Desler Almost Leads Short-Handed Tigers To Another State Title

STAFF PHOTO ANTHONY REYES Bill Desler of Bentonville is the NWA Media Wrestling Coach of the Year.
STAFF PHOTO ANTHONY REYES Bill Desler of Bentonville is the NWA Media Wrestling Coach of the Year.

BENTONVILLE -- Bill Desler knew the task of coaching Bentonville's wrestling team this season wouldn't be an easy one.

The Tigers were targeted by everyone since they won the Class 7A/6A state team title last season, and they had to carry on with fewer troops. There were even times when Desler resorted to a different style just to get his wrestlers' attention.

NWA Media Wrestling Coach of the Year

Bill Desler

SCHOOL: Bentonville

NOTABLE: Led the Tigers to a second-place finish in the Class 7A/6A State Wrestling Championships after they had won the title in 2013. … Finished the season with state champions in four weight classes: Aaron Grigsby (126 pounds), Ryan Flynn (132), Jeff Bizzle (145) and Jared Conover (heavyweight).

"During Christmas break, the kids were getting a little lax and lazy," Desler said. "They didn't want to work that hard, so we told them to go home. If they weren't going to practice and go at 100 percent, they could go.

"When we did that to a couple of kids, that's all it took. Even the ones that were sent home were like 'Maybe I better straighten up,' and it worked."

Bentonville almost pulled off another state championship but fell short to Little Rock Catholic in the state tournament. Desler said the Tigers would have pulled off back-to-back state titles if just two matches had gone his team's way.

That kind of accomplishment made Desler the choice for wrestling Coach of the Year for the second straight year by NWA Media.

"In the practice room, he was a real helper and a good motivator," said junior Ryan Flynn, who won the individual state title at 132 pounds. "He kept us going and made sure we were going smoothly, even though there were a few times when we fell off track because of the flu and the snow."

The biggest obstacle Desler battled was being short-handed at the wrong times. There were times when Bentonville competed in tournaments with nobody to wrestle in as many as three weight classes.

He admitted he had to pull a few strings now and then, and he was able to get wins from various wrestlers that were unexpected at the time. That included the return of senior Jared Conover, who won the state heavyweight title, and junior Xavier Domineack, who finished second in the 220-pound weight class.

"Bill said all along he hoped he was able to get those two back, then they showed up," Springdale High coach Jamie Stallings said. "Conover won the state tournament without wrestling at all during the regular season, and he even beat the person who beat him last year.

"When you think of Bentonville, you think more of them reloading than rebuilding. I think the kid at 120 (Luke Brandon) surprised a lot of people when he had a great tournament and finished second. You take that with the continued success he had with Jeff Bizzle and Aaron Grisby, and Bill did a pretty good job this year."

Sports on 03/29/2014

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