No. 1 CPHS sends six wrestlers to State Championship finals, sitting in first place as team

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Top-Ten Team Scores: 

  1. No. 1 Sand Springs (101.5)
  2. No. 3 Broken Arrow (89)
  3. No. 2 Choctaw (78.5)
  4. No. 4 Edmond North (49)
  5. No. 8 Stillwater (47)
  6. Midwest City (23.5)
  7. No. 13 Norman North (23)
  8. No. 9 Westmoore (21)
  9. No. 5 Yukon (19)
  10. No. 11 Edmond Memorial (18)

Finals Matches:

106: Weir (CPHS) vs Steidley (Ed Memorial)
113: Randall (Westmoore) vs Newton (Choctaw)
120: Rosen (Ed North) vs Lawley (BAHS)
126: Wilson (MWC) vs Cole (DC)
132: Fix (CPHS) vs Bright (Ed North)
138: Karstetter (CPHS) vs Dieringer (Stillwater)
145: Bratcher (CPHS) vs Lee (Stillwater)
152: Scott (CPHS) vs Loza (Enid)
160: Curry (Choctaw) vs Vincent (Yukon)
170: Coleman (Choctaw) vs Bahl (Stillwater)
182: Rendleman (Choctaw) vs Potter (BAHS)
195: Minnick (Ed North) vs Marcheselli (BAHS)
220: Jordan (CPHS) vs Haynes (BAHS)
285: Johnson (NNHS) vs Lieurance (BAHS)

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The No. 1 ranked Charles Page High School wrestling team is in good position to clench their first State Championship since 1971, placing six wrestlers in the Championship finals Friday night at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds.

The Sandites have already won the Perry Tournament of Champions, the Sapulpa Jerry Billings Invitational, and the 6A-East Regional Championship, and are currently first in the team standings at the OSSAA State Tournament.

Sand Springs qualified eleven wrestlers for the State Tournament. Three have been eliminated, two are still in the running for third place, and six have the potential to be State Champions. The last time the Sandites won State they sent seven to the finals and came out with three Champions.

Broken Arrow is currently sitting in second place with five finalists and nine total wrestlers in still in contention. Choctaw is in third place with four finalists and eleven total qualifiers still in contention.

Sophomore Riley Weir (40-6 season, 61-18 career) took on Choctaw freshman Gabe Johnson (34-7) in the 106-pound semifinals and prevailed by 6-2 decision. He will take on Edmond Memorial freshman Garrett Steidley (30-3) in the Championship finals. Steidley is ranked fifth in 106, but upset No. 4 TJ Long and No. 2 Braden Fowler in his path to the finals. This will be their first meeting. Weir also qualified for State as a freshman but struggled with an elbow injury and failed to place. 

Oklahoma State University-signed senior Daton Fix (46-0, 164-0) easily handled Ponca City junior Dylan Schickram (38-13) in the 132-pound semifinals with a 42-second pin. Fix is looking to become the first four-time State Champion in Sand Springs history. He will face Edmond North senior Brandon Bright (36-4) in the Championship finals. The two last met in the 2015 State semifinals when Fix prevailed with a pin in 2:53.

Senior Jack Karstetter (31-1, 104-16) faced off against Ponca City senior Dawson Hunt (29-15) in the 138-pound semifinals and easily rolled to an 18-3 technical fall in 3:05. Karstetter qualified for State his sophomore and junior years as well, and placed second last season. He will square up with Stillwater senior Tyler Dieringer (26-5) in a rematch of the 6A-East Regional finals when Karstetter won a 3-2 decision in ultimate tie-breaker overtime. 

Senior Beau Bratcher (44-7, 135-30) met defending State Champion Jaxen Gilmore (27-3), a junior from Yukon, in the 145-pound semifinals and won a narrow 5-4 decision to avenge his finals loss last season. Bratcher is a four-time State Qualifier, placing second last season after getting pinned by Gilmore. This year he will face Stillwater senior Kendon Lee (35-3) in a rematch of the Regional finals. He has face Lee three times this season, each time losing by a single takedown. Lee prevailed 4-2 in sudden victory over time at the KC Stampede, then won 4-2 during regulation in a regular season dual. Last week they went into sudden victory yet again and Lee came up with the 3-1 decision.

