Mark Kirk
As a follow-up to the recent interviews that Seth Duckworth conducted with numerous individuals involved with the Tuttle Wrestling program, listed below are a few of the astonishing records that Tuttle Wrestling has achieved since winning their first Dual State title in 1989. What they have accomplished in 39 short years is hard to comprehend and the interviews help explain the commitment and passion of just a few from the school and the community that have fostered a winning tradition that is hard to match.
First and foremost, continued prayers for Luke Champion as he continues his recovery from a stroke suffered at wrestling camp.
Tuttle fielded their first high school team in 1985. Greg Henning was named the head coach in 1986, and got the championships started, leading the Tigers to a Dual State title in 1989 and to the team’s first individual state championship in 1990. Henning coached until 2006 and in his 21 years as a head coach, the Tigers won five state championships and six Dual State titles.
In addition to the state titles, the Tigers had five State runner-up finishes and three Dual State runner-up finishes. Henning coached 43 individual state champions, including 11 titles won by sons Jeff, Jared and Ryan. Jeff and Ryan were each 4X state champions, with Jared winning three state titles. Under Henning, Tuttle also won seven Academic State titles, including winning five in a row from 1995-1999.
Matt Surber took over in 2007 and coached until 2020. In Surber’s 14 years as the head coach, Tuttle won an incredible 23 state championships, including 12 straight State titles from 2009 to 2020 and 11 straight Dual State titles from 2010 to 2020.
Adding in Academic State Championships, the number grows to a mind-blowing 33 state championships as Tuttle was named Academic State Champions ten years in a row from 2008-2017. Surber coached two 4X state champions, with Zach Beard (2010-2013) and Tanner Litterell (2014-2017) each winning four titles for the Tigers.
Surber’s last team in 2020, set the Oklahoma state record with nine individual state champions and also set the scoring record at the State Tournament with 247 points…
