On Saturday, I went out to Perry to watch their annual “Tournament of Champions”. It was a great event with Blackwell edging Yukon and Carl Albert for the team title. Here are five thoughts on the tournament.

1. Incredible team race!

Blackwell, Yukon, and Carl Albert were all neck and neck heading into the finals. Yukon had the lead heading in, but Blackwell and Carl Albert had a few more scoring opportunities in the finals. After a few wins from Blackwell and Carl Albert, 175 between Blackwell’s Grant Rowe and Carl Albert’s Maddux Underhill became the deciding match. Underhill gets the first takedown and a ride out to take a 3-0 lead into the 2nd. He starts the second on top and gets another strong ride to open the period up. But Rowe ultimately gets a reversal and fall that locks up the team title for Blackwell. Great fight by both teams. Fun back and forth. Exactly what you want to see with a tight team race.

2. Carl Albert might be a problem in 5A this year

Chickasha will look to defend their 5A title from last season, and Coweta is loaded this year. But Carl Albert has the potential to shake some things up. Kingston Sikes will be a force at 165. Even in his loss, Maddux Underhill looked like he could make a run at a title at 175 and Cache Williams, Cache Wiley, and Brayden Mixay all brought home titles. I don’t know if they can hang with Coweta’s depth this year, but Carl Albert’s young guys are really solid.

3. The “Youth Movement”

I mentioned Carl Albert’s young guys, but you also had Rylan Sandoval, Westin Pollock, and some other freshmen step in here and have big tournaments. It’s something David Taylor mentioned regarding college wrestling earlier this week, but it’s relevant here. There are some young guns that are going to shake up high school wrestling this year.

4. They really do tournaments the right way at Perry

Perry isn’t as good as they’ve been traditionally on the mat right now, but they always seem to run that tournament very well. I know this slows things down a bit, but I love when they reorganize the mats to have only one for finals. I love the spotlight, I like that they do podium pics, and I like how they have a set time for the finals. Again, I know there are certain downsides to doing all of that. But I personally love that attention to tradition and view it as the best way to have a tournament.

5. This weekend is where it really feels like high school wrestling is “back”

This isn’t necessarily specific to the Perry Tournament, but this weekend is what triggers in my brain that high school wrestling is here. We’ve had a bunch of open tournaments, some duals, and on our end at OWrestle, we’ve been doing season previews, preseason rankings, and other content for months. But the last weekend of high school football, the weekend we see the Chuck West Invitational, the Perry Tournament, and Mid-America is the weekend that feels like wrestling is officially “back” in my eyes.

Here are the top ten team scores and list of placers.

106

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Rylan Sandoval of Blackwell
• 2nd Place – Luke Nelson of Oklahoma Christian School
• 3rd Place – Sawyer Vollmer of Perry
• 4th Place – Gavin Chatham of Westmoore
• 5th Place – Cael Dolan of Berryhill
• 6th Place – Wyatt Rooks of SKIATOOK

1st Place Match

• Rylan Sandoval (Blackwell) 5-0, Fr. over Luke Nelson (Oklahoma Christian School) 5-1, So. (Fall 3:54)

3rd Place Match

• Sawyer Vollmer (Perry) 7-1, So. over Gavin Chatham (Westmoore) 3-2, Sr. (Dec 9-7)

5th Place Match

• Cael Dolan (Berryhill) 4-3, Fr. over Wyatt Rooks (SKIATOOK) 5-3, So. (Fall 0:53)

113

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Cache Williams of CARL ALBERT
• 2nd Place – Roman Tyler of Berryhill
• 3rd Place – Kameron Hunter of Choctaw
• 4th Place – Christian Cue of SAPULPA
• 5th Place – Nick Mattox of POTEAU
• 6th Place – Jack Richardson of Ark City

1st Place Match

• Cache Williams (CARL ALBERT) 4-0, . over Roman Tyler (Berryhill) 5-1, Fr. (Fall 0:35)

3rd Place Match

• Kameron Hunter (Choctaw) 7-1, Jr. over Christian Cue (SAPULPA) 4-2, Sr. (MD 21-8)

5th Place Match

• Nick Mattox (POTEAU) 4-2, Jr. over Jack Richardson (Ark City) 7-4, So. (Dec 10-5)

120

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Westin Pollock of Owasso
• 2nd Place – Avery Rios of Westmoore
• 3rd Place – Garrett Short of Blackwell
• 4th Place – Da`mari Alexander of Yukon
• 5th Place – Teague Munson of Ark City
• 6th Place – Zack Olsen of Overland Park-Blue Valley West HS

1st Place Match

• Westin Pollock (Owasso) 4-0, Fr. over Avery Rios (Westmoore) 3-1, Fr. (Fall 1:23)

