National Spotlight: Oklahoma Men and Women Head North for 52nd Annual Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic

It is an exciting week for Oklahoma wrestling as both a men’s and women’s team will travel to Pittsburgh to compete in the 52^nd Annual Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic (PWC).  Billed as the “Rose Bowl of High School Wrestling” the PWC is the premier scholastic All-Star event for amateur wrestling.  The duals take place Saturday, March 28 at the AHN Arena in McMurray, PA.

Sponsored by the Oklahoma Wrestling Coaches Association (OWCA), the men’s team will compete against the Western Pennsylvania All-Star Team (WPIAL), with the women taking on the Pennsylvania Women’s All-Star team.  Following those duals, the USA All-Star Team which includes Edmond North’s Joseph Jeter will take on the Pennsylvania All-Stars.

Competing on the women’s team will be Feliciti Doolittle (Douglass), Vanity Brown (Douglass), Kristen DeLaRosa (Broken Arrow), Kelcie Avallone (Barnsdall), Aubrey Brown (Putnam City North), Teyanna Fields (Lawton), Hannah Miller (Bridge Creek), Nevaeh Reyes (Lawton), Makenna Howell (Ada), Piper Morton (Oologah), Brook West (Comanche), and Brielle Williams (Lawton).  Coaches for the women’s team are Jermell Perry (Douglass), Jeff Elbert (Lawton), Dwayne DeNolf (Putnam City North), and Tom Johnston.

Competing for the Men’s team will be Kolten Terwilliger (Salina), Taii Walsh (Cache), Eric Casula (Stillwater), Tommy Dean Miller (Marlow), Brayden Mixay (Carl Albert), Seth Hoodenpyle (Noble), Cooper Miller (Bridge Creek), Garon Kaiser (Deer Creek), Gavin Wyatt (Grove), Connor Wines (Noble), Kanon Clift (Comanche), and Konway Williamson (Salina).  Coaches for the men’s team are Curt Hodges (Carl Albert), Fay Barnett (Cashion), Sammy Johnson (Ft. Gibson), and Zach Hale (Noble).  

The event is much more than just a dual between Oklahoma and Pennsylvania.  It is a chance for Oklahoma wrestlers to shine in the national spotlight in an historic event that goes all out to make it a first-class event. In a 2009 interview, 1981 participant Leo Bailey from Bixby stated “I still have my gold duffle bag that reads Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic.  I really enjoyed the trip to Pittsburgh for the Wrestling Classic.  It was a first-class operation.  They treated us great.”  

Leo Bailey and his son, Dallas were the first Oklahoma father-son duo to compete in this event.  Dallas, a Catoosa graduate competed in 2009.  This year will mark the second father-son duo as Tommy Miller joins his dad, Ray (1988) as a Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic participants.  In recognition of the duo competing in the PWC, Ray has been invited to be the Honorary Coach for the USA All-Stars.

The Oklahoma wrestlers are looking forward to the event, with Deer Creek state champion, Garon Kiser stating “I’m just really excited to see some new competition and test myself against a state that’s as good as it is like Pennsylvania.  Just really excited with all the pageantry behind it too.”  Ada’s state finalist and 3X state placer Makenna Howell shard those thoughts, stating “I’m excited to be selected to represent Oklahoma Wrestling on such a platform.  It’s something I will be proud of as an Oklahoma female wrestler.”

After weighing-in Friday morning the wrestlers will receive their uniforms and have time to enjoy either a tour of the area or some type of team activity.  Friday night is a formal Competition Welcome Banquet.  Saturday morning starts off with team photos and interviews with the media.  Wrestling starts at 3:00 with the Oklahoma Women taking on the Pennsylvania Women, followed by the Oklahoma Men vs. WPIAL Men and then the USA vs Pennsylvania starting at 6:00.  That evening there is a Dinner Buffet for all of the wrestlers.

The OWCA did not receive the coveted invitation to compete in this premier event until mid-November.  With the coaches already working overtime with their regular teaching and coaching duties, the officers jumped headfirst into making all of the travel plans, working out event details, figuring out a process to select the team, and raising money for the trip.  OWCA President Zach Hale and Vice-President Tom Johnston, along with OWCA Girls President, Fay Barnett and OWCA Secretary Kevin Sheets spent countless hours in preparing for the trip and making it a first class experience for the wrestlers.

The teams were originally scheduled to be made up only of seniors, but due to the lack of seniors competing, Oklahoma received permission to complete the roster with sophomores and juniors.  Sophomores competing are Feliciti Doolittle, Vanity Brown, and Cooper Miller. Juniors competing are Brielle Williams, Kolten Terwilliger, Connor Wines, and Konway Williamson. Williams, Terwilliger, and Wines are all state champions and Williamson is a 2X state champion.

