DUNCAN — Around 1 p.m. every day, Kevin Kelly retreats to his wrestling office to prepare for the day’s practice session. No longer does Tom Brack sit in the chair, leaning over paperwork and cracking jokes. That role now belongs to Kelly as he prepares to lead Duncan in his first season as head coach.
This season, Kelly has a young team that will be build around three seniors and three juniors. But that does not mean numbers are down.
Currently, there are 18 wrestlers undergoing workouts with seven expected to follow once football is over. With the team at less than full strength, Kelly is focusing on the details as he begins to mold the team into one of the top in Class 5A.
“We are focusing in on trying to get their technique down,” Kelly said. “Kids want to come in and start wrestling, beat each other up. But we don’t need that right now.”
Building the program’s numbers has been one of the busiest tasks for Kelly since he took over the program. The Demon team has also received a boost from the freshmen ranks as 12 will be on the team this season.
“We are going to be young from the looks of things,” Kelly said, “we will only have three seniors. The freshman class is big, we usually average six of seven in a class and we have a ton of sophomores with a ton of talent.
“We are trying to get a bunch of kids that haven’t wrestled in the past, kids that can contribute. Good kids that you don’t have to worry about.”
During offseason workouts, Kelly has a solid group leading the way. State placer Justin Hughes has been on the mats as well as state qualifiers Colton Ballard and Kendall Carnahan.
Ballard is one of two seniors that Kelly has in workouts this fall, along with Halston Marshall. It is the head coach’s belief that Marshall could be the biggest surprise for the Demons this season.
“He came on strong at the end of the season and he has gotten stronger,” Kelly said.
Marshall will be one of the wrestlers that Kelly looks to for answers in the upper weights. The Lower weights are also a question mark with the middle weights expected to be the strength of the team.
“We are going to be real solid in the middle,” Kelly said. “In the other weights, we don’t have a lot of high school experience. But we do have talented kids.”
The Demons have one adjustment to their schedule this season as they will take part in the Deer Creek Tournament rather than the Bixby Tournament.
The season is scheduled to start Dec. 3 at Lawton Ike, but that could be rescheduled, depending on the success of the football team.
Sports
Related Photos
-
Michael Pineda
Preseason focus
Duncan wrestling enjoys solid numbers
- Sports
-
-
Demons rout Altus
After a tough loss on the road last Friday night against Lawton MacArthur, it seemed the Duncan Demons needed a boost to get themselves going for the last week of the season. DHS had its sights set on using the Altus Bulldogs as the tool for their motivation Tuesday night at Duncan Gymnasium.
-
Lady Outlaws smother Rush Springs, 38-28
It wasn’t one of Marlow’s best offensive performances of the season. Luckily it was one of the Lady Outlaws best defensive showings.
For only the third time this season, Marlow held an opponent to fewer than 30 points and the Lady Outlaws topped the visiting Rush Springs Lady Redskins, 38-28. -
Culberson, DHS hold off Lady Bulldogs
There is a saying, “Revenge is a dish best served cold.” For the Duncan Lady Demons, a rematch against Altus at Duncan Gymnasium on a chilly evening seemed like the perfect motivation to help DHS avoid a two-game losing streak Tuesday night.
-
Duncan hosts Altus tonight
ometimes it’s not how hard you fall, it’s how fast you get back up.
After a tough overtime loss Friday night at Lawton MacArthur, the No. 14 Duncan Lady Demons (14-7) will look to rebound this evening against the No. 11 Altus Lady Bulldogs (12-6) with tip-off set for 6:30 p.m. from Duncan Gymnasium. -
Bray hands Turner its first loss
The Bray-Doyle Lady Donkeys picked up one last shot of momentum Monday night before heading into the Class A district tournament.
The Lady Donkeys took control early and never let up, topping previously unbeaten Turner, 68-51 at home on senior night to finish the regular season on a five-game winning streak. -
Velma-Alma rolls Healdton, 52-36
Make it six in a row for the Velma-Alma Lady Comets.
Senior Night proved to be quite beneficial for V-A thanks to a strong second half, which broke open a close game, giving the Lady Comets a 52-36 victory over the Healdton Lady Bulldogs. -
UNTARNISHED
Monday night saw the No. 4 Velma-Alma Comets send a clear message to the rest of the field in the playoffs: The road to Oklahoma City will run through Velma, one way or another.
V-A wasted no time in dismantling the Healdton Bulldogs on Senior night, as the Comets finished the regular season 23-0, thanks to a 72-12 victory. -
Encore Performance
Just like four years ago, Eli Manning and the Giants orchestrated an impressive late fourth-quarter drive to overtake the lead and the Patriots couldn’t answer in the final minute, handing the Super Bowl championship to the New York, 21-17 on Sunday night.
-
Carletti-Silva commits to Army
Duncan High School senior quarterback Brandon Carletti-Silva has given a verbal commitment to the United States Military Academy — better known in the sports world as Army — and plans to make his decision official on Wednesday.
-
Comets try to complete regular season perfection
Throughout the season, V-A has defied the odds, beating every team set in their way, resulting in a perfect 22-0 record.
Tonight, the Comets will look to finish their regular season unblemished as they host Healdton (1-14) at 8:30 p.m. for Senior Night. - More Sports Headlines
-
Lower-hassle Screening to Be Tested at Airports
Raw Video: Dog Rescued From Icy Colo. Water
Helmet Camera Captures Calif. Fire Rescue
Worker Tells 911: Powell 'exploded the House'
Triple Win: Santorum Takes Minn., Mo., Colo.
Injured Marine Inspired by Homecoming
No Rape Charges Against Son of NYPD Commissioner
Egypt's Ruling Generals Play Risky Game With US
Former Komen Exec Defends Funding Cut
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
Calif. Gay Marriage Ban Ruled Unconstitutional
Jury Selection for Ex-UVa Athlete Enters 2nd Day
Cab Driver Helps Wis. Family Escape House Fire
Staff Removed at LA School During Abuse Probe
Runaway Goat Leads Police on Wild Chase
