State Wrestling: A wild night

By Matt Patterson

mpatterson@oklahoman.com 

The 87th Annual Oklahoma High School Wrestling Championships is in the books and it didn’t dissapoint. There were upsets, vengeance and suprises galore.

 Here’s a few things that caught my eye:

 - Midwest City’s improable championship in Class 5A was the biggest surprise, followed closely by Grove in Class 3A.  The Bombers won in different fashion this year, relying on Sand Springs’ Znick Ferell to upset Ponca City’s Reno Redleaf to secure the title. The Bombers wrestled well in both bracekts to put themselves into a position to win.  

 Coach Jody Marple squeezed every ounce of ability out of his team this year. MWC was hurt by Seth Johnson’s loss in the semi-finals (Johnson was never 100 percent after his elbow injury early in the season) but found a hero in Mark Meyer who won at 152 and Drew Hill who battled his way into the finals.

- Del City would have won the Class 5A t itle had Derrick Jackson been able to pin Stacy McGee in the heavyweight finals. Jackson lost, but the fact Del City put itself into a postion to even have a chance at the title with just six wrestlers is amazing. Mike Brady and Tyler Dorrell came home winners Friday and Zack James placed third.