3rd Place Match

• Garrett Short (Blackwell) 7-1, Jr. over Da`mari Alexander (Yukon) 3-2, . (TF-1.5 3:08 (19-4))

5th Place Match

• Teague Munson (Ark City) 8-2, So. over Zack Olsen (Overland Park-Blue Valley West HS) 12-3, So. (Dec 3-1)

126

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Cash Wiley of CARL ALBERT
• 2nd Place – Jack Madden of SAPULPA
• 3rd Place – Zackry Mosier of Ark City
• 4th Place – Chace Hill of Owasso
• 5th Place – Jaxon Kennedy of Yukon
• 6th Place – Ayden Carlile of Catoosa

1st Place Match

• Cash Wiley (CARL ALBERT) 4-0, . over Jack Madden (SAPULPA) 5-1, Jr. (Fall 4:46)

3rd Place Match

• Zackry Mosier (Ark City) 11-1, So. over Chace Hill (Owasso) 4-2, Sr. (Dec 8-2)

5th Place Match

• Jaxon Kennedy (Yukon) 4-2, . over Ayden Carlile (Catoosa) 4-3, Sr. (Fall 1:47)

132

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Madden Edgar of Blackwell
• 2nd Place – Henry White of Overland Park-Blue Valley West HS
• 3rd Place – Kolby Quint of Ark City
• 4th Place – Dallas Thorpe of Owasso
• 5th Place – Nash Neeley of Deer Creek
• 6th Place – Coy Fredrickson of POTEAU

1st Place Match

• Madden Edgar (Blackwell) 6-0, Jr. over Henry White (Overland Park-Blue Valley West HS) 13-1, Sr. (MD 13-4)

3rd Place Match

• Kolby Quint (Ark City) 10-1, Sr. over Dallas Thorpe (Owasso) 5-2, Sr. (Fall 0:59)

5th Place Match

• Nash Neeley (Deer Creek) 5-2, Sr. over Coy Fredrickson (POTEAU) 4-3, Jr. (Fall 2:35)

138

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Brayden Mixay of CARL ALBERT
• 2nd Place – Briggs Terrill of Ark City
• 3rd Place – Mathew Moore of Berryhill
• 4th Place – Scott Fohlmeister of Overland Park-Blue Valley West HS
• 5th Place – Grady Kaiser of Deer Creek
• 6th Place – Cole Stevens of Choctaw

1st Place Match

• Brayden Mixay (CARL ALBERT) 5-0, . over Briggs Terrill (Ark City) 8-2, So. (TF-1.5 3:56 (15-0))

3rd Place Match

• Mathew Moore (Berryhill) 8-1, Sr. over Scott Fohlmeister (Overland Park-Blue Valley West HS) 13-2, Sr. (Dec 7-0)

5th Place Match

• Grady Kaiser (Deer Creek) 6-2, Fr. over Cole Stevens (Choctaw) 6-3, Jr. (Dec 5-4)

144

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Jacob Kershaw of North DeSoto
• 2nd Place – Orlando McClain of Westmoore
• 3rd Place – Brice Lozinsky of Berryhill
• 4th Place – Saben Batten of Blackwell
• 5th Place – Bryson Green of Yukon
• 6th Place – Braxton Jones of CARL ALBERT

1st Place Match

• Jacob Kershaw (North DeSoto) 19-1, Sr. over Orlando McClain (Westmoore) 3-1, Sr. (Dec 7-1)

3rd Place Match

• Brice Lozinsky (Berryhill) 7-1, Jr. over Saben Batten (Blackwell) 7-2, Sr. (Dec 17-11)

5th Place Match

• Bryson Green (Yukon) 7-2, . over Braxton Jones (CARL ALBERT) 3-3, . (Dec 4-1)

150

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Javier Ortiz of POTEAU
• 2nd Place – Bradley Lazzerini of Owasso
• 3rd Place – Wesley Davies of CARL ALBERT
• 4th Place – Kiesen Iwerson of Choctaw
• 5th Place – Kolbe Bargas of Vinita
• 6th Place – Mason Young of Blackwell

1st Place Match

• Javier Ortiz (POTEAU) 4-0, Jr. over Bradley Lazzerini (Owasso) 3-1, Jr. (Dec 8-3)

3rd Place Match

• Wesley Davies (CARL ALBERT) 5-1, . over Kiesen Iwerson (Choctaw) 6-2, Jr. (Dec 7-3)

5th Place Match

• Kolbe Bargas (Vinita) 10-3, Jr. over Mason Young (Blackwell) 5-3, So. (Fall 1:46)

