Future UCO teammates have strong showing at All-State wrestling
SAND SPRINGS — The Broncho contingency was strong Wednesday night at Ed Dubie Fieldhouse.
Of the 40 wrestlers who competed in the Oklahoma Coaches Association All-State wrestling match, four soon will be teammates at the University of Central Oklahoma.
Collinsville’s Eli Tanner and Nate Keim, Midwest City’s Drew Wilson and Tuttle’s Brik Fillipo have six state titles among them.
They shared the mat as high schoolers one last time Wednesday night, and Keim, Filippo and Tanner left with victories.
The West claimed the small-school dual, coming back from a 15-0 deficit to win 28-19. Sallisaw’s Jet Taylor had the cleanest win for the East. He pinned Kingfisher’s Shawn Ramirez in 1:52 of the 126pound bout.
In the large-school dual, the East won all but two of the bouts wrestled.
An injury forfeit at 113 gave the West a 6-0 lead, but the East won the next six, with Keim and Bixby’s Easton Hudson picking up bonus points. Hudson (126) earned a pin in 5:44 and Keim worked an 18-2 technical fall at 145 pounds. He will be the third Cardinal to wrestle for UCO in the last three years.
Sand Springs coach Kelly Smith has two All-State wrestlers staying in-state for college: Daton Fix (Oklahoma State) and Jack Karstetter (Northeastern Oklahoma State).
He remembers a time in his high school wrestling career when local collegiate options were slim.
“These guys have more opportunities now than we ever had here,” Smith said. “Oklahoma’s done a good job with the schools we have.”
Tanner, who won three state titles for Collinsville, said he has always been proud of Oklahoma’s wrestling heritage.
“I wanted to put on for my state,” Tanner said. “We’re grown men here.”
NEO coach Joe Renfro was one of several in-state coaches to attend. He had three All-State signees in the duals: Karstetter (Sand Springs), Alex Kauffman (Vinita), and Justin Cates (Fort Gibson). Kauffman managed an 11-1 major decision victory in the 182-pound bout against Daniel Lopez of Clinton. Karstetter beat Wilson 5-1 at 138 pounds. Small school
Top performance: The East led 15-0 until fourtime state champion Kaden Gfeller pinned Sperry’s Loudin Akin in 1:12. The West scored 21 straight points and won 28-19.
Noteworthy: Perry is the only school to boast three All-State wrestlers. Cale Betchan won his match at 120. Robert Speikers (220) and Zack Lowry (170) lost in the upper weights. Large school
Top performance: Tyler Lawley outlasted Westmoore’s Canon Randall in an exhausting 5-4 decision for the 120pound bout. The Broken Arrow wrestler kicked off a string of six straight wins for the East.
Noteworthy: Coweta’s Bear Hughes has made a name for himself as one of the Tigers’ strongest wrestlers, and his slam against Piedmont’s Dylan Meador hushed the crowd in Sand Springs. Hughes won 4-1.