Saturday night in Tonkawa, the first ever “Battle of Oklahoma” took place on the mat between Northern Oklahoma College (NOC) and Carl Albert State College. NOC, in their first year with a women’s program and the men making their comeback after a 41 year break, battled tough but the deep and talented Vikings from Carl Albert won both duals with the women winning 46-6 and the men posting a 36-12 win.
In between duals, NOC honored the wrestling donors who helped re-establish the men’s program and establish the women’s program at NOC. Included in the recognition was the unveiling of a banner listing all of the donors that will be prominently displayed at the Foster-Piper Field House.
The Carl Albert women showed why they are ranked 2nd in the nation, earning six falls and three tech falls to take the dominating win. The men had seven bonus point wins in their victory, including three falls and two tech falls.
In the women’s dual, defending national champion and #1 ranked Calli Connally got Carl Albert off to a fast start as she got a takedown and four quick back exposures to win by 10-0 tech fall in 0:29. In a battle of top ten wrestlers, NOC’s #10 ranked Addison Polk scored the first takedown to take an early lead, but #2 ranked Abigail Butts dominated from there, winning by a 12-2 tech fall in 4:52.
An action packed match at 117 lbs., saw NOC’s Jordan Williams score the first takedown and lead 4-3 midway through the first period before Carl Albert’s Amay Robalcado put nine quick points on the board before winning by fall in 2:32. NOC once again scored the first takedown when #12 ranked Carla West hit a nice takedown on Carl Albert’s #2 ranked Laila Mirza. Mirza came back with a takedown of her own and a flurry of points before winning by fall in 2:02.
At 131 lbs., Carl Albert’s #7 ranked Chanelle Alburg broke open a close match by turning and pinning Carlaeona Hockert in 2:56. Number 9 ranked Alondra Valles kept it going, hitting a nice fireman’s carry for her first takedown on the way to a 10-0 tech fall in 2:40.
At 145 lbs., Carl Albert #6 ranked Taya Hunt and NOC’s Miah Kenny had an exciting series of action in which it looked like each had a chance to earn a fall before Hunt finally won the wild scramble and winning by fall in 2:04. At 160 lbs., Carl Albert’s 6th ranked Margaret Jordan won by fall in 1:28 over My Galey. The Carl Albert bench was penalized one team point during this match for unsportsmanlike conduct.
In another action-packed match, NOC’s Madison Welch scored two takedowns and back points to lead Carl Albert’s #8 ranked Izzy Pack before Pack turned the tide and won by fall in 3:28. Carl Albert’s Jessina Smith won by forfeit at 207 lbs.
The last match, brought the cheering home crowd to their feet as NOC’s Leanna Espino took #4 ranked Gabby Watson down to her back and getting the upset fall just 23 seconds into the match. Final score, Carl Albert – 46, NOC – 6.
Following the dual, Carl Albert head coach Jake Lords commented that he felt “the team wrestled well top to bottom, with everyone wrestling aggressively and staying in good position.” Lords stated “Amaya, Laila and Chanelle, all bumped up a weight due to injuries and they all came through with bonus point wins.” Lords was quick to praise the effort of the entire team, especially that of Izzy Pack, who got put on her back but came back to win by fall.
In talking about the growth of women’s wrestling it was interesting to hear from Carl Albert Assistant Women’s Coach Alexis Miller. Miller, one of the trailblazers of Oklahoma girl’s wrestling was a 2X state champion for Wagoner and 2X national champion for Carl Albert. Now, coaching while she trains for the U23 and senior level competition, Miller stated that she stresses that the team practice gratitude for the opportunity to participate, something the girls before them didn’t have. Miller stated “I don’t hound wins and losses, I hound being grateful for opportunities.” Miller said she wishes she would have had the opportunity to be coached by a woman and that she “thrives being a woman coaching women.” Miller says that coaching women is “heartwarming” and ended by saying “Being that person for other people and making sure I do it right every single day. That’s what’s most important to me as a coach.”
The men’s dual started with a thrilling match that saw NOC’s Ivan Lopez earn a gutsy 13-8 win over Giuseppe Minutillo. Lopez was injured midway through the 2nd period, but with a heavily taped ankle was still able to score two key 3rd period takedowns to hold off Minutillo and earn the win at 125 lbs.
