KHS set to host 3A wrestling regional
Wilson hopes to see Jackets match 2024’s numbers for state qualifiers
KHS set to host 3A wrestling regional
KHS BOYS HEAD WRESTLING Coach Steven Wilson watches a match earlier this season at the Western Conference Tournament. Kingfisher hosts the Class 3A west regional this weekend where the Jackets will try to punch their respective tickets to the state tourna
A year ago, the Kingfisher High School wrestling team sent five to the state tournament, the most for the program since 2015.
As the Yellowjackets prepare to host a Class 3A regional this weekend, coach Steven Wilson hopes his team can duplicate last year’s feat.
Nearly three dozen schools will converge on the Kingfisher APB this Friday and Saturday as wrestlers set their sights on the state tournament.
The regional will feature two sessions each day.
The first session is 11 a.m. Friday and will include first round, second round and quarterfinal matches as well as the first round of consolation.
The second session, at 5 p.m., will feature semifinals and the second round of consolation matches.
The regional resumes at 11 a.m. Saturday with all consolation matches: third round, quarterfinals and semifinals.
The final session starts at 4 p.m. Saturday.
It will feature the championship finals, consolation finals and the fifth-place matches, which will be wrestled simultaneously on three mats.
All three Kingfisher County programs will be at the regional as Cashion and Hennessey were also assigned here.
The regional will feature eight teams ranked in the top 15 according to the most recent rankings on ossaarankings.com.
Among the contenders for the team championship, Marlow is ranked second in Class 3A, Hinton is third and Pawnee is fourth.
The regional also includes No. 9 Comanche, No. 10 Sperry, No. 12 Oklahoma Christian School, No. 13 Kingfisher and No. 15 Watonga.
Other teams in the regional include Anadarko, Bethel, Caddo, Casady, Chandler, Checotah, Coalgate, Community Christian, Cordell, Crossings Christian, Davis, Empire, Geary, Henryetta, Hinton, Hobart, Little Axe, Lone Grove, Mangum, Marlow, Mount St. Mary, Pawnee, Prague, Star Spencer, Warner and Wilburton.
Of the five Jackets who made state a year ago, only two are back in this year’s regional.
That includes sophomore Jaxon Sheppard, who was a regional champion at 126 pounds last year.
Sheppard has wrestled at 132 much of the season, but there is a chance he could bump up to 138 for the regional.
“He’s got a really good chance to get back into the regional final again this year,” said coach Steven Wilson. “That, of course, gets him back to state.”
The top five placers in each weight class qualify for state.
Everyone wrestling in a championship or consolation final Saturday night will have already qualified.
The matches for fifth place will be the ones with a spot at state going to the winner.
There are four other Jackets who Wilson said could be wrestling on one of those three mats.
That includes another returning state qualifier, senior Mason Alig.
He was fourth at 175 as a junior in qualifying.
Alig returns at that weight, but it’s also among the toughest at the regional.
Seven wrestlers at that weight qualified for state a year ago either at 175 pounds or another weight class.
“It’s one of the toughest to make,” Wilson said of 175. “But Mason does have a chance. He’ll have to wrestle well, but he has the ability to make it.”
Wilson would like to see two seniors punch their respective tickets for the first time in their last try.
Robert Barnett will wrestle at 190 pounds.
“He’s got a good chance to be in that top four and make his first state tournament,” Wilson said.
The other is Jose Santoyo.
Despite being under 215 pounds, Santoyo has wrestled almost exclusively this season at heavyweight (which features wrestlers from 215 to 285 pounds).
Wilson said Santoyo could go at heavyweight at the regional, which is where Santoyo said he’s most comfortable.
However, 215 is also open for him to compete in as well.
Wilson said the ultimate decision will be Santoyo’s, but points out the heavyweight division has nine different wrestlers who qualifi ed for state last year either at 215 or heavyweight.
“It’s a brutal bracket,” Wilson said. “There are several guys who made state last year who won’t be able to return this year.
“But Jose would have a chance. He’s already beaten some of the guys this year who are currently ranked ahead of him.”
Wilson said Kingfisher’s other best chance for a state qualifier is at 120 pounds in sophomore Maliki Haynes.
He’s the younger brother of Damien Haynes, who qualified as a senior a year ago.