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  • Duncan coach Kevin Kelly gives some instruction during a practice this week at DHS Gymnasium. Evan Grice

    Duncan coach Kevin Kelly gives some instruction during a practice this week at DHS Gymnasium.
December 15, 2011

Mat rivalry is renewed

Demons test old foe in warm up for SOI

Evan Grice The Duncan Banner

DUNCAN — Athletic rivalries among schools in Stephens County are nothing out of the ordinary, no matter the sport. However, in wrestling the rivalries are very intense, because there are so few area schools that have programs.

One of the older mat rivalries is renewed this evening, when Duncan and Comanche take the mats for a dual, which begins with the Demons’ and Indians’ junior highs meeting at 6 p.m., in Tommy D. Weast Gymnasium.

Duncan head coach Kevin Kelly is looking forward to going against a good friend, Comanche head coach Jason Miller.

“Comanche has some good kids and always do,” he said. “Jason (Miller) is a close friend of mine and has been ever since we were little kids.

“He does a great job of coaching those kids and he’ll have them ready to go against us for sure.”

The Demons will be going against two state champions from last year in CHS senior JonWayne Townsend, at the 132 pounds, and senior Garrison McCauley, in the 182 pound division. Kelly is well aware of the talent CHS possesses, but thinks his group can go toe-to-toe with the Tribe.

“There’s definitely going to be some good matches,” he said. “We’re expecting a very tight dual, with some close matches between both sets of kids.

“Of course, there are kids on both sides who like to talk a lot, but it’s all in good fun. We’re just looking forward to the atmosphere and, of course, our fans being there to cheer us on.”

Comanche is coming off competing at the Lone Grove tournament last weekend, while Duncan had it’s first dual last week, defeating Chickasha. Kelly said his grapplers watched film over the weekend, and realize the mistakes they made against the Fightin’ Chicks were simple and correctable.

“Anytime you have your first dual, then there’s going to be some mistakes made,” he said. “We all sat down and watched the matches and the kids understand what they did right and wrong.

“Those mistakes are to be expected at the beginning of the year but we feel like we won’t do those again against Comanche.”

After their dual with the Indians tonight, the Demons will then turn to the annual Southern Oklahoma Invitational tournament, which begins on Friday at the DHS Gymnasium. Among the schools expected to be in attendance are Marlow, Guthrie, Durant and Lawton MacArthur, among others. Kelly said 15 schools will be in the two-day competition, and the Demons are looking forward to playing host to a challenging event.

“It’ll be our first tournament of the season, and it’s nice to be having it at home,” he said. “Our kids are ready to have the chance to show how much they have improved so far.”

Kelly also said winning the tournament last year has given his kids motivation for this time around.

“This is why you compete in tournaments, to go against the best competition,” he noted. “We won last year and our kids would love to have the chance to do that again this year.”

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