Wilson leads LHS wrestling heading into regional

Lawrence senior Tucker Wilson attempts to pin Caleb Cossairt of Shawnee Mission South in the 182-pound title match at SM South. Wilson earned his first career league title during Saturday's Sunflower League tournament.

When Lawrence High wrestling coach Pat Naughton looks at senior Tucker Wilson, he sees a more confident wrestler.

Wilson earned his first Sunflower League title last weekend at 182 pounds and he will be one of the top-seeded wrestlers in his weight class when he competes at his regional, which begins at 1 p.m. Friday at Blue Valley High. Free State will travel to Hutchinson.

“We always knew in the last three years that he’s sold himself a little short,” Naughton said of Wilson. “Just wasn’t really sure on pulling the trigger on a lot of the different things that he has. But this year, he’s actually done it. He’s got the confidence to do what he needs to do.”

Wilson, who owns a 30-1 record at 182 pounds, said he spent the summer practicing at least once a day. That included learning alongside his brother, Spencer, a greco-roman wrestler who trained in northern Michigan.

“I said this is my year,” Wilson said. “I really need to go out and actually wrestle hard. I think I just changed my style up a little bit.”

In the past few seasons, Wilson flashed potential but fell just short of earning a medal at state. Throughout his senior year, he’s maintained a spot in the state rankings.

“Since my freshman year, Tucker was a sophomore, he was kind of goofy,” LHS junior Ja’Melle Dye said. “Usually it was just me and him in the back corner, just talking and laughing…. Now him and Tino (Gee) are leading the team.”

Naughton added: “He’s one of our smartest wrestlers. He knows how to protect a lead, he knows how to do what he needs to do to get them in the right position.”

Regionals will have a different format this season, switching to a two-day tournament. There are only two regionals — one for the schools on the east side of the state, and another for the schools on the west side. The top-eight wrestlers in each weight class will qualify for the Class 6A state tournament.

Dye said one of the difficulties of a two-day tournament is staying under weight for two straight days.

But the Lions have plenty of confidence. They had four wrestlers place within the top-three of their weight classes at the league meet.

“Going into it, we’re looking pretty good,” Naughton said. “We don’t have a lot of guys, but the guys we have are sitting pretty good. Like what I told most of our younger guys, ‘You’re going to have to beat somebody with a losing record. That’s it and you go to state.’ So it is what it is.”

Free State’s wrestling team is expecting a tough draw heading into its regional. Among the top 10 teams in the state’s rankings, nine will be squaring off against the Firebirds, who are ranked eighth.

“It’s ridiculous what we have to deal with now that we’re on the ‘West’ side,” Free State coach Mike Gillman said. “Kids are excited about that challenge.”