The state wrestling tournament is today and Saturday — and some seniors’ careers are about to end.

“This one’s my last shot, which means I’m way more excited than all the others,” senior wrestler Crew Squires said.

It’s been a long career, always with the eye on the Class 6A team and individual titles.

“When it comes to wrestling,’ that’s what I do as far as coach and how could you not be excited about the postseason, but I really got an exceptional group of guys, not only good wrestlers, but guys with great character,” coach Bill Ross said.

The Panthers have finished in the top three at state, but the title has been elusive.

“I definitely want to place top six, hopefully top three. I just feel like I’ve been wrestling better than I ever have and we’ll just see how it goes,” senior Cooper Ross said.

Ross and Squires won’t wrestle in college, so state is their last time wrestling.

Bill Ross has known the seniors since they were 5 and 6 years old and has helped them grow into the wrestlers and phenomenal men they are today.

“I try not to use the word emotional because I don’t want to sound like a crybaby, and I’m not a crybaby but of course this weekend is going to be quite emotional for us all,” Bill Ross said.

Squires added: “I had a talk with my dad this morning actually. I told him I didn’t know what I was going to do with my life after Saturday just because I’ve been doing this since I was 5. I’s been taking all my weekends from my summers, so it’s a love-hate thing. There were times I tried to quit, but this sport means so much to me so I couldn’t. It’s got a very special place in my heart.”