Riley Weir/Daton Fix place seventh in nation with Team Oklahoma

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Despite not defending their National Championship title, the Oklahoma Outlaws still have much to be proud of in their seventh place finish at the Junior Freestyle Duals. After dropping early losses to Minnesota (fourth), Illinois (second), Iowa (sixth), and New Jersey (third), Oklahoma got back in the win column with a dominating 56-15 finish over Michigan.

Jaxen Gilmore pinned Trent Lashuay in 1:32, Wyatt Sheets teched Dustin Gross 10-0, and Dayton Garrett teched Bret Fedewa 20-9. Brik Hilippo, Drew Hinkle, Dan Baker, Zach Marcheselli, Gunner Cash, Trenton Lieurance, and Daton Fix all received forfeits.

Alex Fields won a 14-8 decision over Devon Johnson and Michigan didn't win their first match till they were already trailing 46-2 and Ravon Foley teched Wyatt Adams 10-0. Michigan won a second match in a 3:53 pin of Jacob Butler by James Whitaker. 

Sand Springs sophomore Riley Weir made his first appearance since the high school State Championship after recovering from an elbow injury. Weir didn't get the all-clear from the doctor till two days before the tournament and still had to wrestle in a splint. Despite the obstruction and four month leave from competition, he still went 2-1 in the tournament and had some impressive wins. He lost his first match 13-2 to Northern Plains Champion Matthew Petersen, but came back with a 13-2 tech over Cobe Siebrecht and pinned Thomas Gordy in 1:18.

Sand Springs senior Daton Fix improved his winning streak to 68 straight matches after going 8-0 in the dual tournament. He teched South Dakota State Champion Brandon Carroll 11-0 and Iowa State Runner-Up McGwire Midkiff 10-0, then pinned Utah State Runner-Up Tanner Benedict in 0:18. From there he teched Minnesota State Champion Jake Gliva 12-0, Fargo National Champion Gabriel Townsell 10-0, and Iowa's Dante Tacchia 11-0. His most exciting match of the tournament was with nationally ranked No. 20 Zachary Sherman of New Jersey, but even there he barely broke a sweat in scoring a 10-0 tech fall. Fix just recently won the UWW Junior Freestyle Nationals in April and will soon compete at the Spanish Grand Prix, the USAW Junior Nationals, and the UWW World Championship.