NCAA Wrestling: Undefeated Daton Fix upsets National Runner-Up in second collegiate dual

/

Oklahoma State redshirt freshman Daton Fix, a Charles Page High School Class of 2017 graduate, extended his undefeated college win streak to 9-0 after a pair of dominant wins in his collegiate dual debut.

The No. 4 ranked cowboys (2-0) steamrolled No. 22 South Dakota State (0-2) 45-6 and topped No. 13 Minnesota (1-1) 23-9.

Fans hoped to see Fix take on defending NCAA Champion Seth Gross Saturday, but the top-ranked Jackrabbit backed out of the lineup for medical reasons and instead it was Spencer Huber on the losing end of a 19-1 technical fall. Fix needed only 4:43 to rack up three takedowns and three nearfalls.

Ninth-ranked Fix got a far closer matchup against No. 6 ranked Ethan Lizak on Sunday, but easily handled the 2017 NCAA Finalist 6-1 with two takedowns and a reversal.

Fix went undefeated at 168-0 for four State Titles during his time in Sand Springs and was the top-ranked recruit in the country pound-for-pound. He is a Junior Freestyle World Champion and Youth Olympic Silver Medalist. He holds the all-time Sand Springs records for wins, technical falls, and takedowns.

The Cowboys will host No. 20 Wyoming (2-1) in their home debut Sunday, November 25th at 2:00 p.m. in their second Big 12 dual.

CPHS Wrestling: Head Coach Kelly Smith resigns for private sector job

/

Charles Page High School lost its third Head Coach this school year when wrestling coach Kelly Smith announced his intentions to resign Friday.

Head Volleyball Coach Janna Green left Sand Springs Public Schools for a private sector coaching position after the fall season. Girls' Basketball Head Coach Dustin Morrow stepped down from coaching to spend more time with his family earlier this month, but will remain on staff as a science teacher. Now, Smith is leaving coaching and teaching to work in insurance.

Smith cited unreasonably low State teaching wages as a primary reason for his decision, along with a desire to spend more time with his family. The successful coach has spent years running a lawncare business to compliment his income, but after seventeen years as Head Coach, he has decided it's time to move on. "This is a young man's game," said Smith. "I don't have the time to be out mowing lawns all year while also putting in the hours to maintain a successful program. I have to put my family first."

Smith's family might keep him in the coaching business a little longer, at least on a part-time basis. His son, Mitchell, is a talented up and comer in the junior high circuit. But while he will still be around cheering on the Sandites from the stands, the district will have to find fresh blood to take the reigns. 

Smith led the Sandites to their first-ever Dual State Championship in 2017 and followed it up with their first State Tournament title since 1971. The pair of championships were the first for Sand Springs in any sport since 1994. Nine Sandites won individual titles under his leadership, including five in the 2017 season. Even after losing four of those five, the Sandites placed third in the 6A State Tournament this past season with a 13-4 dual record.

"I got to live the dream," said Smith. "I got to take over for my coach and mentor. It's been a dream."

CPHS Wrestling: Four Sandites advance to semifinals, team in 3rd Place

/

Four members of the Class 6A No. 5 ranked Charles Page High School wrestling team won their quarterfinal matches at the OSSAA State Tournament Friday morning. Five others will head to the consolation bracket  at Oklahoma City’s Jim Norick Arena Friday evening at 6:00 p.m.

106-pound freshman Carter Young (38-1) came out hard and fast against Deer Creek sophomore Jason Gilbert (28-12), scoring a pair of takedowns and nearfall points for a 9-2 first period lead. He added another takedown early in the second before pinning his foe in 2:37. In the semifinals he will take on Mustang freshman Keegan Luton (33-8), who he previously defeated 16-1 at Dual State.

Defending State Champion Riley Weir (27-7, 89-25) easily handled Shawnee junior Caleb Nahmahpeah (27-8) at 113, taking a 4-1 lead before pinning his opponent in 59 seconds. He will wrestle Bartlesville junior Corwin Strachan (38-9) in the semis, and is 2-0 with two decisions against the Bruin this year.