157

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Preston Scott of Choctaw
• 2nd Place – Garon Kaiser of Deer Creek
• 3rd Place – Malachi Jefferson of Lawton MacArthur
• 4th Place – Rawlie Schultheis of Yukon
• 5th Place – Jackson Mills of SAPULPA
• 6th Place – Andrew Young of Blackwell

1st Place Match

• Preston Scott (Choctaw) 8-0, Jr. over Garon Kaiser (Deer Creek) 4-1, Sr. (Dec 8-1)

3rd Place Match

• Malachi Jefferson (Lawton MacArthur) 4-1, . over Rawlie Schultheis (Yukon) 6-2, . (MD 19-8)

5th Place Match

• Jackson Mills (SAPULPA) 6-2, Sr. over Andrew Young (Blackwell) 5-3, Jr. (Dec 1-0)

165

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Kingston Sikes of CARL ALBERT
• 2nd Place – JJ Schultheis of Yukon
• 3rd Place – brody curliss of Blanchard
• 4th Place – Cade Garland of Edmond Memorial
• 5th Place – Henry Field of Oklahoma Christian School
• 6th Place – Ryder Short of Blackwell

1st Place Match

• Kingston Sikes (CARL ALBERT) 4-0, . over JJ Schultheis (Yukon) 5-1, . (MD 11-2)

3rd Place Match

• brody curliss (Blanchard) 10-1, Sr. over Cade Garland (Edmond Memorial) 4-3, Sr. (Dec 7-1)

5th Place Match

• Henry Field (Oklahoma Christian School) 9-3, Sr. over Ryder Short (Blackwell) 3-3, So. (MD 13-4)

175

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Grant Rowe of Blackwell
• 2nd Place – Maddux Underhill of CARL ALBERT
• 3rd Place – Deshawn Tate of Yukon
• 4th Place – Landon Wilde of Perry
• 5th Place – Judd Hebert of POTEAU
• 6th Place – trevor engles of Blanchard

1st Place Match

• Grant Rowe (Blackwell) 6-0, Sr. over Maddux Underhill (CARL ALBERT) 3-1, . (Fall 3:55)

3rd Place Match

• Deshawn Tate (Yukon) 4-1, . over Landon Wilde (Perry) 6-2, So. (TF-1.5 1:57 (17-1))

5th Place Match

• Judd Hebert (POTEAU) 5-2, Fr. over trevor engles (Blanchard) 9-4, So. (Dec 8-4)

190

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Camden Crew of POTEAU
• 2nd Place – Skyler Red Elk of Lawton MacArthur
• 3rd Place – Braden Strain of Berryhill
• 4th Place – Garrett Williams of Choctaw
• 5th Place – Jaden Iturrino of Yukon
• 6th Place – Stetson Matheson of Pryor

1st Place Match

• Camden Crew (POTEAU) 4-0, Sr. over Skyler Red Elk (Lawton MacArthur) 3-1, . (Fall 3:58)

3rd Place Match

• Braden Strain (Berryhill) 4-1, Jr. over Garrett Williams (Choctaw) 7-2, Jr. (Fall 1:33)

5th Place Match

• Jaden Iturrino (Yukon) 6-2, . over Stetson Matheson (Pryor) 5-3, Sr. (Fall 2:34)

215

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Bennett Sartain of Deer Creek
• 2nd Place – Exavier Martin of Ark City
• 3rd Place – gavin rich of Blanchard
• 4th Place – Aiden Lane of Pryor
• 5th Place – Caden Cuthbertson of Edmond Memorial
• 6th Place – Kade Tinsley of North DeSoto

1st Place Match

• Bennett Sartain (Deer Creek) 5-0, So. over Exavier Martin (Ark City) 8-1, So. (Fall 3:26)

3rd Place Match

• gavin rich (Blanchard) 9-1, Sr. over Aiden Lane (Pryor) 5-4, Jr. (Fall 1:08)

5th Place Match

• Caden Cuthbertson (Edmond Memorial) 5-3, Sr. over Kade Tinsley (North DeSoto) 8-8, Sr. (Dec 8-5)

285

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Destry Lujan of Yukon
• 2nd Place – Roger Garrett of Pryor
• 3rd Place – Ethan Frasier of Deer Creek
• 4th Place – Colton Flynt of Choctaw
• 5th Place – Victor Gomez of Vinita
• 6th Place – Aiden Tetik of Perry

1st Place Match

• Destry Lujan (Yukon) 6-0, . over Roger Garrett (Pryor) 6-2, Jr. (Fall 1:55)

3rd Place Match

• Ethan Frasier (Deer Creek) 6-1, So. over Colton Flynt (Choctaw) 3-3, So. (Fall 3:14)

5th Place Match

• Victor Gomez (Vinita) 5-2, Sr. over Aiden Tetik (Perry) 4-3, Sr. (Fall 3:01)