ShawneeDispatch.com

Ryne Cokeley was about to describe the final match of his state championship season to his classmates at St. James Academy on Monday when the school's athletic director stepped in.

"Ryne won state last week. That accomplishment is over the top amazing for him to come in as a freshman and beat people who were older than he is and win state," A.D. Andy Tylicki said. "It is just an amazing accomplishment. You all need to stand up and give it up for him."

Students rose up and gave the 119-pound freshman his first standing ovation.

Cokeley was a champion. He's the answer to the trivia question: who is the first St. James Academy athlete to win a state title?

Cokeley did it with relative ease on Saturday in Salina, Kan., during the Class 4A State wrestling tournament. He finished with a 4-0 record and won the championship match 15-5.

After the ovation ended, Cokeley described the championship match against Zac Sparr of Rosehill High School that began playing on the overhead projector like he was a UFC fighter describing a knockout

He described each point and the way that he had managed to win his first state championship.

He spoke about how he tired out his opponent throughout the match.

"Ryne had to learn a different style this year," coach Mike Medina said. "High school wrestling is a little different from the freestyle or Greco-Roman style of wrestling he is used to. I tried to work on getting him to tire opponents out and then making him score his points later in the matches."

Cokeley recorded numerous takedowns during the third period of the final match.

"We were able to wear him down," Medina said.

After the video, the 119-pound freshman received another ovation from students and staff.

The ceremony ended a special weekend for him and the St. James Academy wrestling team.

"I was excited for him," Medina said. "He deserves everything that he has gotten. He does everything that he can to be a champion."

He compiled a 4-0 record at state, which was pivotal to winning the title. Cokeley worked hard to stay on the winning side of the bracket.

He won his first match over Denzell Davis of Fort Scott, 20-3. He faced familiar competition in the next two rounds against two wrestlers whom he occasionally practices against in the off season. First, Cokeley defeated Derrick Weller of Piper, 3-0. Again, all his points came in the final round.

Then he defeated Nick Rockhold of Baldwin, 2-1, in the finals match.

In the finals, Cokeley thought he would get a chance to wrestler Sharky Slyter of Paola, but it didn't materialize. Slyter was defeated in the semifinals 8-7.

"It was sort of a letdown; he wanted to see Slyter in the finals," Medina said.

However, the scenario also shows how much Cokeley has developed as a wrestler during his freshman season. He has learned not to get too high or low watching another match.

"He learned not to watch many matches before he had to wrestle," Medina said. "He wrestled the best kids that he could this season."

Throughout the season, he learned intricacies of sport. He dealt with two-day weigh ins at a few other tournaments, which prepared him for the state meet.

Now, he is a champion.

"I don't think you can put into words what it is like, it feels really good," Cokely said.