Mark Kirk
One regional had an incredible record breaking performance and the other regional came down to the last match of the night as Class 6A put on quite a show at the regional tournaments. Edmond North put all 14 wrestlers into the finals, crowning 13 champions to win the West Regional by 182 points over 2nd place Sand Springs while Bixby and Broken Arrow battled back and forth all night before Bixby won three of the last four weights to claim the East Regional title by four points over 2nd place Broken Arrow .
While the saying is records are made to be broken, the performance by Edmond North may test that saying for years to come. Edmond North set records in three different categories and eclipsed the scoring record by a ridiculous 22 points.
- Most regional finalists – 14 (State Record)
- Most regional champions – 13 (State Record)
- Most tournament points – 386 (State Record)
Not only did the Huskies set records, they set themselves up for the State Tournament by going 52-1 with 42 bonus points wins including 37 falls.
Bixby qualified 11 for the State Tournament including an impressive six regional champions. 3X state champion Gage Walker, 2X state champion Jace Roller, 2X state champion Clay Giddens-Buttram, Ishmael Guerrero, Hank Puckett and Garrett Ritter all won regional titles with Isiah Jones and Colton Kaiser adding 2nd place finishes.
Stillwater qualified 9 wrestlers for the State Tournament with four regional champions. Winning regional titles were 2X state champion LaDarion Lockett, 2021 state champion and 3X finalist JJ McComas, state champion Aydan Thomas and state champion Landyn Sommer. Julio Aguirre, Jakoby Petree, and Parker Brown added runner-up finishes for the Pioneers.
Broken Arrow had 13 state qualifiers including three regional champions. Rudy Rojas, Kadencce Roop and Gunner Wilson won regional titles with Hudson Beckley and Jake Miller finishing in 2nd place. Broken Arrow also got 3rd place finishes from Evan Rodriguez and Braden Jones.
Sand Springs will be taking 12 wrestlers to the State Tournament, including regional champion, Zander Grigsby. Earning 2nd place regional finishes were Jaxon Grigsby and Mason Harris, with Matthew Moore and Jaxon Trotter both placing 3rd.
There are an amazing 15 wrestlers in Class 6A that have won state titles. Leading the way is Bixby’s Gage Walker who is a looking to join a very elite group as a 4X state champion. Walker enters the tournament with a 36-5 season record and 152-11 career record.
There are four wrestlers going for their 3rd state title, including one junior looking to stay on track in becoming a 4X champion. Stillwater junior LaDarion Lockett, who won a World Championship this past summer, is a 2X state champion. Lockett has a 35-1 season record and a career record of 113-3. Piedmont’s Cash Donnell is a 3X state finalist and 2X state champion who enters the tournament with a 37-5 season record and a career record of 138-10.
138 lbs. has four, count ‘em four, past state champions on the State Tournament bracket. Bixby’s Jace Roller, placed 3rd in 2021, before winning state titles the next two years. Roller is 21-2 this season with a 110-14 career record. Edmond North’s Hunter Hollingsworth is a 3X finalist and 2022 state champion. Hollingsworth is 40-3 this season with a 149-17 career record. Broken Arrow sophomore Jake Miller, who won a state title at Blackwell last year, placed 2nd to Roller at the East Regional, while Stillwater’s Stockton Allen, a 2022 state champion at Pawnee, lost to Roller in the semifinals on his way to a 3rd place finish.
At 175 lbs., Bixby Clay Giddens-Buttram is a 2X state champion and 3X state finalist. He enters the tournament with a 33-6 season record and 110-15 career record.
Stillwater’s JJ McComas is a 3X state finalist, including winning a state title in 2021. McComas is 36-3 this season….
