The last time Tony Dunlap guided an Eastland team to the state tournament, it didn’t quite go as he had planned.

The Cougars had the state’s top-ranked team, Salt Fork, on the ropes in the semifinal before a shoulder injury to their best player, Tony Dunlap Jr., hurt the team’s chances at victory. Eastland lost that game, as well as the third-place game, to come home with a fourth-place trophy.

Newark, the team Eastland beat to get to state in 2010, made it back the following year and won it all. It left coach Dunlap wanting what Newark coach Rick Tollefson possesses.