Elgin slips past rival El Reno to win mat tourney

MIDWEST CITY — Elgin crowned two champions and walked away with the team title last Saturday at the Carl Albert Malcolm Wade Invitational.

As a team, Elgin finished with 205 points with El Reno in second with 199.5 and Lawton MacArthur in third with 198. El Reno is ranked No. 1 Class 5A and Elgin is ranked No. 2.

Meanwhile, Hunter Jackson won the title at 113 pounds and freshman Ritson Meyer won the gold at 190 pounds.

“That was a good tournament for us and a preview for state,” Elgin head coach Cody Rowell said. “Honestly, it was a hard tournament after that dual.”

The dual was a matchup with El Reno where the Indians prevailed 42-36, one day before the Carl Albert tournament began. 

“We lost at a weight we expected to win. After that, we knew we would have to pin out to win. We didn’t get the job done,” Rowell said.

However, the tournament was another story as Jackson won by pin in every match and Meyer pinned a returning state runner-up to win the 190-pound championship.

“Hunter Jackson is having a great season for us,” Rowell said. “He’s a kid I’ve had since third grade. Our families are close, and his dad helps coach the team. He’s that type of kid always stacking the odds in his favor by working hard.”

Rowell also predicted that Meyer could be the No. 1 wrestler at 190 pounds after the new rankings are released.

“He had a great tournament and is wrestling really well right now,” the coach said.

Other Elgin placers include Dominic Benetto in second at 144 pounds, Colyn Donnelly in second at 215 pounds, Gabe Dittmeyer in fourth at 157, Ninoo Vidic in fifth place at 132, Shea Spencer in fifth at heavyweight, Brice Martin in sixth at 106 pounds and George Tahdooahnippah in sixth at 165.

“All of these guys made big contributions to the team. For instance, Shea Spencer is undersized, but he went out and got fifth for us and that was huge. George Tahdooahnippah made a big contribution as well with his sixth-place finish.”

In the girls’ division, Elgin crowned three champions with Maddie Downs, Carli Watson at 146 pounds and Symphony Veloz at 170 pounds. In addition, Chenelle Brown and Abbi Anglley finished second while Nina Vidic and Alona Hercules placed third.

The Elgin wrestlers were not the only ones to receive accolades at the Carl Albert Tournament. Rowell was named Coach of the Tournament for the team and individual successes.

Elgin wrestled in district duals Thursday against El Reno, Southeast and Woodward, but results were not available at press time. The Owls will host Cache in a dual Jan. 26 and then compete in the Chickasha Tournament Jan. 27-28.