In the best season ever for the young Lincoln Christian wrestling program, the Bulldogs continued to make history.

Not only did Lincoln take the most wrestlers ever (six) to the state tournament, but the Bulldogs reached new heights when they got there.

Not one, but two state finalists in senior Hudson Farris and freshman Drake Sheffield — a first in ever at Lincoln.

And finally, the cherry on top — the program's inaugural state title — gold captured by Farris at 138 lbs.

It was a weekend of celebration for many at the new OG&E Coliseum in Oklahoma City.

But perhaps none more than for a program that didn't even exist six years ago.

"This season meant so much to this program," said head coach AB Stokes. "All the hard work and dedication these young men and coaches have put in truly paid off. I'm incredibly grateful to be part of what's happening at LCS."

The Bulldogs had numerous accomplishments this season.

Qualifying for dual state for the first time. Finishing top three at regionals.

The list goes on and on, which certainly makes Stokes proud, but also thankful.

"I'm definitely proud of what was accomplished this season, but even more than that, I'm grateful," the head coach said. "I truly believe God has His hand on this place. Watching these young men do things the right way and give all the glory back to Christ is incredibly humbling. It's an experience I don't take for granted."

Farris (37-9) capped off his career with four trips to the state tournament, but saved his best for last, going 3-0 over the weekend to win it at 138 lbs. in Class 3A.

"It couldn't have been more fitting for Hudson to be our first-ever state champion. Sometimes you hear a coach say, 'He does everything the right way,' and you wonder if they really mean it, but with Hudson Farris, that couldn't be more true," Stokes said. "He genuinely does everything the right way. He shows up every day with a great attitude, competes with joy, and carries himself with humility."

Stokes talked about the standard Farris has helped create, both with his success on the mat, his work ethic and his leadership. 

"He's the definition of what it means to be a Lincoln Christian Bulldog. He commits to summer pride, plays football, and then transitions right into wrestling without missing a beat," Stokes said. "He never makes excuses, and he's always pushing his teammates to be better. Hudson isn't just a champion because of what he accomplished, he's the standard of our program because of who he is."

Freshman Drake Sheffield joined Farris as the first Lincoln wrestlers to ever make the state finals, capping off what was a stellar first varsity season.

Sheffield (32-12) came up short in the finals to No. 1 seed Tommy Miller from Marlow, but accomplished more than anyone in his first season.

"Drake, being one of only two guys in our program's history to make the state finals as a freshman, is an incredible accomplishment," said Stokes. "But honestly, his success doesn't surprise me. He's one of the hardest-working people I've ever been around. There are days he practices three times, and sometimes he even adds an extra workout on top of that."

"His discipline, focus, and commitment to getting better every single day set him apart. I'm just really glad to see all of that hard work paying off for him."

Stokes also spoke about his group of six to qualify for state and what that accomplishment means for the program, as freshmen Arion Stokes, Max Madrid, Colt Conroy and Easton Smith, along with seniors Gabe Huntsinger and Ethan Uyetake continued to help set the standard for Lincoln wrestling.

"Arion Stokes, Drake Sheffield, Hudson Farris, Gabe Huntsinger, Max Madrid, Ethan Uyetake, and Colt Conroy represented our program extremely well at the state tournament," he said. "This group, along with their teammate Easton Smith, who pushed them every day in practice last week, showed what it means to compete with discipline, toughness, and character."

The Bulldogs finished 6th as a team in Class 3A, by far the highest finish for a team in program history.

"Making it to state is a huge accomplishment in itself, but the way they carried themselves, on and off the mat, says even more about who they are. They competed hard, supported one another, and represented our program with class. I'm proud of what they achieved and even more proud of the kind of young men they are becoming."

Specifically, the seniors, who helped build the program for the majority of its existence, hold a special place in the program's history, as they've continued to push Lincoln wrestling to new heights.

"This group elevated our program in every way possible. Especially the seniors, they held onto Lincoln Christian wrestling when the success we experienced this weekend felt like a distant dream," Stokes said. "As someone who was there at the very beginning, I've seen exactly where this program started, and I know how much faith it took to stay committed in those early days."

Stokes praised his coaching staff that helped get the program to this point, as the things were not easy during the growth years but faith, hard work and discipline prevailed.

"That senior group, along with a lot of prayer and the dedication of coaches like Zac Fullingim, Ty Barrett, Davey Dolan, Jimmy Landers, Jon Arnold, and Daniel Smith, helped hold this program together and push it forward," said Stokes. "They laid the foundation for what we're becoming. It's a special thing to trust the Lord through the process and then step back and see His faithfulness revealed."

Stokes and his program are not content with just getting there. With many wrestlers returning from this season's team, he hopes to build off this special year and continue to raise the level of Lincoln wrestling with each season.

"What's next for our program is continuing to build on the foundation that's been laid. We don't want this season to be a peak, we want it to be the standard," he said. "The goal moving forward is to keep developing young men of character, discipline, and faith, while continuing to compete at the highest level."

The path for that is simple - to continue to do what is consistent across all Lincoln athletics — continue to show up, outwork people and to give God the glory always.

"We want to continue to embody the culture that's evident in Lincoln Athletics, which is hard work, accountability, joy in competition, and giving God the glory in all of it," Stokes said. "If we stay committed to doing things the right way and keep investing in our younger athletes, I believe the success will continue to follow."

"More than anything, we hope to build a program that lasts, one that consistently develops champions on the mat and strong leaders off of it. Ultimately, this program was built on rock, so I trust that whatever is to come is a part of God's plan. And I'm ok with that."