79th Geary Invitational Wrestling Tournament Recap

Complete domination!  While the 79^th Geary Invitational provided plenty of intense action and drama for the 14 individual titles, Edmond North crowned an amazing nine, yes nine! champions to take out any drama for the team title.

In total, the Huskies had 13 medalists, adding two runner-ups, one 3^rd place and one 4^th place finisher to their nine champions to win the title by a 109.5 points over 2^nd place Stillwater.  Broken Arrow finished 3^rd, with Class 4A and 3A powers Tuttle and Marlow finishing 4^th and 5^th.

@ENHSWrestling dominates the Geary Invitational! #HuskyNation #uN1ty pic.twitter.com/APnNxbGwMg

— Edmond North Athletics (@north_edmond) January 7, 2024

If not for national prep school powerhouse Blair Academy, the Huskies nine champions and 244.5 points would be Geary Tournament records.  Blair won the Geary Tournament in all five of their appearances from 2015-2019 (they also dominated the national scene during this time) and in their last appearance in 2019, crowned 10 champions and scored 258.5 points.  

Not counting Blair’s run, last year, Stillwater shattered the old records by crowning eight champions and scoring 227 points (old records five champions by several schools and 179 points by El Reno in 2004).  Now the public school records for the Geary Tournament belong to Edmond North.  

The tournament drew a number of ranked wrestlers from Texas, Kansas, Missouri and New Mexico in addition to most of the top teams from Oklahoma.  With so many ranked wrestlers, the blind draw feature of the historic Geary Tournament resulted in several interesting early round matches that turned out to be the finals.  This was proven as there were six wrestlers that lost early, but came back through the consolations to take 2^nd place. 

Prior to the finals, three very deserving individuals were inducted into the Geary Tournament Hall of Fame.  This year’s inductees were Dale Estep, Kenny Ritchie and Lee Roy Smith.

The finals got started with a bang, as Edmond North freshman Tommy Baker turned a quick takedown into a cradle, almost ending the match before everyone was seated.  Baker scored three sets of back points in the 2^nd period to take the 106 lb. title with an 11-2 maj. dec. win over Rio Rancho’s Xavier Pacheco.  Kansas state runner-up Braydon Pacheco (Garden City) who had been upset on Friday by Broken Arrow freshman Rudy Rojas, won five matches in a row (including fall over Rojas in the consolation finals) to end up in 2^nd place.

Texas state champion Mikey Ruiz (Randall) scored four takedowns in the first two periods to win the 113 lb. title with an 8-5 finals win over Mustang’s Van Smith.  In a semifinal battle of state champions, Ruiz avenged a loss from last year with a nice 3-1 Stillwater’s Aydan Thomas.  Thomas came back to take 2^nd with a challenge match win over Smith.

120 lbs was loaded with state champions and state placers and it was Edmond North’s Devon Miller who came out on top.  Miller beat Tuttle state placer Chance Fisher and Texas Prep State champ Kody Tanimoto just to get to the semifinals.  In the semifinals, Miller faced Piedmont’s 2X state champion and 3X finalist, Cash Donnell. Miller, who wrestled for Westmoore previously to the 23-24 season, had never beaten Donnell, including a loss in last year’s state finals, but hit a sweet duck under in SV to take the thrilling win and advance to the finals.  

In the finals, a 1^st period takedown was the difference as Miller took a 3-2 win over Marlow’s Marcus Williams (3X New Mexico state champion).  Williams had advanced to the finals with an impressive 17-4 MD win over TX state champion Isaak Arevalo.  

Stillwater’s Stockton Allen (2022 state champion for Pawnee), lost to Donnell on Friday, but responded with five straight falls (including falls over Fisher, Tanimoto and Arevalo) before avenging his loss to Donnell in the consolation finals.  Allen took the 2^nd place finish with a medical forfeit win over Williams in the challenge match.  What a crazy weight and Miller won it all!

Collinsville 3X state champion Canon Acklin had a quarterfinal win over 2X state placer and 1X runner-up Christian Belford (Edmond North) before winning the 126 lb. title with a 3-0 win over Stillwater’s Julio Aguirre (KS state champion).  Acklin scored a takedown in the first 30 seconds of the match on his way to the win.  In addition to winning the title, Acklin received the Alan Long Sportsmanship Award as voted on by the coaches. 

Stillwater’s impressive JJ McComas was never challenged as the OSU signee advanced to the finals with two falls, one tech fall and a maj. dec. win.  In the finals, McComas scored five takedowns, including three in the first period and added near fall points in the 3^rd period to win the 132 lb. title with a 14-5 maj. dec. win over Edmond North’s Hudson Hackbarth.

