Sammie Cyrus, a senior double-amputee wrestler from Dubois High School, reached a new pinnacle in his career this past weekend, capping his prep career as. State champion.
Cyrus won the Class 2A 106-pound division at the 2025 Wyoming State Wrestling Championship in Casper.
Being a state champion “still feels like a dream,” he told Cowboy State Daily on Monday. “I'm afraid to go to sleep every night, in case I might wake up and have to do it all over again.”
Cyrus’s mother, Kelly, was there for her son, watching every moment of the tournament. Looking on as Cyrus wrestled through the tournament, then win a championship, was emotionally overwhelming, she said.
“I wouldn't have missed it for anything in the world,” she said. “I can’t even explain the emotions. I was screaming, I was jumping, I was crying. It was one of the biggest highlights of his entire high school career.”
Eyes On The Prize
Cyrus lost both of his legs below the knee by the time he was 8 years old, and Kelly made a deal with her son that warmed him up to wrestling.
“I helped him get into the sport in middle school,” she said. “He tried and hated it in kindergarten, but he made me promise that if he wrestled, I would let him play football. He played football in sixth grade and ended up turning around and falling in love with wrestling.”
Cyrus and his coach, Brock Baker, had been training for the state tournament for months with a practical approach to achieve success. Cyrus remembered how he felt during the 2024 championship, when he finished as the runner-up in his division.
“When I took second last year, the nerves consumed me and I fell short of my goal,” he said. “Coming into the tournament this year, I definitely had some nervousness but tried to suppress it. In my mind, I said, ‘I’m the champion and I can do this.’”
Kelly said watching her son compete Saturday was incredible. She was reminded of how much he’s grown and how hard he worked to get to the Ford Wyoming Center.
“Watching him grow over the last seven years, to accomplish what he did on the mat that Saturday, was an amazing experience,” she said. “He has worked so hard for this moment and accomplished everything he wanted to accomplish.”
Triumphant Technique
Between Feb. 27 and March 2, Cyrus won four matches to secure his title. When his hand was raised after thefinals match, he had finished a 25-7 season in the best way possible.
Cyrus said one of the most rewarding moments of wrestling is having your hand raised after a six-minute duel with an opponent. He didn’t have to wait six minutes during any of his matches at the tournamwent, as he tried to and succeeded in staying dominant on the mat.
“He finished all of his matches by the middle of the second round,” Kelly said. “He finished the first match with a pin in 35 seconds, and then the others barely made it into the second period.”
Cyrus won the championship by pinning Ace Arnold of Saratoga, a competitor and close friend. He recalled the moment he realized he’d gone the distance and secured the victory.
“It was absolutely surreal,” he said. “I put my head down for a second, watched his shoulders touch, and thought, ‘This isn’t real. Am I dreaming?’ Then the referee hit the mat, I looked up at the crowd, and realized it was actually happening. It was amazing,” he said.
As he stood triumphant, Cyrus was celebrating with his opponents. He’s close with many wrestlers he regularly faces, which he sees as comradery with a competitive edge.
“I try to make close friends with everyone I meet on the mat, because it’s a competition,” he said. “We’re all there to win, even though we don’t all win, and I want to appreciate everyone in their efforts.”
Onward And Upward
Winning a Wyoming state wrestling championship was one of Cyrus’ short-term goals for the season. He’s still training for what he hopes will be another successful weekend.
“There’s a freestyle state championship I’m looking to capture this weekend,” he said. “I’m looking into a few colleges so I can compete at the next level and continue my academic and athletic career.”
Kelly hopes to continue watching her son compete in the years ahead. Saturday’s success demonstrated to everyone that he has what it takes to keep going.
“I really hope I get to watch him succeed in college, doing what he loves to do and be on that mat,” she said. “I hope he follows his dreams. It’s been an honor and a privilege to watch him, and I treasure all the memories he has given us.”
Cyrus said he’d like to study and pursue a career in graphic design while continuing to improve and train for collegiate wrestling. At some point, he hopes to help others benefit from the unique mindset he’s developed overcoming his disability to become a state champion.
“I want to coach athletes who are overcoming adversity,” he said. “Despite their struggles, deep down they know they can do it, and they just need a little bit of help. That’s something I want to do for them at some point in my career, even if it’s not for long.”
In the meantime, his hard-earned status as a state champion is a testament to his determination and growth-oriented mindset. Everyone, especially Kelly, is celebrating his success.
“I’m so incredibly proud of him,” she said. “I’m so overcome with joy.”
Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.
