David and Lee Laxton coached son and brother Travis Neal Laxton to his first FHSAA, 1-A High School State Wrestling Championship title at the 103 pound weight division. The State finals were held in the Lakeland Civic Center Feb. 20 and 21.

Laxton, who’s name Neal literally means a champion has been wrestling since the age of five.

“I was wrestling in the 40lb. weight class and weighed only 29 pounds,” said Laxton. “Although I won a lot of matches I didn’t win any major titles until I was seven, and of course I finally grew into a weight class that fit.”

His Dad David took him and fellow wrestler Joe McMillan to their first national competition. The summer of 2007 the three went to Virginia Beach, Va. where the two wrestlers placed and made All-American status at the National High School Coaches Association Nationals.

“It was a great feeling and a lot fun,” said Laxton.

Laxton Last wrestled in the Disney Duals the summer of 2008 and made All-American.

Laxton placed third last year in the 112lb. weight class.

“We had a ninth and a tenth grader who wanted to wrestle (in the) 103 pound weight class, but when the time came to have our weights certified, neither one was close,” said Laxton. “I knew I could make it, but Dad said we would have to do it the “old school” way.”

Two weeks later on Dec. 5 and 6, Laxton decided to wrestle in the highly competitive Durant Wrestling Tournament. Here he would wrestle in the finals, the returning state champ was Earl Hall of Miami South Dade High School, Division 3 A. Hall was presently ranked all state number one and nationally number 2.

Laxton was asked about his match with Earl Hall by Flowrestling.org.

Laxton’s remarks, “Earl Hall is a great wrestler I beat him 5-4 and that was my most exciting match all year.”

But before wrestling Hall, Laxton pinned Richie Bliss of Springstead High School in the semifinals of the Durant Tournament. Bliss won the 2-A, 103lb. state title and Hall went on to win the 3-A State Championship title, making Laxton the undisputed Florida 103 pound state champion.

Laxton said being coach by his dad has its ups and downs.

“It has its advantages and disadvantages,” said Laxton. “The advantage is knowing that your Dad may be the best coach in Florida, and he is your coach. The disadvantage is the expectation that the wrestling community, the local community and the Laxton family has for my brother and I to be state champions. The pressure can get pretty high at the house around state time.”

Laxton is undefeated 34-0. He was voted by 720 wrestlers, their

coaches and officials as the recipient of the FHSAA, Russ Mauger

Award for outstanding leadership and sportsmanship. Laxton broke Timmy Morgan’s 1992 record of 116 takedowns in a season with a new record of 144 this season. And he may have broke Billy Saylor’s 1997 record of 26 pins in a season, we won’t know about that record until later.

“I would like to thank everyone at Suwannee High School and the city of Live Oak and my family for their love and support,” said Laxton.