Edmond North’s Hunter Hollingsworth (3X state finalists and 2022 state champion) advanced to the finals with a 3-0 win over TX state placer Nathaniel Ruiz and won his 2^nd Geary title with a 9-1 maj. dec. win over Broken Arrow’s Jake Miller (2023 state champion for Blackwell).  Hollingsworth, an OU signee, won the tournament as a sophomore before placing 2^nd to Stillwater’s Cael Hughes last year.

3X state finalist and 2023 state champion, Layton Schneider had three 1^st period falls, including a fall in 1:48 in the finals over Nicholas Zamora (Amarillo Tascosa) to win the 144 lb. title.  In the semifinals, Schneider, committed to the Air Force Academy, scored two critical 1^st period takedowns to take a 5-2 win over Tuttle’s 2X state champion, Beau Hickman.  Hickman came back to earn a 2^nd place finish with a fall over Zamora.

Edmond North’s Joseph Jeter had two falls and a maj. dec. win to advance to the finals.  The highly entertaining sophomore, scored takedowns and near fall points in the first two periods on his way to an 11-3 maj. dec. win over Marlow’s 3X state placer and 2X state runner-up, Zach Dawson.  

Edmond North junor Kody Routledge made it four champions in a row for the Huskies with a big win over Stillwater state champion and OU signee Landyn Sommer.  Routledge, recently committed to Nebraska, advanced to the finals with a win over TX state runner-up Finn Shepard.  In the finals, a Routledge takedown in the first 30 seconds of the match was the difference in the 4-3 win, giving Routledge the 157 lb. title.

Stillwater’s incredible LaDarion Lockett took home two of the top awards as he received the Bob Stegall Outstanding Wrestler Award and the George Walker Most Falls Award.  Lockett only spent 2:52 on the mat in his four matches as he recorded falls in :49, :31, :24 and a fall in 1:08 in the finals over Edmond North’s Brayden Lucas to claim the 165 lb. title.  Lockett, only a junior, is a 2X state champion and recently committed to OSU.

To advance to the finals, Edmond North’s Jude Randall had wins over Del City state placer, Deontre Buttram, Marlow state runner-up Hunter Knox and Stillwater JH state champion, Jakoby Petree. Petree had advanced to the semifinals with a win over Tuttle state runner-up and Fargo champion, Shawn Rounsaville.  In the finals, Randall, an OU signee, scored four takedowns and two sets of near fall points to win the 175 lb. title over 2X state placer Luke Brooks (Poteau).

Liam Daniels became Del City’s first Geary champion since Trey and Tyler Dorrell won in 2009, winning the 190 lb. title with a 7-0 finals win over TX state placer Ryan Rainey.  Daniels scored takedowns in each period to win the match.  In the semifinals, Daniels used a 2^nd period ride-out and 3^rd period escape to defeat Lawton Mac’s state champion, Braden Brown.  Brown came back to earn the 2^nd place finish with a fall over Rainey.

Edmond North’s Oscar Williams joined a very elite group as a 3X Geary Tournament champion as he rolled over all of his opponents to take the 215 lb. title.  Williams, a 2X state runner-up and Maryland signee, opened the tournament with a 10-0 maj. dec. win over Elgin state champion, Ritson Meyer, before advancing to the finals with a 1^st period fall and tech fall win in the semifinals.  In the finals, Williams faced Broken Arrow’s Gunner Wilson (2X state champion for Catoosa).  Williams led 13-0 after two periods with two takedowns and three sets of near fall points before ending it early in the 3rd period with another takedown to earn the 15-0 tech fall win.

Edmond North crowned their 9^th champion when Ricky Thomas picked up his 4^th fall of the tournament to win the 285 lb. title.  Thomas, an OU signee and 2023 state champion, completely dominated finals opponent, Adrian Harrold (Whitfield, MO), drawing the ohhs and ahhs from the crowd when lifting Harrold high in the air for one of this three 1^st period takedowns.  Elgin’s Jace Williams who had a win over KS 2X state finalist and 1X champion, Sebastian Lopez (Garden City), fell to Thomas in the semifinals, but came back to earn the 2^nd place finish with a maj. dec. win over Harrold.

After winning the tournament title, Edmond North head coach Andy Schneider stated “It is a privilege and honor for our team to compete in this historic event.  Our team continues to challenge themselves to raise their level each time they take the mat and it’s been a really fun group to watch and coach.