This allowed for a first in the event, as Bridge Creek siblings Hannah and Cooper Miller will both take the mat in the All-Star event.  Both were excited to share the moment together with Hannah commenting “I’m blessed to have the opportunity to wrestle with my li’l bro one more time.  It’s an honor to represent Oklahoma, but getting to do it alongside my brother makes it even more special.  Not many people get that opportunity, and I’m excited.  It means a lot to our family and shows what’s possible with hard work.”  

Cooper echoed those sentiments, stating “I’m looking forward to competing against some of the best and just enjoying the experience.  Hannah and I have pushed each other for years, so getting to experience this with my sister is pretty cool.”

Following the Oklahoma-Pennsylvania duals, the main event will take place with the USA All-Stars taking on the best from Pennsylvania.  Edmond North’s Joseph Jeter will take the mat for USA as he faces West Virginia signee Gage Wentzel.

Jeter, ranked 3^rd in the nation and a Cornell signee, was a 2X state champion, 3X state finalist, and 4X state placer.  Jeter who finished with a 144-13 career record, was also a 2023 Fargo double All-American and 2024 U17 Greco national champion and 5^th place finisher at the U17 World Championships.

This will be the fourth time the Oklahoma men have competed against the WPIAL All-Stars and the first for the women.  The WPIAL leads the series 2-1.  The first meeting took place in 1979, with the WPIAL coming from behind to post a 28-24 win.   The second meeting in 1983 wasn’t close as the WPIAL won 43-7.  

It was another 31 years before they met again, with Oklahoma dominating in 2014, winning 10 of the 13 bouts, to post a 37-10 win.  The 2014 results are listed below.

Oklahoma 37, WPIAL 10

113: Brendan Price (WPIAL) dec Braden Bennett (Locust Grove), 11-5
120: Jacob Findley (Collinsville) dec Brendan Hasson (WPIAL), 4-2
126: Cub Yeager (Locust Grove) dec Dom Forys (WPIAL), 8-7
132: OW Tyler Smith (WPIAL) maj dec. Justin Fletcher (Bixby), 12-2
138: Will Steltzlen (Collinsville) dec Tyler Buckiso (WPIAL), 4-1
145: Jonce Blaylock (Berryhill) dec Grant Fetchet (WPIAL), 2-1
152: OW Dakota Head (Tuttle) FALL Steven Edwards (WPIAL), 2:56
160: Jacobe Smith (Muskogee) dec Jonathon Avon (WPIAL), 10-3
170: Chandler Rogers (Stillwater) FALL Kyle Coniker (WPIAL), 1:17
182: Lance Dixon (Edmond North) dec Terrell Fields (WPIAL), 5-4
195: Derek White (Edmond North) maj dec. Cole Macek (WPIAL), 16-6
220: Andrew Dixon (Edmond North) dec Jake Temple (WPIAL), 1-0 OT
285: Shane Kuhn (WPIAL) dec Trey Loveall (Locust Grove), 6-2

Originally known as the Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic, there have been 60 Oklahoma wrestlers compete in the headliner USA vs. Pennsylvania Dual. Norman’s Bryan Evans competed in the 1^st Dapper Dan Classic in 1975, with Del City’s Lee Roy Smith competing in 1976, and Tulsa East Central’s Tracy Kramer and Midwest City’s Roger Frizzell competing in 1978. 

Nine Oklahoma wrestlers have been named the Outstanding Wrestler of the USA All-Star Team: Tulsa Washington’s Kenny Monday (1980), Midwest City’s John Johnson (1981), Putnam City North’s Cory Baze (1984), Stillwater’s Todd Chesbro (1987), Choctaw’s Jason Powell (1999), Stillwater’s Lance Thompson (2006), Tuttle’s Zachary Beard (2013), Stillwater’s Carter Young (2021), and Stillwater’s Cael Hughes (2023).  

Other notable names from Oklahoma competing for the USA team include Midwest City’s John Laviolette (1982), Tulsa Union’s Mark Ferguson (1989), Edmond’s T.J. Jaworsky (1990), Chandler’s Jerry Best (1991), Del City’s Mark Smith (1994), Edmond North’s Kelly Gregg (1995), Marlow’s Michael Lightner (1996), Bixby’s Shane Roller (1998), Edmond North’s Teyon Ware (2002),  Edmond Memorial’s Johny Hendricks (2002), Ponca City’s Jared Roshalt (2005), Stillwater’s Chris Perry (2009), Stillwater’s Joe Smith (2015), Tuttle’s Tanner Litterell (2017), Noble’s Beric Jordan (2024), and Stillwater’s JJ McComas (2024).