Free State's Tate Steele takes down Lawrence High's Melle Dye in the City Showdown on Wednesday at FSHS. Steele won by decision over Dye, 11-4, and helped the Firebirds win the dual, 60-9.

Heading back to the Class 6A state wrestling tournament this weekend, Free State junior Tate Steele has a different feeling than his first two trips.

For starters, it’s the first time he will return as a defending state champion.

And for the first time this year, Steele will try to bounce back from a loss when he competes at the Class 6A state tournament, which begins at 10 a.m. Friday at Hartman Arena in Park City.

Steele, the school’s only state champion wrestler, lost in the regional championship to Cade Lindsey, of Derby, at 138 pounds last weekend. It dropped Steele’s record to 27-1.

‘It is weird, I guess. But if I had to choose, I don’t think I’d vote against it because I never see an undefeated guy win,” Steele said. “It’s like sobering I guess that you can realize you can lose like that, and especially right before state. It’s just given me that last little drive. I think it’s a good thing overall.”

Steele isn’t the typical state champion wrestler. He’s not a fan of showboating. He admits he’s nervous before every match, no matter how small. He uses a lot of strength in his weight class but he’s one of the most analytical wrestlers on his team.

In Free State’s wrestling room, Steele isn’t the oldest but teammates like to go to him for advice. After winning a state title, he said it’s made him an automatic leader in the room.

“He knows all of the moves,” Free State coach Mike Gillman said. “He knows them pretty well — to perfection, to be honest with you. He kind of helps the younger kids. I think he’s starting to see a career, maybe, in coaching. I really do.”

Led by Steele and regional champion Gage Foster (170 pounds), Free State qualified 10 wrestlers for the state tournament. Lawrence High will send another five to state, including regional runner-ups Tucker Wilson (182), Ja’Melle Dye (138) and Ja’Relle Dye (132).

Two weeks ago, Steele missed the Sunflower League tournament after an ankle injury that he suffered during practice swelled up. Gillman said it still affected him a little bit in the regional title loss.

As a returning state champion, Steele is hopeful that he can put any of his injuries behind him and focus on his winning his upcoming matches.

“You still have the same goals and everything,” Steele said, “and you’re always trying to win, but once you’ve already won it’s like another thing to keep pushing for because that’s a really good feeling to have.”

Unlike Steele, Foster has a different style when he wrestles. The duo train together throughout the offseason and help each other in practice. Foster utilizes his speed when he wrestles and he said he learned different techniques from Steele’s style.

“Gage is just a different beast,” Gillman said. “He’s just a kid that he just goes 100 mph, no matter what. He doesn’t look at brackets. He doesn’t complain. That’s just him.”

Foster took third place at last year’s 6A state tournament when he was new to the 170-pound weight class.

This year, all of Foster’s opponents know what he’s capable of doing.

“This year I kind of got my name out there,” Foster said. “It’s kind of nerve-wracking because people are going after you and trying to beat you. It’s just different.”