Led by a strong senior class and coming off a breakthrough year, the Perry Lady Maroon wrestlers are looking for even bigger things in 2027. Last year, the Lady Maroons won their first invitational tournament in school history (Tuttle Tournament), and went on to win the Will Rogers Conference Tournament, the Class 5A East Regional Tournament, and then capped off the banner year, with a runner-up finish at the State Tournament. And they did it without a senior in the lineup.
Head Coach Bryan Wilson welcomes back 12 starters from last year’s team, with seven of them having State Tournament experience. Leading the way is state champion AJ Waren, along with runner-up Sayben Owen, 4th place medalist Karissa Jones, 2X state qualifier Lexi Valencia, state qualifiers Peyton Reaves and Cami Wilson, and 2025 qualifier, Constance O’Dell. The Lady Maroons also welcome Ashlee Motes, who was a state runner-up for Morrison last year.
While very excited about the prospects this season, Wilson and the team knows that McLoud (winner of the past two Class 5A state titles) is the heavy favorite and that teams like Harrah (shared the runner-up title with Perry last season), Berryhill, Sulphur, Wagoner, Bridge Creek, Jay, and many others, have several talented wrestlers and are also working hard to claim the 2027 title.
Lady Maroon seniors Ady Nida, Sayben Owen, Peyton Reaves, Lexi Valencia, and AJ Waren have combined for 374 victories with 251 falls. Waren became the first state champion in Lady Maroon’s history with a thrilling sudden victory win over McLoud’s returning state champion, Launa Troutt. Waren, who enters the season with 94 career victories, was a state qualifier as a freshman and finished 3rd as a sophomore, before winning the 2026 title.
Sayben Owen is a 2X regional champion and 3X state qualifier, who earned a state runner-up finish last season. Owen went 44-4 with 33 falls last year and enters the season with 113 career victories, with 83 falls. Lexi Valencia battled through injuries last season to earn her second trip to the State Tournament. Valencia enters her senior year with 47 falls out of her 75 career wins. Peyton Reaves had an amazing run of comeback victories at last year’s regional tournament to earn her first trip to the State Tournament. Reaves enters the season with 65 career wins and 44 career falls.
Sophomore Karissa Jones won a junior high state title last year (first Lady Maroon to win a JH state title) and followed that with a 4th place finish at the State Tournament to help the team earn the state runner-up trophy. Jones went 38-8, with 26 falls last season. As a sophomore, Cami Wilson earned her first trip to the State Tournament and ended the season with 31 wins and 24 falls. Wilson enters her junior season with 51 career wins with 40 falls.
Wrestling for Morrison, Ashlee Motes was a state qualifier as a freshman before earning a state runner-up finish last season. Motes, 26-3 last season, enters her junior year with a 43-7 career record.
Last season, returning starters Grace Lickliter, Takota Ramirez, Constance O’Dell, Ady Nida, Payton Deurloo, and Savannah Bonham, combined for 103 wins with 66 falls. O’Dell was a 2025 state qualifier and looks to return again this year. While the others, along with first year starters, Natalie Mangum and Sawyer Hodge are working hard to earn their first trips to this year’s State Tournament.
The Lady Maroons open the regular season December 1 at Ponca City, with the first home dual taking place December 14 against Yukon. The Lady Maroons compete in the District Duals on December 12 at Skiatook, with the district winner advancing to the first ever OWCA Girls Dual State Tournament, set to take place January 23 at Broken Arrow.
TENATIVE LINE-UP
100 Grace Lickliter, Jr.
105 Takota Ramirez, Soph
110 Constance O’Dell, Jr. (2025 SQ)
115 Natalie Mangum, Soph.
120 AJ Waren, Sr. (SQ-3rd-1st)
125 Sayben Owen, Sr. (SQ-SQ-2nd)
130 Peyton Reaves, Sr. (SQ), Lexi Valencia, Sr. (2X SQ), or Ady Nida, Sr.
135 Peyton Reaves, Sr. (SQ), Lexi Valencia, Sr. (2X SQ), or Ady Nida, Sr.
140 Peyton Reaves, Sr. (SQ), Lexi Valencia, Sr. (2X SQ), or Ady Nida, Sr.
145 Payton Deurloo, Soph. or Savannah Bonham, Soph.
155 Cami Wilson, Jr. (SQ)
170 Ashlee Motes, Jr. (SQ-2nd)
190 Sawyer Hodge, Fr.
235 Karissa Jones, Soph. (4th)
SQ = State Qualifier
Head Coach: Bryan Wilson
Assistant Coaches: Barbara Ladson, Kevin Owen, Gabe Valencia
