Published: December 20, 2007 03:20 pm         

Tiger Wrestlers upset defending 3A Champion at tournament

By Sandy Williams

Special to the Tuttle Times

Neither snow nor ice nor the threat of freezing condition would keep the Tuttle Tiger Wrestling Team from traveling to Weatherford to participate in the 8th Annual Max Dippel Memorial Wrestling Classic on Dec. 14 and 15.

Thirteen teams participated in this two-day tournament. On Friday, the tournament opened with pool matches where teams gained bonus points and wrestlers fought to determine bracket seeds before moving into the Saturday’s bracketed tournament.

As the bouts began on Saturday morning, only a few points separated Tuttle, Cushing, Blackwell and Weatherford. As each rounded ended Tuttle and Cushing slowing pulled away from the other teams but exchanged the lead several times. Going into the championship rounds, Cushing lead by 6 points over Tuttle with both teams hosting wrestlers in most of the championship rounds. It would be a battle to the end.

In the championship rounds, the following Tuttle Wrestlers medalled:

Jake Mincey, 103lb First place;

Colton Roberts, 112 lb Third place;

Adam Then, 119lb Second place;

Cramer Benson, 125lb Third place;

Dallas Gracey, 130lb Third place;

Dylan Coppenbarger, 135lb Second place;

Jake Simpson, 145lb Second place;

Bobby Williams and Cole Gracey, 152lb Co-First Place;

Shane Woods, 160lb Second place;

Reno Marical, 171lb First place;

Nick Cain, 189lb Third place;

Jason Woods, 215 Third place;

As the points were being tallied, both teams knew it would be close. The team results were 4th place - Weatherford with 181 points, 3rd place - Blackwell with 196 points, 2nd place - Cushing with 285.5 points, and 1st place - Tuttle with 287 points.

After the team trophies were presented, the outstanding awards were given out with Coach Matt Surber receiving the Outstanding Coaches Award.

Tiger Wrestlers will be traveling to McCloud on Tuesday, Dec 18. The home Clinton-Tuttle Duel scheduled for Thursday, Dec 20 has been cancelled. More information will be posted on the Tuttle High School Marquee.