Sandite Wrestling returns to State Finals for second-straight year with 53-9 victory over Ponca

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The No. 1 undefeated Charles Page High School wrestling team (19-0) is headed to the Dual State Championship finals for the second-straight year after dominating No. 6 Ponca City (10-3) 53-9.

CPHS 53 Ponca City 9

106 No. 1 Weir p. Linder 0:45
113 No. 3 Ward d. Bellmard 3-0
120 No. 4 Ritchey d. No. 8 Swenson 1-0
126 No. 3 Sargent d. No. 2 Schickram 8-6
132 No. 1 Fix t.f. No. 5 Schickram 20-5
138 No. 2 Karstetter d. No. 9 Hunt 12-10
145 No. 2 Bratcher p. Tipton 0:23
152 No. 1 Scott p. No. 5 Rubio 0:35
160 No. 9 Almy d. No. 10 White 5-1
170 No. 1 Basma p. No. 10 Newlin 1:22
182 Bratcher d. Arechiga 10-6
195 Pressnall d. Fain 3-2
220 No. 1 Jordan p. No. 5 Fry 0:10
285 No. 9 Bridges p. Edwards 2:21

The dual kicked off at 145 as Beau Bratcher (38-6 season, 129-29 career) pinned Tacoma Tipton in 0:23. Payton Scott (33-2, 54-10) was right behind him, pinning State Qualifier Ezequiel Rubio in 0:35.

The Wildcats put up more of a fight at 160. Sophomore Noah Almy (20-16) took on Grayson White and scored a takedown in the first period, started the second period with an escape, then took down White again. The Wildcat picked up a caution point to end the second period, and chose neutral in the third. He was unable to score any points and the Sandite prevailed by 5-1 decision for a 15-0 team lead.

Zane Basma (22-2, 84-27) took on Lane Newlin and scored an early takedown before getting the fall in 1:22.

Sophomore Luke Bratcher (4-1) made his return to the mat after missing a few weeks with a sprain. He took a quick 7-2 lead over Abram Arechiga with nearfall points and started the second period neutral. He scored another quick takedown, but Arechiga got an escape at the end of the second and the start of the third to cut it to 9-4. Arechiga scored his first takedown with 30 seconds left, but Bratcher quickly escaped and finished 10-6.

Gage Fain (26-12, 39-34) battled out of an early deficit against Bradyn Pressnall and tied it up at 2-2 with a second period escape. Pressnall started the third period on bottom and Fain elected to give him the escape, but was unable to score and let Ponca on the board with a 3-2 decision.

Delvin Jordan (37-2, 68-14) more than made up for it with a ten-second fall against State Qualifier Austin Fry and the Sandites led 30-3. Kris Edwards (4-3) was far outsized in his match. He scored a quick takedown against Brett Bridges, but the Wildcat got the upper hand in period two and pinned the Sandite in 2:21.

Riley Weir (33-6, 54-18) pinned Chase Linder in 0:45. Tanner Ward (29-9, 105-21) scored a takedown against Karson Bellmard late in the first, then escaped in the second for a 3-0 lead which he held to the end, essentially clinching the dual.

Michael Ritchey (32-8, 61-32) battled it out with Jacob Swenson and neither scored in the first period. Ritchey started the second period on bottom and scored an escape halfway through, then started the third period on top and held on for the 1-0 decision.

Blake Sargent (32-8, 84-22) picked up a huge win against State Qualifier Spencer Schickram, who has beaten him multiple times this season. Schickram got the first takedown, but Sargent quickly escaped and scored on the Wildcat before cutting him loose to end the first period 3-3. Sargent started the second period on bottom, reversed, then was reversed on to keep it knotted up. He took the lead once again with an escape and entered the third period on top with a 6-5 advantage. Schickram tied it right back up, but Sargent got the winning takedown with 30 seconds left.

Daton Fix (39-0, 157-0) worked his usual magic on Dylan Schickram and led 13-4 after the first period and ultimately won by 20-5 technical fall in 3:06.

The dual wrapped up at 138 with Jack Karstetter (25-1, 98-16) versus Dawson Hunt. Karstetter took a 7-3 lead into the second, earning backpoints once against the Wildcat, but getting taken down in the last seconds. The Sandite earned an escape point halfway through the second period, but got in trouble at the end. Hunt scored a takedown for nearfall points and the Sandite was saved by the buzzer, holding on to a 12-9 lead to start the third and prevailing 12-10 for a final score of 53-9.

Sand Springs will return to action at 6:30 p.m. in the Championship round against No. 3 Broken Arrow (9-2), who upset the defending State Champs in No. 2 Choctaw (9-1). The Tigers prevailed 36-28 in a dual that came down to the very last match.

Oklahoma dominates Georgia 68-2 in Dual Nationals round one

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Team Oklahoma got off to a fast start against Team Georgia Blue in the first round of the Junior Greco-Roman Dual Nationals Wednesday morning, building up a massive lead before the wrestling even started.

Jet Taylor, Jacob Butler, and Jaxen Gilmore received forfeits for 126 to 138. Tuttle's Brik Filippo wasted no time in putting points on the board with a 10-0 tech fall over Khyree Alexander, then Sand Springs's Payton Scott took down Dustin Berry 10-0 in thirty seconds flat. Ezequiel Rubio pinned Cole White in a quick twenty then Nick Mahan teched Chandler Miele 13-2.

