Brayden Thompson gave the impression to be on his method towards a second straight undefeated season.
His Lockport coaches and teammates hoped he would lead the Porters to a second consecutive staff state trophy after a third-place finish last season in Class 3A.
As an alternative, Thompson — FloWrestling’s top-ranked wrestler in the nation at 182 pounds — will finish his highschool profession over 700 miles away.
Thompson is transferring to Stillwater in Oklahoma, in the identical city as the faculty he has signed with, Oklahoma State.
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Lockport coach Jameson Oster mentioned the staff was blindsided, studying the information from a FloWrestling article that was printed Jan. 9.
“He’s an important wrestler, however that’s behind us and we’re trying ahead,” Oster mentioned. “If he doesn’t wish to be right here, we’re going to be nice. We nonetheless have the identical objective to win a trophy at staff state.
“Considered one of our college mottos is ‘Greatest collectively,’ about unifying our two campuses. However this previous week, it’s turn into one in all our staff mottos. We’re finest collectively and we’re going to go win as a staff.”
Thompson, who couldn’t be reached for remark, went 45-0 last season and gained the 170-pound title in Class 3A. It was his first season at Lockport after starting at Montini and spending his sophomore 12 months in Missouri.
The Porters (15-8) responded properly to the loss, going 4-0 in duals last week, together with an enormous 36-25 win over Lincoln-Method East.
That victory snapped a two-year twin profitable streak for the Griffins and put Lockport in place to take again the SouthWest Suburban Blue title after Lincoln-Method East gained the convention for the primary time final season.
“We competed very well as a staff,” Oster mentioned. “I feel, as a complete, it’s the perfect we wrestled all 12 months. I feel it reveals the character of our staff that we have been capable of work by means of some adversity and are available collectively.
“These are abilities you’re going to make use of all through your life, not simply on the wrestling mat.”
Steve Millar is a contract reporter for the Every day Southtown.