145 sophomore Chris Kirby (21-8) gave up a quick takedown and nearfall points to Edmond North senior Anthony DesVigne (33-17) for a 5-0 deficit. He started the second period on top and scored three with a headlock, but gave up a reversal soon after. Trailing 7-3, he flipped the script for a pin in 3:53. The Sandite will meet Yukon senior Jaxen Gilmore (37-3) in the semifinals.

152 junior Kaleb Tabor (25-11) wasted no time against Yukon sophomore Landis Scoon, taking a 5-0 lead with nearfall points before pinning the Miller in 1:34. In the semifinals he will meet Owasso sophomore Richie Lee (23-7) who he previously defeated 6-3 earlier this season.

120 sophomore Seth Jones (26-15, 28-18) went scoreless through the first period against Edmond Memorial sophomore Garrett Johnson (14-7) and they tied 2-2 after the second, Johnson with a takedown and Jones with a pair of escapes. Johnson cut loose and scored for a third period lead. Jones got one more escape, but Johnson scored and rode it out for a 7-4 decision. He will wrestle Union senior CaRon Watson (26-15) in consolation. Jones is 3-1 against Watson this year, losing their first match 8-5, but winning the last three.

126 senior Blake Sargent (13-8, 102-33) fell to Broken Arrow junior Reese Witcraft (34-6). Witcraft scored two takedowns in the first period, one in the second, and two in the third for a 12-3 major decision. He will wrestle Muskogee senior Kyri Beasley (31-7) in consolation. Beasley defeated the Sandite 4-2 in overtime at Regionals.

132 junior Irwin Portillo (30-18, 36-23) gave up a takedown to Edmond North senior Trent Higginbotham (33-11) with ten seconds left in the first. Higginbotham rode out the second period and escaped to start the third. Portillo got a takedown midway through the final stanza, cut his opponent loose, but was unable to score again and fell 4-2. In consolation he will take on Southmoore sophomore Roarke Simpson (25-11). The two haven’t met this season, but Portillo won a 7-4 decision in 2016.

138 junior Scott Patton (27-19, 34-21) trailed Edmond Memorial junior Pete Rolle (27-6) 4-2 to start the third period on top and gave up an escape and a takedown for a 7-2 decision. He will wrestle Deer Creek junior Parker Wright (28-14) in consolation.

220 senior Gage Fain (20-9, 59-47) went scoreless through most of the first period before Edmond North junior Blake Minnick (36-11) scored a takedown and back points with fifteen seconds left. The two exchanged escapes and started the third period neutral, where Minnick took him to the mat once again. Fain escaped and got a takedown of his own, but Minnick got loose and maintained a 12-4 major decision. Fain will wrestle Jenks junior Jared Galli (24-14) in consolation. He has previously pinned Galli twice this season.

The Sandites are the defending State Champions, but returned only one of their last season’s five individual champions. They are currently third with sixteen team points behind Broken Arrow (26.5) and Choctaw (26). The semifinals will begin Friday at 8:15 p.m. Consolation semis and finals will go from 10:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. on Saturday, followed by Championship finals at 5:45 p.m.

NJCAA Wrestling: Karstetter brothers make waves at No. 2 NEO

/

Brothers Jack and Cody Karstetter have been ripping up the NJCAA circuit since arriving at the No. 2 ranked Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO) this past fall. The Charles Page High School graduates are among the winningest members of their team and Cody is currently ranked third in the country at 141 pounds.

From the CPHS Class of 2017, Jack Karstetter (18-1) is a true freshman with three tournament titles and a 5-1 dual record. Competing at 133 pounds, he has won the Oklahoma City University Open, the Drury University Open, and the Reece Wright-Conklin Jet Invitational.

The Sandite started his college career with fifteen straight wins before falling 5-4 to Erique Early in a dual against Indiana Tech University. Indiana Tech is an NAIA school, meaning Karstetter is still undefeated in the NJCAA division, and he holds a 14-4 major decision over No. 5 ranked Taylor Jeffries of Northwest College.

