williams, and Jackson Witherington. There are eleven juniors including Pablo Ambriz, Michael Atkinson, Parker Branton, Keagan Dust, Zachary Edwards, Jeremy (Cade) Johnson, Jonathan Martinez, Landon Rofkahr, Wyatt Thornsberry, Rhett Williams, and Kevin Yang. There are also six sophomores and six freshmen. The 10th graders are Ethan Barnes, Bryston Bay, Zander McDonald, Ashton Neece, Andrew Rye, and Cody Taylor. The ninth graders include Logan Gunderson, Rhett Holloway, Marvel Hurd, Brayden Stockton, Tyler Waggoner, and Landon Ward.
Many of these student athletes have been working out since school began in August and wrestled in a few events in November, gaining valuable experience against some tough competition. But Coach Kincade and his staff haven’t had everyone in the fold until this week with the arrival of several football players after they won their 11th state championship 10 days ago. A couple of those players are among the more experienced and accomplished members of the GHS team. Kincade is also hoping the new additions will bring some much-needed leadership and accountability to his Bulldogs.
“Every group is different, and we’ve had some good teams [in terms] of leadership,” he said. “If you’re going to be good, you’ve got to have good leadership. Just look at our football team. You’ve got to have kids that hold each other accountable and work hard. Right now, the accountability is not very good for our guys. I think we’ve got to do a better job.
“We do have some guys who work hard, we just need to get the rest of them to buy in to that. It’s a tough sport and there are sacrifices [to be made]. There is no [replacement] for work ethic. When you work hard and do things right, you can’t help but be successful. But if you take shortcuts and don’t do things right, you will pay the consequences. That’s kind of where we are right now, but I’m going to get three or four guys off the football team that are going to help.”
Starting senior linebacker Eli Whitaker and sophomore offensive lineman Cody Taylor were both expected to join the GHS wrestling ranks this week, bringing additional leadership, experience, and talent to the squad. Whitaker weighs in around 200 pounds and could wrestle in a couple different weight categories. Taylor is the team’s leading heavyweight at around 275. Senior Zachary Sieck and junior Zachary Edwards are also expected to make the transition from the gridiron to wrestling. According to the GHS football roster, Edwards weighs around 190 pounds and Sieck has bulked up to about 165. Edwards has never wrestled before, but is a good athlete, while Sieck has been with Kincade for a couple of years.
Kincade has several state placers and state runners-up coming back this fall on the boys’ side of things, including Jonathan Martinez, Jarod Pace, Bryce Williams, and Jackson Witherington. State champion Farrah Crossno returns on the ladies’ side. The coach also tries to prepare his troops by participating in some of the biggest and best wrestling events in the region, exposing his wrestlers to other quality teams in Arkansas and especially from surrounding states where high school wrestling has a much longer history and tradition of excellence. Wrestling has only been a high school sport in Arkansas since 2008. Midwestern states like Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma have long been recognized for their wrestling prowess.
Even before his football reinforcements arrived this week, Coach Kincade took his teams to Cassville, Missouri on Friday and Saturday where the GHS girls and boys both placed second overall out of nine and 10 teams, respectively, behind the host school, Cassville. That impressive showing could be a sign of good things to come for the Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs.
For the ladies, Farrah Crossno finished first in her weight class, followed by Afton Bridges, Emily Daggett, and Fallon Van Lare, who all placed third in their weight categories. For the GHS guys, Jonathan Martinez, Bryce Williams, and Jarod Pace all placed first, followed by Jackson Witherington in second place, with Luke King, Rhett Williams, Jeremy Johnson, and Landon Rofkahr all finishing third in their matches.
Kincade explained that he is looking for everyone on his two teams to show a deeper level of commitment to their sport and a willingness to make tough choices and set priorities to be the best they can be. His coaching philosophy has always been faith, family, and school, including both academics and their work on the mats. One of Kincade’s most proud achievements is winning three academic state championship award in the last few years for the highest team GPA.
“You have to put wrestling up there just like you do football, basketball, or volleyball,” he added. “And it takes some sacrifices. There are a lot of things you don’t get to do that other [kids] get to do, especially during Christmas time. You’ve got to work during that time. I’ve been doing that for 50 years and I’ve lived that life. It just so happens that our season is right in there with basketball. I have some guys who are really committed, and others who feel like [wrestling] is recreational, and we’ve got to fix that really fast. I’m kind of old school and we need to buckle down and hold them accountable.”
Kincade, who was named the wrestling official of the year for the 2011-12 season, identified some of his top competitors, starting with junior Jonathan Martinez (106 or 113 pounds), senior Jarod Pace (132), and senior Jackson Witherington (144). Junior Landon Rofkahr (157), seniors Eli Whitaker and Bryce Williams (190 or 215), and sophomore heavyweight Cody Taylor.
Brayden Stockton (120), Logan Gunderson (126), and Rhett Holloway (138), all freshmen, are expected to make an impact as well. “They aren’t scared of hard work,” said Kincade. “We’re pretty balanced all the way through the lineup with some younger kids who can fill in. We’re not going to roll over and play dead. We’re going to give it all we’ve got. We’re going to give them all plenty of mat time and see how it works out come state tournament time.” The coach is also hopeful he will be able to fill out all 14 weight categories, though he is actively recruiting for boys in the 106 pound class.
On the girls’ roster, junior Jocelyn Martinez is currently out with an injured thumb, but is expected back by the end of the month. According to Kincade, she is one of his most promising female wrestlers. Senior Jorja Betts (140) returns experience after finishing fourth at state last season and sophomore Farrah Crossno returns after winning a state title last February at 105 pounds. Afton Bridges (170) is a freshman with a lot of promise, says her coach, and junior Kaylea Brooks (155) is back after an injury sidelined her for much of last season. “We’ve got five or six girls who can scrap,” said Kincade. “It’s hard trying to build a program and get girls to come out [to wrestle]. But our numbers are up from last year.
“We’re always trying to vie for a state championship, of course,” said the coach. “And it’s looking like the same three or four teams battling each other. [Current 5A state champion] Van Buren has their program really going. In their junior high they offer [wrestling classes]. They’ve got 70 kids wrestling in their junior high, and we’re an after-school sport, and it’s tough to fight that.
“So, Van Buren is going to be up there,” he continued. “Searcy is also a tough team and [Hot Springs] Lakeside is pretty solid. It will be a good test [for us] again this year, [but] we’ll be in that upper echelon. We’ve got some potential. We’ve got some good young kids, it just depends on how fast they grow up. I like our lineup, but we’ve got a ways to go. We’ve just got to pull it all together and be ready by February [for the post-season]. It will be interesting.”
The Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs will host their first meet of the season this Thursday against Gravette and Paris, starting at 6 p.m. in the P.E. gym. On Friday and Saturday, they will compete in a large meet in Cabot, Arkansas. Coach Kincade is assisted by registered volunteer Robert Moore, Caleb and Ashley Erskine, and assistant coach Hunter Moreton.