Oklahoma dominates Georgia 68-2 in Dual Nationals round one

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. 

CPHS senior Jack Karstetter comes in Runner-Up at National Championship

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Charles Page High School senior Jack Karstetter picked up some of the most impressive wins of his career in Akron, Ohio this weekend at the University of Akron. 

In the United World of Wrestling Cadet Greco-Roman Nationals Karstetter came in runner-up after falling to Wyoming Seminary junior Jack Davis in the finals. The Blue Knights finished the high school season ranked second in the nation by FloWrestling.

Karstetter secured a pair of impressive victories in the early rounds with a 5-4 decision over Theorius Robison, and a 4-1 decision over Rylee Molitor, both of whom hold multiple national titles. In the semi-finals he defeated PJ Gohn 5-0 and went to a best-of-three championship series against Davis.

Davis won the first match with a 5-2 decision, but Karstetter came out amped in the next battle for a dominating 12-5 victory. It came down to the wire in the final round but Davis got the 3-2 edge for the National Title.

In the Freestyle tournament Karstetter breezed through the early competition, scoring a pair of 10-0 tech falls. He defeated 2015 ASICS National Runner-Up Phillip Moomey and Georgia Freestyle State Champion Davion Fairley without allowing a single point. 

The next match wouldn’t be nearly as easy as he went into an ultimate tie-breaker round against Missouri State Champion Andrew Gamble. Karstetter came out with the 8-8 win, however, after riding out the final round and advanced to the quarter finals.

The winning streak finally came to an end in a 12-2 tech fall to USAW 2015 Cadet Freestyle National Champion Sammy Sasso. In the next round, Karstetter was pinned in 0:55 by Marco Regalbuto and eliminated from contention. 

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

CPHS junior Daton Fix competes in NYC Times Square at Olympic-level dual

CPHS Junior Daton Fix celebrates after winning his third OSSAA State Championship. (Photo by: Scott Emigh)

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Charles Page High School junior Daton Fix is no stranger to big matches on big stages. As one of the most heavily decorated athletes in Sand Springs history, Fix has claimed titles all over the planet.

In 2014 he won the Pan American Championship in Recife, Brazil, placed tenth at the World Championships in Snina, Slovakia, and claimed a Silver medal at the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China. Last year he claimed five different US National titles and took the Bronze medal at the World Championships in Sarajevo, Bosnia. 

This year Fix is undefeated at 41-0 and has already ran up an impressive series of championships less than halfway into the year. February saw Fix's third-consecutive undefeated State Championship. Just three weeks ago he traveled to Las Vegas and won his sixteenth National Championship.

The three-time Greco-Roman National Champion, three-time Folkstyle National Champion, eight-time Freestyle National Champion, and two-time Freestyle Dual National Championship team-member now has his sights set on New York City.

Thursday evening at 5:30 Oklahoma time, FloWrestling.com will be live streaming the 2016 Beat the Streets Gala in Times Square, New York City, where Fix will compete alongside some of the greatest names in wrestling. Fix's opponent is Iran's 2013 Cadet World Championship Bronze medalist and 2012 Asian Cadet Silver medalist Kheyrollah Ghahramani. 

The Team USA vs Team Iran "United in the Square" exhibition is an annual showcase hosted by Beat the Streets, a nonprofit organization that "works with middle and high school students in all five NYC boroughs and seeks to provide a safe and positive atmosphere for disadvantaged and at-risk youth to learn the essential life lessons of personal responsibility, physical fitness, education, and teamwork."

Fix's teammates will include University of Minnesota-signed Junior National Champion Mitchell McKee, Penn State University-signed Junior National Champion Mark Hall, Arizona State University Junior National Champion Zahid Valencia, 2012 Olympic Champion and three-time World Champion Jordan Burroughs, 2016 Olympian and two-time NCAA Champion J'Den Cox, 2016 Olympian and three-time World Champion Adeline Gray, 2016 Olympian and 2015 World Champion Helen Maroulis, and 2016 Olympian and two-time World Bronze Medalist Andy Bisek. 

After his New York match, Fix will have only three days to prepare for the Junior World Team Trials in Irving, Texas. If Fix makes the team for the third year in a row, he will get to add a new country to his resume when he travels to Macone, France in late August for the UWW World Championships. 

Naturally, flying across the world is expensive, and wrestling is "amateur" in classification. There are no cash rewards for winning these competitions. Anyone who would like to contribute to Fix and support his quest for Gold can make a donation by clicking HERE. 

CPHS Junior Daton Fix wins National Championship in Las Vegas

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Charles Page High School junior Daton Fix traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada this weekend to compete in the United World of Wrestling Junior Freestyle Nationals, and won his second-consecutive UWW Junior Freestyle Championship.

Fix had little difficulty in tech-falling his way through his first three competitors, handing University at Buffalo sophomore Kyle Akins a 14-4 loss in round one.

In the quarterfinals Fix was pitted against two-time Illinois State Champion Kristopher Williams and didn't give up even a single point en route to a 10-0 tech fall.

The Sandite drew tough competition in the semi-finals in Austin Gomez, who is ranked fifth nationally in 126 by FloWrestling. Gomez just finished the high school season with a 40-1 record and a State Championship, but he was no match for Fix who dealt him a 10-0 tech fall.

Fix has won his last 54-straight matches, but his UWW finals match against Gavin Teasdale was his closest battle since a 5-3 decision over nationally ranked Requir Van Der Merwe at the Geary Invitational in January. 

Fix dropped weight from 126 pounds to 121 for the tournament, while Teasdale wrestled up from 113. Both wrestlers are highly ranked by FloWrestling, with Fix sitting at second in 126 and Teasdale topping the chart at number one in 113. Teasdale has racked up four national championships while Fix's 6-5 win gives him thirteen national titles over the three disciplines. 

Up next for the young stud is a trip to New York City where he will join Team USA against Team Iran in the middle of Time Square on Thursday, May 19th.