Norman — With every question Kyle Terry was asked about today’s Big 12 Conference Wrestling Championships, Terry kept rubbing his ring finger. There was nothing intentional to it. Just a subtle reminder of the potential prize.
“This is the part of the season you’ve been training for all year; this and the national tournament,” the Oklahoma senior said. “Being a champion last year; I definitely want another ring.”
Few doubt Terry will get another today at Howard McCasland Fieldhouse. He’s dominated the 149-pound weight class the last two years, going undefeated against conference foes.
At 24-2 and ranked No. 3 nationally, all the pieces are in place for a dream postseason for the fifth-year senior.
“To be a two-time Big 12 champion would be a great honor. I know he’s really going for it,” OU coach Jack Spates said.
It’s been that way all season. The Sooners, who have enjoyed a renaissance season, have relied on Terry as a building block. The Sooners have a young team, but at least it has a proven winner capable of dominating a weight class against any opponent.
Its youthfulness helped OU go 2-2-1 in the conference dual season and bolster their hopes of threatening for a team title for the first time since 2002. Or, at least, finish higher than fifth for the first time since 2006.
The finish is something that’s very important to Terry.
“Since I’ve been here, it seems like we’ve placed fifth in the Big 12 every year. I know that won’t happen this year. I think we’re in the running for the title. It’s fun to know,” he said. “If I could win a title and a team title my senior year. It would be something to remember.”
But it will be tough.
No. 2 Iowa State, which went 4-0 in the conference dual season, is the favorite. No. 4 Oklahoma State, which went 3-1-1, is always formidable. But OU is in the running with three wrestlers ranked in the top 10 of their weight classes. Zack Bailey is also a top seed at 141 pounds. Eric Lapotsky enters the event ranked No. 6 at 197 pounds.
“I think we’ll be in the hunt. On paper, we’re not. But we’re not big believers in what’s on paper,” Spates said. “We’re big believers in it having to be settled out on the mat.”
It will take plenty of upsets to make a team title possible. A typical performance from Terry, however, is also needed.
One thing that’s helped Terry during his dominant Big 12 career is the way he’s kept his emotions hidden. On the mat, it’s hard to tell whether he’s closing in on a technical fall or needing a takedown to even a match. He has an ability to focus on what he has to do and block everything else out.
“You can only worry about yourself. Coach talks about the team race, but he also tells us not to worry about it,” Terry said. “If you control what you’re doing out there, it will get the team points.”
Session 1 for the event begins at 11 a.m. Session 2 starts at 4 p.m. The finals are slated for 7 p.m.
John Shinn 366-3536 jshinn@normantranscript.com
