Class 3A state wrestling: Brandon Henson earns Little Axe's first state wrestling championship

"I felt like I was about to throw up," Henson said. "I had butterflies and everything else."

Once the match started, though, everything faded away.

When it was over, Henson had beat Childress 8-2 to earn the school's first-ever state wrestling title.

"Last year was good," Henson said. "But this is so much better. Taking home gold is amazing."

Later in the night, Dustin Hawkins gave the school its second state title at 215 pounds. Hawkins beat Perry's Anthony Lopez 3-0 to take the title.

Henson ended his senior season 34-2, with his only two losses coming to out-of-state opponents.

"It's justice for a young man that's dedicated his life to it," Little Axe coach Jim Love said. "I wanted it so bad for him because he deserves it."

It's something Henson has been working toward since he began wrestling as a seventh grader.

As a freshman, he made the state tournament and dropped his first two matches.

Each year, he moved a step closer to the championship.

After his runner-up finish a year ago, there was only one thing to do.