STAUNTON - In his heart, Josh Talbott knows he's leaving a special situation.

But he also knows that he couldn't pass up the professional opportunity he's been offered, so his time as Buffalo Gap's head wrestling coach has come to an end.

Talbott, 33, the 2018 All-City/County Wrestling Coach of the Year, has resigned as the Bison's coach to take a position in Bowling Green as a lieutenant at the new Caroline Detention Facility.

"It was an offer I couldn't refuse," said Talbott, who currently is a corporal at Middle River Regional Jail. "I've always maintained that my family comes first and this is a smart financial decision for my family. I'm leaving a lot of good things behind, and it's a leap of faith, but it's a move I need to make."

Talbott, a 2004 graduate of Buffalo Gap, is leaving the program after two successful years. This past season, despite having only seven or eight wrestlers in the room, he had five of them qualify for the VHSL Class 2 state tournament and had three medalists, including Cullen Bendel, who won the 138-pound title.

"It's going to be tough to leave those guys," said Talbott, who himself was a state champion for the Bison, winning the Group A 171-pound title in his senior season. "But they're going to be all right. They have five stud seniors (Bendel, Ryan Benitez, Wesley Tinsley, Ryan Wilcher and Jadden Penrod) and some good, young wrestlers coming in, so, they'll be fine. They just can't slack off."

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Talbott, who starts his new job on Monday, told his team of his decision on Thursday and used the occasion to present Bendel with his state championship ring. 

"I was going to wait until the start of the season, at the "meet the team night," to give it to him," Talbott said. "It wasn't the way I wanted to do it because it was so informal, but I didn't know about getting the job until last week.

"I just wanted to be the one to give it to him," he added. "I've been with him for two years, but he was already a state champ when I got there."

But when you talk to Talbott about the future of the program without him, he has no worries because his assistant A.J. Dobzienicki will still be involved with the team. 

"I love that dude," Talbott said. "He's like a brother to me. He is a huge asset to the Buffalo Gap program and that's why I'm not concerned about how the program will be. With him helping there, the program will be in good hands."  

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Talbott, however, isn't quite ready to get away from wrestling completely.

"My son [Ryder] has expressed an interest in wrestling," he said, "so as long as he stays interested in it, I'll be helping him and I'd like to help build a program [in Bowling Green]."

More: Spotless finish for Buffalo Gap's Bendel

Talbott is not only leaving a wrestling program. He's leaving a community in which he's grown up and lived in for most of his life.

"It's sad to be leaving because I've built so many great relationships though the years," he said. "Guys like Chris Robinson (who was Talbott's head coach before moving on to Wilson Memorial) will always be in my life, and I'll always have a connection to this place."