Mark Kirk
Led by champions Beau Hickman and KJ Evans and six other placers, Oklahoma was well represented in the recent NHSCA National Tournament. The tournament held April 23-25 in Virginia Beach, VA included separate divisions for middle school, freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors and girls. Oklahoma was not represented in the senior or girls divisions.
Beau Hickman, a junior high state champion from Tuttle, outscored his opponents 36-1 as he picked up a fall and two tech fall wins out of his four wins to roll to the middle school 135 lb. title. Hickman advanced to the finals with an opening round bye, 16-0 and 16-1 tech fall wins and then a 1:00 fall in the semifinals. Hickman wrapped up the title with a takedown in each period to earn the 6-0 shutout victory over Virginia’s Landon Jobber-Spence.
Heritage Hall sophomore KJ Evans was just as dominant in advancing to the finals before pulling out a great come-from-behind win to claim the 152 lb. sophomore division title. Evans, an undefeated state champion for the Chargers (and runner-up as a freshman), advanced to the finals with three falls and a 13-4 major decision win. In the finals, Evans trailed by three early in the 3rd period, but scored three takedowns in the last 90 seconds, including the winning takedown and near-fall points in the last 14 seconds, before surrendering a meaningless reversal at the buzzer to take the thrilling 12-11 win over Pennsylvania’s Colby Isabelle.
In addition to Hickman and Evans, other wrestlers earning All-American honors were: Ricky Thomas (Edmond North) – 4th, Ethan Teague (Tuttle) – 5th, Clay Gates (Collinsville) – 5th, Reese Davis (Tuttle) – 6th, John Roberts (OCS) – 7th and Drake Acklin (Collinsville) – 7th.
Six wrestlers came within one match of earning a top 8 All-American finish. Those wrestlers were: Eli Kirk (Guthrie), Samuel Schmidt (Tuttle), Canon Acklin (Collinsville), Cash Donnell (Piedmont), Eli Ramirez (Duncan), and Felipe Villarreal (Duncan).
Other wrestlers competing in the tournament include: Guy Clevenger, Gabriel Fontanez, Hayden Brown, JP Matinez, Spencer Rochelle, Sam Anderson, Makaveli Martinez, Braden Potts, Tag Ensey, Christian Taylor, Jaxon Koeltzow, Tucker Waitman, Logan Cash and Bryson Tidwell.
Juniors
138 Reese Davis – 6th
145 Drake Acklin – 7th
113 Guy Clevenger
113 Gabriel Fontanez
138 Hayden Brown
138 JP Martinez
170 Spencer Rochelle
182 Sam Anderson
220 Makaveli Martinez
Sophomore
152 KJ Evans – 1st
113 Clay Gates – 5th
182 John Roberts – 7th
113 Eli Kirk
120 Braden Potts
120 Tag Ensey
126 Christian Taylor
132 Jaxon Koeltzow
170 Tucker Waitman
182 Samuel Schmidt
220 Logan Cash
Freshmen
195 Ricky Thomas – 4th
106 Canon Acklin
113 Cash Donnell
Middle School
135 Beau Hickman – 1st
142 Ethan Teague – 5th
100 Felipe Villareal
119 Bryson Tidwell
127 Eli Ramirez