Cody, a Class of 2015 Sandite, took a less direct route to NEO and is currently a redshirt sophomore. As a true freshman he wrestled two tournaments unattached at the University of North Carolina and went 6-3. He then transferred to the University of Oklahoma and went 1-2 in his first tournament after suffering a season-ending injury.

The NJCAA has been a fresh start for the promising Sandite, and he has had an impressive year with a 26-5 record, bringing his collegiate career to 33-10. He has yet to win a tournament, but he placed third in the Swede Open and Oklahoma City University Open, fourth in the Lindenwood Open, and most recently he came in runner-up at the Drury Open. At the Swede Open he pinned No. 5 ranked Keaton Sander.

At the National Collegiate Wrestling Association Multi-Divisional National Duals, the Golden Norsemen steamrolled their way to the finals before being defeated 27-14 by No. 1 Clackamas Community College, out of Oregon City, Oregon.

In the first round they won their third shutout of the season, 54-0 against Colby Community College. Cody majored Chris Deters 13-5. In the quarterfinals they defeated No. 11 Southwestern Oregon 42-3 and Cody pinned Seth Lowen in 5:23. He pinned Jake Thompson in 55 seconds for a 36-9 semifinal win over No. 6 Western Wyoming, and he won a 5-3 decision over No. 4 Ralph Tovar in the finals. He was one of only three teammates to win their matches in that dual.

The Norsemen will compete at the University of Nebraska Kearney Duals this weekend. The NJCAA West-Central Qualifier will be held February 10th in Goodland, Kansas.

CPHS Wrestling: Carter Young wins Westmoore Open, 4 Sandites win at Owasso

/

Central Ninth Grade Center freshman Carter Young recently took first place at the Westmoore Open, a preseason folkstyle tournament in Moore. The defending Junior High State Champion competed at 106 pounds and breezed through the competition. In the first round he pinned Michael Vincent in 3:00, then won a 21-5 tech fall against Westmoore’s Cooper Evans before majoring Blanchard’s Braeden Williams 14-5 in the finals.

At the Joe Zamora / Skyler Holman Open in Owasso, four Sandites won junior high gold. 

Sophomore Brendon Wiseley (4-1) took third at 106 pounds in the high school division. He pinned Sian Suan in 2:40 and won a 6-0 decision against Thai Ta before falling 4-4 to Broken Arrow’s Blazik Perez in an ultimate tie-breaker. In the consolation bracket he defeated David Boucher 4-0 and won a 6-5 rematch with Ta in the finals.

Braylon Flores (3-0) breezed through the junior high division at 113 pounds, pinning all three of his foes. He took down Kaleb Pendergraft in 1:26, Braden Hurst in 3:40, and Preston Baker in 1:59.

Rhett Peak (6-3) was equally dominant at 80 pounds, majoring Mason Duke 13-0 in the first round and pinning his next three opponents. He took down Riley Kuder in 1:11, Xavier Wolfe in 1:26, and Ethan Rodriguez in 2:15.

The pin record for the day went to Mitchell Smith (8-1) who won all four of his matches by fall. He pinned Rowty Redburn in 1:01, John Tyler Dunbar in 0:40, Evan Rodriguez in 2:00, and Mac O’Brien in 0:44.

Christian Forbes (5-2) won his division with a 5-2 decision against Pacen Crittenden, a 19-3 tech fall against teammate Colton Luker, and a 6-4 decision against Parker Witcraft.

Caden Vaughn (3-1) came in runner-up at 120 pounds. He pinned Grant Bunten in 1:05 and CJ Clifton in 2:45 and majored Brock Mattioda 9-1 but fell 9-2 to Ty Moose in the finals.

Santana Naugle (3-2) took fourth place at 162 pounds. He pinned Zach Powell in 19 seconds and scored three-point decisions over Caden Osborne and Connor DiCarlo, but was pinned by Gage Hamm and Jordan Hanna.