Top 10 Team Scores (25 schools entered)

NO.	TEAM	PTS.	NO.	TEAM	PTS.
1	Edmond North	244.5	6	Elgin	63
2	Stillwater	135	7	Arlington Martin, TX	62
3	Broken Arrow	94.5	8	Randall, TX	56.5
4	Tuttle	77.5	9	Piedmont	47.5
5	Marlow	67	10	Garden City, KS	43.5

• Bob Stegall Outstanding Wrestler Award: LaDarion Lockett, Stillwater 
• George Walker Most Falls Award: LaDarion Lockett, Stillwater (4 falls in 2:52)
• Alan Long Sportsmanship Award: Canon Acklin, Collinsville 

GEARY TOURNAMENT HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

• Dale Estep
• Kenny Ritchie
• Lee Roy Smith

106

• 1st Place Match: Tommy Baker (Edmond North) 4-0, Fr. over Xavier Pacheco (RR) 13-6, Fr. (MD 11-2)
• 2nd Place Challenge: Braydon Pacheco (Garden City) 27-1, Jr. over Xavier Pacheco (RR) 13-6, Fr. (Dec 9-5)
• 3rd Place Match: Braydon Pacheco (Garden City) 27-1, Jr. over Rudy Rojas (BA) 3-2, Fr. (Fall 4:40)
• 5th Place Match: Maxwell Bradley (Tuttle) 3-2, Fr. over Evan Colbert (Del City) 5-3, Jr. (TF 4:27 (17-1))

113

• 1st Place Match: Michael Ruiz (Randall) 17-0, So. over Van Smith (Mustang) 3-2, (Dec 8-5)
• 2nd Place Challenge; Aydan Thomas (Stillwater) 5-1, Jr. over Van Smith (Mustang) 3-2, (Dec 8-3)
• 3rd Place Match; Aydan Thomas (Stillwater) 5-1, Jr. over Madden Skidmore (EN) 4-2, Fr. (Dec 3-1)
• 5th Place Match: Talon Tahdooahnippah (Elgin) 11-2, Fr. over Kolby Quint (Ark) 17-8, So. (Dec 6-3)

120

• 1st Place Match: Devon Miller (Edmond North) 4-0, Jr. over Marcus Williams (Marlow) 14-2, Sr. (Dec 3-2)
• 2nd Place Challenge: Stockton Allen (Stillwater) 7-1, Jr. over Marcus Williams (Marlow) 14-2, Sr. (M. For.)
• 3rd Place Match: Stockton Allen (Stillwater) 7-1, Jr. over Cash Donnell (Pied) 21-3, Sr. (Dec 3-1)
• 5th Place Match: Isaak Arevalo (Arl Martin) 3-2, Jr. over Matthew Long (Garden C) 22-3, Jr. (Dec 9-6)

126

• 1st Place Match: Canon Acklin (Collinsville) 17-3, Sr. over Julio Aguirre (Stillwater) 4-1, So. (Dec 3-0)
• 2nd Place Challenge: Julio Aguirre (Stillwater) 4-1, So. over Christian Belford (EN) 5-2, Sr. (Dec 3-2)
• 3rd Place Match: Christian Belford (EN) 5-2, Sr. over Hunter Knox (BA) 4-2, So. (Dec 6-0)
• 5th Place Match: Javin Douglas (Mustang) 3-2, over Barrett Byers (Piedmont) 14-9, Sr. (Fall 3:12)

132

• 1st Place Match: JJ McComas (Stillwater) 5-0, Sr. over Hudson Hackbarth (EN) 4-1, Sr. (MD 14-5)
• 3rd Place Match: Evan Rodriguez (BA) 5-1, Sr. over Ezequiel Valadez (Arl Martin) 10-3, Jr. (Dec 4-3)
• 5th Place Match: Dariuz Black (Tulsa Union) 13-7, Sr. over Keller Kizarr (Marlow) 19-6, Jr. (Inj. 0:00)

138

• 1st Place Match: Hunter Hollingsworth (EN) 4-0, Sr. over Jake Miller (BA) 4-1, So. (MD 9-1)
• 2nd Place Challenge: Jake Miller (BA) 4-1, So. over Nathaniel Ruiz (Randall) 20-4, Sr. (SV-1 3-1)
• 3rd Place Match; Nathaniel Ruiz (Randall) 20-4, Sr. over Thomas Toteh (Union) 14-4, Jr. (Dec 1-0)
• 5th Place Match: Thomas London (Tuttle) 5-2, Sr. over Spencer Mosier (Ark City) 11-12, Jr. (Dec 6-2)

144

• 1st Place Match: Layton Schneider (EN) 4-0, Sr. over Nicholas Zamora (Arl Martin) 7-2, Jr. (Fall 1:48)
• 2nd Place Challenge: Beau Hickman (Tuttle) 6-1, Jr. over Nicholas Zamora (Arl Martin) 7-2, Jr. (Fall 4:27)
• 3rd Place Match: Beau Hickman (Tuttle) 6-1, Jr. over Thomas Pacheco (Tascosa) 26-4, Jr. (Fall 3:14)
• 5th Place Match; Caleb Carter (Whitfield) 20-5, Jr. over Hudson Henslick (Collinsville) 16-6, Sr. (Dec 3-1)

