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High School State Tournament Results
Published: February 23, 2008 11:25 pm
Draper wins state
Jeff Harrison
The Edmond Sun
OKLAHOMA CITY — Cade Draper paced along the side of four mats and tried to stay loose, while waiting for his shot at a state title. He did his best to avoid any type of contact except for an occasional glance across the mat, where Bixby’s Garrick Bowles was doing the same.
But that all changed as time expired in the 152-pound title match and the referee raised Draper’s arm, identifying the new 5A state champion Saturday night at the Oklahoma State Fair Arena. Then everywhere Draper went a crowd of supporters was waiting to share in his excitement.
“This is the most amazing feeling in the world, I just won a state championship baby,” Draper said.
After grappling with Bowles for what seemed like an eternity, Draper got his chance with six seconds left in the third overtime period. He scored a reversal to break a 1-1 tie and pull out the 3-1 win. Then Draper cracked an ear-to-ear smile as the time expired.
Deer Creek coach Andy Howington said Draper (34-3) has been wrestling tough all year, but said he turned it up at the state tournament.
“This is the best I’ve seen him wrestle all year, he came in on a mission and just went and did it,” Howington said.
Draper took the first lead of the match with an escape, just before he was driven out of bounds late in the second period. Bowles later tied things up at 1-all with an escape early in the third period.
In overtime the two continued to lock up, and Draper tried to control the match and wear down his opponent.
“I told him that Bowles was getting tired and to keep pushing the issue and pick up the pace, and that’s what we did,” Howington said.
The state title marked Draper’s second trip to the state tournament, after placing third last year as a sophomore. Bowles (14-2) also had state experience, after placing third last year at 171 pounds.
“It just makes you work that much harder, just coming to the state tournament and being in this setting, and to make it back to the state championship I’m going to have to make it twice as hard,” Draper said.
The win also signaled a bit of redemption for Draper. The Antlers junior said he remembers losing to Bowles in pewee wrestling.
Draper advanced to the finals after a pair of victories on Friday. He won his match with a pin at 2:27 against Harrah’s Jordan Queen. Draper then knocked off Lawton MacArthur’s T.J. Traylor with a 10-4 decision in the semifinals on Friday night.
Draper was the Antlers’ first state placer since Chad Lousberg (103) and Nolan Spring (135) won 3A state titles in 2005.
Heath Boyd was the team’s other state placer, with a fourth-place finish in the very tough 145-pound bracket. The junior lost a 2-1 decision to Carl Albert’s Jared Porter to finish fourth in his second trip to the state tournament.
“This team went far this year, we should have qualified some more for state, but that happens,” Boyd said.
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Heath Boyd finishes fourth at State (picture from Edmond Sun).
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Bryant Preston, State Qualifier (picture from Edmond Sun).
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Private Lessons with DCHS Wrestler
Cade Draper, a DCHS wrestler, is available for private wrestling coaching at $20/hour after his practice ends at 5:00 Mondays, Tuesdays or Thursdays by appointment.
If you are interested, contact Robbie and I will get you in touch with Cade.
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