Following that, Carl Albert went on a run, winning the next seven matches with three falls, two tech falls and two major decisions to put the dual away. Sean Gonzalez got it started for Carl Albert with five takedowns in his match as he earned a 17-2 tech fall win over NOC’s Jack Swenson. Carl Albert’s Kaidan Cue had three takedowns as he earned a 13-5 maj. dec. win over AB Valencia.
Carl Albert’s Keegan Sullivan scored six takedowns in earning a 19-4 tech fall win over Waleed Khairi. Sullivan got his first takedown 15 seconds into the match and ended the match with a nice inside trip for his final takedown and the tech fall win.
At 157 lbs., Carl Albert’s Cash Sessions didn’t waste any time as he scored a takedown 20 seconds into the match and then picked up the fall in 1:29 over Max Rinehart.
More photos from the dual. Photos: Mark Kirk
At 165 lbs., Carl Albert’s Mason Gordon scored two first period takedowns, including one right at the buzzer, then used a dominating 2nd period ride out to lead 7-2 entering the 3rd period. In the 3rd period, Gordon used strong defense to fight off a great shot by NOC’s Conner Nunez, before scoring his own takedown and adding riding time for the 11-2 maj. dec. win.
At 174 lbs., NOC’s Tyler Gettings countered Deonte Buttram’s throw attempt to score the first takedown, but Buttram took the lead with an escape and takedown before locking up a cradle and winning by fall in 2:19. Carl Albert’s Ethan Day made it two cradles in a row as he already had three takedowns before getting his cradle and pinning Xavier Hurt in 1:30.
NOC won the last two matches, with Christian Clark already leading 5-1, when he took Carmichael Gonzalez down with a cradle to score the fall in 53 seconds. Kanden Young, ranked 8th in the nation at 197 lbs., wrestled at 285, and led 2-0 in the 3rd period when he scored two back points with a cradle to secure a 5-1 win for NOC. Final Score, Carl Albert – 36, NOC – 12.
Carl Albert head coach Jake Lords stated that the team started a little slow, but Sean Gonzalez go the tech and set the tone for the bonus point wins. Lords stated “I’m proud of the team’s effort, we are banged up and had to shift some weights, but Sullivan, Sessions, Gordon all came through with bonus point wins.”
Women’s Dual
Carl Albert – 46
NOC – 6
103 Calli Connally (CA) tech fall Leila Rosas (NOC), TF 10-0, 0:29
110 Abigail Butts (CA) tech fall Addison Polk (NOC), TF 12-2, 4:52
117 Amaya Rubalcado (CA) fall over Jordan Williams (NOC), Fall 2:32
124 Laila Mirza (CA) fall over Carla West (NOC), Fall 2:02
131 Chanelle Alburg (CA) fall Carlaeona Hockert (NOC), Fall 2:56
138 Alondra Valles (CA) tech fall over Harley Brower (NOC), TF 10-0, 2:40
145 Taya Hunt (CA) fall over Miah Kenny (NOC), Fall 2:04
160 Margaret Jordan (CA) fall over Mya Galey (NOC), Fall 1:28
180 Izzy Pack (CA) fall over Madison Welch (NOC), Fall 3:28
207 Jessina Smith (CA) won by forfeit
235 Leanna Espino (NOC) fall over Gabby Watson (CA), Fall :23
Carl Albert bench deducted one team point during 160 lb. match
Men’s Dual
Carl Albert – 36
NOC – 12
125 Ivan Lopez (NOC) dec. Giuseppe Minutillo (CA), 13-8
133 Sean Gonzalez (CA) tech fall Jack Swenson (NOC), TF 17-2, 6:45
141 Kaidan Cue (CA) maj. Dec. AB Valencia (NOC), MD 13-5
149 Keegan Sullivan (CA) tech fall Waleed Khairi (NOC), TF 19-4, 6:52
157 Cash Sessions (CA) fall over Max Rinehart (NOC), Fall 1:29
165 Mason Gordon (CA) maj. Dec. Conner Nunez (NOC), MD 11-2
174 Deontre Buttram (CA) fall over Tyler Gettings (NOC), Fall 2:19
184 Ethan Day (CA) fall over Xavier Hurtt (NOC), Fall 1:30
197 Christian Clark (NOC) fall over Carmichael Gonzalez (CA), Fall 0:53
285 Kanden Young (NOC) dec. Demaris Medlock (CA), 5-1
