Defending champion Blackwell comes in as the heavy favorite to claim the Class 3A Dual State title. It appears that Marlow or Salina have the best chance of derailing Blackwell, with Lincoln Christian, Berryhill, Perry, Sperry and Hobart also in the field.
The Dual State Tournament will take place Saturday, February 14 at the Union Multipurpose Activity Center (UMAC) on the campus of Union High School at 6836 S. Mingo Road, Tulsa, OK.
Blackwell and Marlow have met in the finals the past three years, with Blackwell winning in 2023 and 2025 and Marlow winning in 2024. While Blackwell is in good shape to make the finals, the bottom half of the bracket shows a great quarterfinal matchup between Salina and upstart Lincoln Christian, with the winner of that likely facing Marlow. Last year, Marlow and Salina battled in a classic semifinal dual, with Marlow coming out on top, 39-32.
Some duals and eventually the team championship could come down to the flip of the coin that decides which team has to put their wrestler on the mat first (alternating between weights). It then become a chess match, trying to get the best match-ups for your team. Another factor that comes into play in close duals is the ability to score bonus points or just as importantly, not giving up bonus points in matches you lose.