Junior Payton Scott (38-3, 59-11) squared off with Midwest City senior Robert Walker (28-6) in the 152-pound semifinal and won a close 3-2 decision. Scott also qualified for State as a sophomore and placed fourth. This time he will take on Enid senior Austin Loza (36-8) in the championship finals. The two have met only once before and Scott came out with a fall in 2:33 at the District Duals Quadrangle.

Senior Delvin Jordan (43-2, 74-14) topped Choctaw junior Caulin Poole (25-10) in the 220-pound semifinals with a 17-5 major decision. He will face defending State Champion Skyler Haynes (12-2), a senior from Broken Arrow. The two have already met twice this season. The Sandite won a 4-3 decision in the Dual State finals, then won a 3-2 tie-breaker in the East Regional finals. Jordan also qualified for State his freshman and junior years, but missed his sophomore year with an injury. Junior year he pinned the defending State Champion to win the Regional bracket, but was unable to participate in the State tournament.

Senior Tanner Ward (33-11, 109-23) faced Westmoore senior Canon Randall (37-4) in the 113-pound semifinals but forfeited with an injury four minutes into the match. If he is cleared to wrestle on Saturday, he will face Bartlesville sophomore Brayden Strachan (33-8) in the consolation semifinals. This will be their first meeting. Ward was already a three-time State Qualifier and two-time finalist at the 3A level before transferring from Berryhill.

Senior Michael Ritchey (36-11, 65-35) battled Edmond North senior and defending State Champion Paxton Rosen (37-2) in the 120-pound semifinal and was majored 11-2. Saturday he will face Mustang junior Joe Lupton (29-7) in their first-ever meeting. Ritchey qualified for State last year but didn't place.

Junior Blake Sargent (37-11, 89-25) suffered a close 2-1 loss to Ponca City sophomore Spencer Schickram (38-9) in the consolation quarterfinals and was eliminated from contention. Sargent previously took third place as a sophomore.

Sophomore Noah Almy (24-19) was eliminated after a close 3-1 decision to Edmond Santa Fe junior Williams Depona (17-13) in the 160-pound consolations.

Senior Zane Basma (26-5, 88-30) was eliminated in a 10-8 shootout decision to Ponca City junior Lane Newlin (32-14) in the 170-pound consolations. Basma previously qualified for State his sophomore and junior years and placed third last season. 

No. 1 CPHS Wrestling leads State Championship after first round with 8 semifinalists

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Top-ranked 220 pound senior Delvin Jordan pinned his first-round opponent at the OSSAA State Championship. (Photo: Scott Emigh)

6A Top-Ten Team Scores:

  1. No. 1 Sand Springs (25)
  2. No. 2 Choctaw (21.5)
  3. No. 3 Broken Arrow (21)
  4. No. 13 Norman North (11)
  5. Midwest City (10)
    No. 8 Stillwater (10)
  6. No. 4 Edmond North (9)
  7. No. 6 Ponca City (8)
    No. 5 Yukon (8)
  8. No. 11 Edmond Memorial (6)
    Owasso (6)

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The No. 1 ranked Charles Page High School wrestling team got off to a solid start at the OSSAA 6A State Championship Friday afternoon at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds. Eight of the eleven State Qualifiers won their first round matches, and the Sandites had the top team score by a narrow margin over the defending State Champions from No. 2 Choctaw. 

It's a three-way race for the top with Choctaw and No. 3 Broken Arrow right behind the Sandites. The Yellowjackets and Tigers each have six wrestlers remaining in the championship bracket.

106-pound sophomore Riley Weir (39-6 season, 60-18 career) met Edmond North freshman Nate Becker (22-13) in his quarterfinal. Weir took a 5-1 lead into the second period and started on bottom, then quickly reversed in the first twenty seconds. He did it again to start the third period and held on for a 9-1 major decision. He will face Choctaw freshman Gabe Johnson (34-6) in the semifinals.

113 senior Tanner Ward (33-10, 109-22) took on Mustang sophomore Cameron Picklo (29-8) and recorded a takedown in the first twenty seconds, then cut his foe loose soon after. He snagged another score midway through the first period, added a pair of back points, cut his opponent loose, then took him down again to end the first period 8-3. Picklo started the second period on top and Ward easily got the escape, then added a takedown soon after. Picklo got a reversal and nearly put the Sandite in danger, but Ward managed to stay off his back and recovered for a reversal and 14-5 third period lead. The final stretch started neutral and Ward picked up a couple more takedowns for a 16-5 major decision. He will face Westmoore senior Canon Randall (36-4) in the semifinals.

