Published: January 08, 2009 01:20 pm      

Wrestlers bring home gold from U.S. Junior meets

The U.S. Junior Open Championship and the Junior Novice Championship were held in the Oklahoma State Fair Arena on Jan. 2-3.

The nationally-known tournament draws competitors from all over the United States with this year’s tournament hosting more than 2,000 wrestlers traveling from 13 different states. There were 14 Tuttle wrestlers competing in JNC and 33 wrestlers competing in JOC.

Saturday afternoon, Tuttle crowned one gold medalist in the Junior Novice Competition Div I 60 pound bracket. Luke Surber won a 6-1 decision over Nate Hart from the Walter Warriors wrestling team to bring home first place. Others who placed in the JNC were Dalton Burdick, third place and Cameron McClure fifth place, both in the Div I 52 pound bracket. In Div II, Dalton Teachman placed sixth place at 49 pounds and in Div IV, Anthony Childress placed fourth place in the 80- pound bracket.

Tuttle crowned three gold medalists in the Junior Open Competition. In the Div I 46-pound bracket, Taylor Litterell won a 13-2 major over Bryce Dauphin of El Reno and in the Div III 67-pound bracket, Tanner Litterell won a 11-3 major over Jesse Rhodes of Senera Wrestling. In the Div V 126-pound bracket, Sterling Hawkins won a 5-1 decision over Tyler Tuskin of Poteau.

Others who placed were Beau Guffey third place at 73 pounds in Div IV, Conner Polson third place at heavyweight in Div IV, Nathan Voreis fourth place at 140 pounds in Div IV, Gunner Laffoon fourth placed in the 86-pound in Div V, Grant Polson fifth place at 75 pounds in Div II, Isaac Beard fifth place at 130 pounds in Div IV and Ty Watson sixth place at 165 pounds in Div V.

Other wrestlers who competed in the Junior Novice Competition were Jason Clements, Takoda Smyth, Parrish Terry, David Smyth, Cody Rutledge, Brody Potts, Bailey Edwards, and Dusten Slover.

Other wrestlers who competed in the Junior Open Competition were Gage Mincey, Gunner Mincey, Cade Boles, Carson Brawley, Cale Johnson, Rhett Golowenski, Devin Birdwell, Gage Loard, Tanner Johnson, Ethan Glass, Riley Fielder, Teague Fox, Josh House, Dakota Head, Dylan Huggart, Deacon Mincey, Kyle Birdwell, Trent Cantu, Zachary Beard, Theron Anderson, Garrick Gibson, Hunter Williams, and Kiowa Riggs.