Bear Hughes continued the winning streak with an 11-0 tech over Devyn Villafane. Zach Marcheselli received a forfeit, Tanner Hawkins picked up a 16-6 tech fall over Richard Walker, then Trenton Lieutance, Alex Fields, and Wyatt Adams all received forfeits.  Alec McDoulett teched Brandon Foster 11-0 and Westmoore's Dalton Duffield wrapped things up with a 12-0 tech of Alex Cain for a final score of 68-2 with no matches lost.

Up next for Oklahoma is Team Pennsylvania who solidly defeated Team Kansas Red 49-12 in round one. 

Sandite Wrestling tour de force continues at Schoolboy National Championship Duals

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Sand Springs has a long and impressive history when it comes to wrestling, but 2016 is well on its way to becoming one of the best years yet. Dual State Runners-Up, eleven State Qualifiers, six Regional Champions, one State Champion, and that was just during the school year.

As the saying goes, "Summer wrestling makes Winter Champions." Since the school year ended, the Sandites haven't even slowed down. Charles Page senior Daton Fix won a Freestyle National Championship and is headed to the World Championships in France this August. Senior Jack Karstetter came in Runner-Up in Greco-Roman at Nationals and is headed to the Pan-Ams in Peru in July. But it's not just the upperclassmen building up their resumes. Clyde Boyd Middle School eighth-grader Carter Young is working hard on the national scene as well.

After winning the OKUSA Youth Wrestling League State Championship, the Junior High Allstate Wrestling Championship, the OKUSA Freestyle and Greco Roman State Championships, and the Southern Plains Regional Championships in both Greco and Freestyle, Young most recently found himself in Indianapolis, Indiana for the Schoolboy Dual National Championships.

Competing as part of Team Oklahoma Red, alongside fellow Team BIG wrestlers Christian Forbes and Cougar Andersen, Young was one of the most crucial members of the team, going undefeated in both Greco-Roman and Freestyle.

On day one of Greco, the Oklahoma Outlaws dominated Team Idaho, winning eleven of seventeen matches for a 53-23 victory. Young defeated Christopher Martino 10-0 in his match. In the next dual, however, it was Team Washington with the edge on Oklahoma. Young won a 10-3 decision over Kenndyl Mobley, but Washington won ten matches for a 42-31 victory.

Thursday the Outlaws began working their way up through the consolation bracket, winning a pair of tough duals over Missouri and Utah before falling to Pennsylvania Red. The Outlaws had a 45-30 edge on Missouri, winning ten matches including a 10-0 tech fall by Young over Cody Ketchum. The Oklahoma team won eleven matches against Utah and Young picked up yet another 10-0 tech fall over Sage Mortimer for a 47-32 victory.

The Okies met their match in Pennsylvania after leading for most of the dual. It was back-and-forth for the first half and the Outlaws led by as much as 30-16 before giving up a yellow card and six straight matches for a final score of 41-29. Young won his match, however, with an 11-0 tech fall over Sheldon Seymour to remain undefeated in the tournament.

On Friday the Outlaws’ third place finish in Pool A landed them in the Bronze/Copper bracket where they swept the competition with four straight victories.

Young scored a 12-0 tech fall over Zachary Espalin, helping his team to a 44-33 win over Virginia. Next to fall was Indiana Gold 48-30 after the Okies won eleven matches, including a 10-0 tech fall by Young.

The Okies scored another dominating victory over Arizona at 51-29, winning eleven matches yet again. Young continued to breeze through his competition with his sixth-straight shutout tech fall, this time over Nathan Bigelow.

In the finals, the Outlaws got another rematch against Utah and once again came out with the advantage, winning ten matches for a final score of 43-34. Young continued his streak with a 11-0 victory over Mortimer.

The Oklahoma team claimed first in the Bronze/Copper Pool, placing them at ninth in the nation out of thirty-two teams. Three Team Oklahoma wrestlers earned All-American status in Greco, including Young with a final record of 9-0.

In Freestyle the boys did even better, placing seventh out of thirty-five teams.

In round one the Outlaws smoked Tennessee 60-20, losing only four matches while resting Young. The Sandite returned to action in the next round in a 58-19 domination of Utah and Young beat Mortimer for the third time that week 10-0.

Young sat out round three as the Outlaws easily handled Colorado Blue 56-18, and returned to action in the Pool A finals. He defeated Bob Houpt 10-0, but team finally lost their first dual of the tournament 48-27 to Washington.

In the true-second dual Oklahoma earned their way into the Gold/Silver bracket with a 48-29 victory over Missouri, including another 10-0 win over Ketchum from Young.

Young received a forfeit from Illinois in the first round of the Gold Pool as his team won 48-27.

His streak of seven-straight tech falls finally came to an end in a close match with Jett Strickenberger. Young got the 10-6 decision, but Colorado Red defeated the Okies 48-30.

Young didn’t wrestle against New Jersey in the next round, and it may have made the difference as the Outlaws fell 41-38, including a loss in the 77 pound position that Young normally occupies.

In the seventh place match against Arizona, he returned to action with a 10-0 tech fall over Nathan Bigelow and the Oklahoma team finished seventh overall.

Young is currently riding a twenty-two-straight winning streak and a 65-5 record for the year. He was also named an All-American in Freestyle.

This story was originally published in the Sandite Pride News Weekly Sunday edition.