Grapplers win second dual, crown tourney champs

ELGIN – Elgin grapplers notched their second dual win of the season with a close 37-33 victory over Weatherford Tuesday night.

“Overall, I’m pleased because we knew Weatherford was good. We were able to get a win so that was good,” Elgin head coach Cody Rowell said.

Weatherford is ranked No. 14 in Class 4A.

Elgin wrestlers Dillon Brown (126 pounds), Hunter Jackson (120) Nino Vivic (132), freshman Bryce Martin (113) and freshman Ritson Meyer (190) recorded pins over their opponents.

Elgin travels to Oklahoma City on Dec. 13 to take on Santa Fe South in dual action. Two days later, the Owls will host Altus and Moore in a tri-meet and then compete in the Duncan Tournament Dec. 16-17 before taking a break for the Christmas holidays.

Blanchard Tourney

The Owls, ranked No. 7 in Class 5A, crowned two champions at the tournament with Jackson at 120 pounds and Jack Anglley at 157 pounds. Nino Benedetto finished second after losing in the championship match at 144 pounds and Vivic placed third at 132.

“With a tournament like that, you’re trying to get experience and get some matches under your belt,” Rowell said.

In the girls’ division, Elgin crowned four champions with Symphony Veloz at 170 pounds, Carli Watson at 140, Chellene Brown at 145 and Ianna Hernandez at 130 pounds.

“That was pretty cool for them. They were dominant and pinned their way through their weight classes,” Rowell said. “It was a good first-of-the-year assessment.”

In addition, Nina Vivic placed fourth at 125 pounds.

Elgin was ranked No. 9 in the preseason rankings. In Oklahoma, all girls teams are listed in the Class 6A division. Elgin is ranked behind schools such as Bixby, Moore, Tulsa Union, Broken Arrow and Yukon.

Elgin 45, Comanche 33

Mistakes were made but Elgin’s varsity wrestlers still managed a 45-33 win over rival Comanche in the first dual for both teams on Dec. 1.

“It wasn’t pretty, but we got done what needed to be done,” Rowell said. “It definitely looked like a first dual. We need to stay off our backs.”

Four Elgin wrestlers lost by pins while two Owls won by pin. Jackson, who finished third in the 106-pound weight class at last year’s Class 5A state tournament, pinned his opponent at the 1:20 mark. In addition, Vivic won by pin at 132 pounds. At that point, Elgin led 24-6 after Comanche forfeited at 106 and 113 pounds.

Comanche, ranked No. 6 in Class 3A, won four of the next five matches, but Elgin won at 190 and 215 pounds before Owl Shea Spencer lost 3-0 at 285 pounds.

The dual win also gave Rowell bragging rights over his younger brother Casy Rowell who is the head coach for Comanche. Cody Rowell’s Elgin teams have now defeated his brother’s teams two out of three duals since Casy took over at Comanche three years ago.