120 senior Michael Ritchey (36-10, 65-34) and Choctaw junior Andy Schlaepfer (27-16) hit the mat early and struggled for control, ending up in a stalemate before the Sandite finally came out on top with seven seconds left. They started the second period neutral and it went the same as the first, hotly contested with one stalemate, and one Sandite takedown, once again in the final ten seconds. Ritchey started the final period on bottom and escaped thirty seconds in, then took control with a minute left and held on for the 7-0 decision. He will face Edmond North senior Paxton Rosen (36-2) in the semifinals.

126 junior Blake Sargent (37-10, 89-24) battled Choctaw junior Connor Holman (35-6) and gave up a takedown late in the first period. He started the second period on top and cut his opponent loose early on, then Holman added another pair of points towards the end and took a 5-0 lead into the final stretch. Sargent started the third period on the defensive end and escaped in the first few seconds, but was unable to score. Holman added another takedown, Sargent cut loose, and the Yellowjacket won by 7-2 decision. He will face Ponca City sophomore Spencer Schickram (37-9) in the consolationquarterfinal.

132 Oklahoma State University-signed senior Daton Fix (45-0, 163-0) easily handled Midwest City senior Marquez Edwards (24-8), scoring a takedown for nearfall points in the first thirty seconds. He cut his foe loose, scored, cut him loose again, scored again, and continued to run up the score to 11-3 at the end of the first period. He started the second with a reversal and secured the pin in 2:43. He will face Ponca City junior Dylan Schickram (38-12) in the semis.

138 senior Jack Karstetter (30-1, 103-16) had a scrappy competitor in Edmond Memorial junior Connor Simpson (21-8). The Sandite handily prevailed, however, taking a 7-0 lead into the second period with two sets of back points. He started on bottom and immediately escaped five seconds in, then added a second takedown for a 10-1 third period advantage. He reversed to start the final stretch and cut Simpson loose to look for bonus points, but the two remained neutral and Karstetter got the 12-2 major decision. He will face Ponca City senior Dawson Hunt (29-14) in the semifinals.

145 senior Beau Bratcher (43-7, 134-30) battled Westmoore sophomore Zach Johnson (25-7) and scored his first takedown at the minute mark. He started the second period on defense and scored an early escape and held on for a 3-0 lead in the third. Johnson selected defense, and remained there for the duration, giving Bratcher a 3-0 decision. He will face Yukon senior and defending State Champion Jaxen Gilmore (27-2) in the semifinals.

152 junior Payton Scott (37-3, 58-11) took on Choctaw junior Jeff Speer (16-8) and scored a takedown in the first thirty seconds, and cut his foe loose immediately. He added two more by the end of the first and entered the second stretch 6-2. He started with an immediate escape, then took Speer down for a fall at 2:19. He will take on Midwest City senior Rober Walker (28-6) in the semifinals.

160 sophomore Noah Almy (24-18) took on Choctaw junior and defending State Champion Jaryn Curry (35-3) and gave up an early takedown, but escaped soon after. Curry added another score and cut the Sandite loose, then repeated for a 6-3 lead. Almy started the second period on top, but Curry broke free and scored another trio of takedowns in the first minute and entered the third period with a 15-6 lead. They started neutral and Curry scored a takedown and a pair of back points before securing the 22-7 tech fall in 4:58 after a stalling penalty on Almy. The Sandite will return to action against Edmond Santa Fe junior Williams Depona (16-13) in the consolation quarterfinals.

170 senior Zane Basma (26-4, 88-29) gave up an early takedown to Edmond Memorial junior Sam Hensley (36-7), but quickly escaped and scored his own takedown for a trio of nearfall points. The Sandite started the second period neutral with a 6-2 lead, but gave up another takedown at the end of the period. Basma started the final stanza on bottom and quickly escaped, but Hensley scored a last second takedown for back points for the 9-7 decision. Basma will take on Ponca City junior Lane Newlin (31-14) in the consolation quarterfinal.

220 senior Delvin Jordan (43-2, 74-14) took on Westmoore senior Jonathan Martinez (15-8) and the two were evenly matched through the first. Jordan took a 1-0 lead with a second period escape then added a takedown soon after. Slow and steady won the race and Jordan worked his foe into a cradle at 3:42. He will take on Choctaw junior Caulin Poole (25-10) in the semifinals.

The first round of consolations will begin at 5:00 p.m., followed by the semifinals at 7:15 p.m.