Wixon: Expanded state wrestling meet gives Highland Park, Frisco Wakeland better chance at winning title

When the University Interscholastic League first adopted wrestling as a sport in 1999, about 150 schools were competing statewide. That number has doubled, so it makes sense that the UIL will have twice as many titles.

Starting with this year’s state meet, which is Thursday through Saturday in Austin, the UIL is separating the Class 5A schools from the smaller ones. The 5A wrestlers will compete for one set of titles, and the rest will compete for 4A crowns.

“With the size of the 5A schools, it can be an advantage for them,” said Highland Park coach Tony Warren, whose team will be one of the favorites in the 4A team race. “The biggest thing I think this will do is help with the growth of the sport down the line.”

Wrestling is growing steadily, and an additional class for competition should encourage more schools in 3A and 4A to start or expand programs. Wrestlers from 5A programs have dominated at the state meet for years, and last season, 5A wrestlers won 17 of the 24 state titles. The big-school power was most evident among the boys brackets, where 12 of the 14 champions were from the largest class.

Now the smaller schools have a better chance to get on the podium.

“Any time you’re talking about a state title, it lights up a kid and puts a little fire in the engine,” said Frisco Wakeland coach Kevin Carter, who will take four 4A regional champions to the state meet. “It motivates them to be wrestling their best at the end of the season.”

When the UIL announced last year that it would add the new class for smaller schools, some coaches expressed concern that the state meet would be watered down. It’s a one-on-one competition in each class, they argued, so why does a school’s enrollment matter?

But the same could be said for track and field, which awards individual and team championships in 1A through 5A. Times and distances are usually better among the larger schools because they have more athletes and better resources for training. For wrestlers, having a large pool of teammates to train against makes a difference.

That’s another big reason, Carter said, that adding a class for 4A and under is good for the growth of Texas wrestling. More wrestlers from smaller schools will now be able to compete beyond regionals, where their seasons often ended with losses to athletes from 5A powerhouses, and that allows more time to develop.

“Now they have a two-week extension of the season, and it’s a championship environment and they’re going against great wrestlers,” Carter said. “You do that for four years, and that kid is going to come out that much stronger.”

Follow Matt Wixon on Twitter at @mattwixon.

UIL state wrestling

When: Thursday through Saturday

Where: Austin ISD Burger and Delco Centers

Schedule: Championship and consolation bracket competition begins at 8:30 a.m. Thursday and 9 a.m. Friday. Championship matches are Saturday.

Notable: Allen, the only school to win three straight UIL boys titles, is favored to win a fourth. Allen has six regional champions and qualified wrestlers in 13 of the 14 weight classes. Amarillo Caprock, which has won nine straight girls titles, will compete in 4A.

REGIONAL CHAMPIONS

The region’s top four wrestlers in each weight class qualify for the state tournament. Here are the Dallas area’s regional champions: