BY MATT VINES, The DeSoto Parish Journal
STONEWALL – Maturity.
North DeSoto wrestling coach Dustin Burton said the pace of practice has noticeably quickened in the last month in preparation for the LHSAA State Wrestling Championships.
But really, the Griffins have had a laser focus all season on winning their first-ever state championship as a team.
It’s that increased level of maturity and determination for a program that finished second this past season in Division II and has three second-place finishes since 2019.
North DeSoto desperately wants to stand atop the podium.
“This is the year we’ve circled, the one where it’s certainly realistic for us,” Burton said. “The training in the past month has been a little different than the past few years.
“In the past, the training has been led by the coaches. Lately, it’s being led by the athletes.
The state tournament takes place Friday and Saturday at Bossier City’s Brookshire Grocery Arena.
The Griffins have plenty of returning experience with both individual state champions returning in Dalton Compton and Lake Bates.
North DeSoto also welcomed back three of their five runner-ups from 2023 and one third-place finisher.
Jacob Kershaw, Collin Bell and Caden Robison advanced to the championship match in their respective weight classes.
Third-place Dylan Compton also makes his return to the state championship stage.
“Early on this season, ‘maturity’ was a big word for us – in conversations, in practice,” Burton said. “I’ve watched them grow in their maturity.
“It’s not that we don’t feel pressure, but we know that now is when it really matters. You can feel it, see it on and off the (wrestling) mat. They all understand each other, there’s chemistry there. Each individual has to do their job, and they are mature enough to look at what’s in front of them.”
That type of focus led NDHS to score a record number of points at the North Louisiana Regionals this past week as the Griffins won 11 of the 14 weight classes. North DeSoto scored 278 points.
In addition to that state and regional tournament experience, North DeSoto has traveled far and wide to compete in wrestling hotbeds Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Iowa to find the best competition in the country.
“When you reach the quarterfinals and semifinals at state, it’s not that you will be totally comfortable, but you’ll feel like it’s just another match,” Burton said. “The wrestling will take care of itself because we competed against the guys that we did.
“Our goal was to prepare the kids physically and mentally with this schedule so they would have all the tools, the emotions and the IQ needed to compete at our best level. If you hang around with puppies, you’ll be a puppy. If you hang around with dogs, you’ll be a dog.”
While North DeSoto put in the miles during the season, the state championships are just a short drive to Shreveport-Bossier.
“We think it’s a positive, it’s an advantage,” Burton said. “Traveling does take a little bit of a toll when you’re dealing with weight cuts and everything else.
“You get to be focused, sleep in your bed. And the crowd that DeSoto Parish will bring, that’ll be helpful as well.”
North DeSoto Wrestling Lineup
Wt Class Wrestler
106 Lathan Tabor
113 Jacob Kershaw
120 Michael Washington
126 Nathan Adams
132 Collin Bell
138 Dylan Compton
144 Dalton Compton
150 Chase Smart
157 Hayden Bell
165 Lake Bates
175 Andrew Arinder
190 Caden Robison
215 Kyan Jackson
285 Caiden Burns