150

• 1st Place Match: Joseph Jeter (Edmond North) 5-0, So. over Zach Dawson (Marlow) 19-4, Sr. (MD 11-3)
• 3rd Place Match: Landin Lamberth (Tascosa) 19-4, Jr. over Rome Tate (Whitfield) 19-8, Jr. (Dec 6-2)
• 5th Place Match: Kadence Roop (BA) 4-2, Sr. over Christian Morales (Lawton MacArthur) 4-3, (MD 13-5)

157

• 1st Place Match; Kody Routledge (Edmond North) 5-0, Jr. over Landyn Sommer (Stillwater) 5-1, Sr. (Dec 4-3)
• 2nd Place Challenge: Landyn Sommer (Stillwater) 5-1, Sr. over Finn Shepard (Arl Martin) 10-2, Sr. (Fall 1:47)
• 3rd Place Match: Finn Shepard (Arlington Martin) 10-2, Sr. over Cade Gilbert (Marlow) 15-3, Sr. (Dec 5-3)
• 5th Place Match: Daegan Reyes (Mustang) 5-2, over Brodie Bedford (All Saints Episcopal) 22-5, So. (Dec 7-3)

165

• 1st Place Match: LaDarion Lockett (Stillwater) 4-0, Jr. over Brayden Lucas (Edmond North) 4-1, Sr. (Fall 1:08)
• 2nd Place Challenge: Brayden Lucas (Edmond North) 4-1, Sr. over Jack Anglley (Elgin) 12-2, Sr. (Dec 6-0)
• 3rd Place Match: Jack Anglley (Elgin) 12-2, Sr. over Mark Gallegos (Randall) 15-5, So. (Dec 5-0)
• 5th Place Match: Kaden Nation (Collinsville) 8-7, So. over Tanner Jarvis (Tulsa Union) 3-3, Sr. (Fall 2:00)

175

• 1st Place Match: Jude Randall (Edmond North) 5-0, Sr. over Luke Brooks (Poteau) 4-1, Sr. (MD 15-4)
• 2nd Place Challenge: Luke Brooks (Poteau) 4-1, Sr. over Deontre Buttram (Del City) 12-2, Sr. (Dec 6-5)
• 3rd Place Match: Deontre Buttram (Del City) 12-2, Sr. over Lawson Knox (Marlow) 18-4, Sr. (Dec 5-4)
• 5th Place Match: Garrett Stinchcomb (Broken Arrow) 3-2, Sr. over Jakoby Petree (Stillwater) 2-3, Fr. (For.)

190

• 1st Place Match: Liam Daniels (Del City) 4-0, Sr. over Ryan Rainey (Arlington Martin) 6-3, Jr. (Dec 7-0)
• 2nd Place Challenge: Braden Brown (Lawton Mac) 5-1, over Ryan Rainey (Arl Martin) 6-3, Jr. (Fall 1:49)
• 3rd Place Match: Braden Brown (Lawton Mac) 5-1, over Jackson Blackburn (Piedmont) 16-6, Jr. (Fall 2:31)
• 5th Place Match: Wura Yinusa (Tulsa Union) 15-4, Jr. over Asher Walls (Choctaw) 3-3, Jr. (Fall 0:32)

215

• 1st Place Match: Oscar Williams (EN) 4-0, Sr. over Gunner Wilson (BA) 4-1, Jr. (TF 4:24 (15-0))
• 2nd Place Challenge: Gunner Wilson (BA) 4-1, Jr. over Brogan Hardy (Pied) 21-5, Sr. (Dec 3-2)
• 3rd Place Match: Brogan Hardy (Piedmont) 21-5, Sr. over Cody Abston (Tuttle) 3-2, Sr. (Dec 3-2)
• 5th Place Match: Ritson Meyer (Elgin) 16-2, So. over David Holguin (Garden City) 21-7, Jr. (Fall 3:46)

285

• 1st Place Match: Ricky Thomas (Edmond North) 4-0, Sr. over Adrian Harrold (Whit) 17-8, Sr. (Fall 3:56)
• 2nd Place Challenge: Jace Williams (Elgin) 17-1, Jr. over Adrian Harrold (Whit) 17-8, Sr. (MD 11-0)
• 3rd Place Match: Jace Williams (Elgin) 17-1, Jr. over Jace Warren (Tuttle) 5-2, Sr. (Fall 5:57)
• 5th Place Match: Isaiah Ortiz (Tascosa) 19-6, Sr. over Contrell Richardson (Union) 10-8, So. (Dec 1-0)