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On Friday, I witnessed the greatest display of wrestling I have seen to date.

No. 4 Oklahoma State came to Laramie to duel the Cowboys (who are ranked in the national top 25 in some polls) and shellacked them 31-3.

After tonight I doubt the Cowboys gained any ground in moving up in the polls.

Though it seems like a blowout looking at the final team scores, it was actually pretty close. Six of the 10 matches were decided by 4 points or less and one match that ended by a 5-point margin was actually a fluke win for OSU’s Clayton Foster.

In front of more than 2,500 fans (the largest UW wrestling crowd ever) OSU coach and wrestling legend John Smith took his former pupil and current UW head coach Mark Branch’s version of Cowboys wrestling to task.

The ferocity of the 4-6, 111-pound Smith was intimidating. Though his tie was longer than his torso, legs and ankles, he commanded a great deal of respect. And I assume if someone doesn’t offer respect, he will put his hand down their throat and take it.

As for Branch, he is young and has a pretty good road ahead.

It was a blast to see a dual of this magnitude for Wyoming. In just his second year, Branch has a group of young wrestlers squarely in position to continue their upward movement in the national rankings in the years to come. And any ranked UW sport is pretty cool just ask… well, none come to mind, but trust me, it is probably cool.

Even if the great display of wrestling on Friday was by the Stillwater-based Cowboys, it is a pretty safe bet to say that sooner rather than later, there will be a great display put on by the Laramie-based Cowboys.

Thanks for looking.

More than 250 wrestlers buzz around the mats of Storey Gym, kicking and screaming, crying and laughing.

Beneath an American flag that covers much of the north wall, Team Braves wrestlers are drilling. Among them — a sea of kids — is the team’s smallest member, 34-pound Toby Marvici.

And he’s not just the team’s most minuscule, but the tournament’s as well. Well, he and his opponent, Longmont’s Calvin Mendez. They are the lone competitors in the tournament’s smallest weight class in the youngest age bracket. Human common denominators.

Marvici stands just a hair taller than a folding chair, yet is still too short to successfully drink from a drinking fountain. His mom, Sarah, says he is in the third percentile of the growth chart — it shows.

But in terms of personality, he is a giant. Toby will approach anyone and engage. Stealing a hat, joking and just sitting while hanging out. Sarah says he has no boundaries for personal space. Perhaps a good trait for someone in a sport rife with contact.

Sarah keeps Toby’s bout numbers in her phone — Nos. 7 and 24.

When bout five is up, they walk down to the gym floor.

Toby goes over moves with his coaches.

He is up.

The whistle blows — he attacks. His hands clawed and face menacingly crunched.

Toby’s opponent throws him and they roll around.

Sarah says Toby doesn’t look like himself.

He’s no longer in a menacing mode, but complacent.

He playfully wrestles as the four-year-old he is.

The match ends.

Toby loses 14-3.

Toby rubs his face; almost on the verge of tears.

He walks off the mat to his mother’s outstretched hand.

They high five and his smile comes back.

Maybe he doesn’t know it yet, but at four and the size of a folding chair, there is still room to grow.

Casper Kelly Walsh's Jesse Hillhouse maintains control as Campbell County's Burke Burgess attempts an escape during their quarterfinal bout in the 125 pound division of the Wyoming State Wrestling Championships Friday afternoon in Casper, Wyo. Hillhouse, a defending state champion, advanced after a 13-4 major decision. AAron Ontiveroz/staff

this is one of my favorite shots from state wrestling 2009. the photo is of central’s jesse hillhouse as he cruises to a major decision against gillette’s burke burgess during the quarterfinals. hillhouse, a defending state champion finished third after losing a 1-0 double overtime match in the semifinals against central sophomore leandro arias.

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