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Matt Caban The Madill Record Madill seniors John Venable faces Cushing’s Hayden Fry in the Championship Quarterfinal round of the 2020 Class 4A State Wreslting Championship at the Oklahoma State Fairground Arena. Fry defeated Venable in a 11-4 decision.
OKLAHOMA CITY — History was made when the Madill wrestling teams took the mat at the 2020 Class 4A State Championships Feb. 28. For the first time in the history of the sport, Oklahoma host both boys and girls state wrestling championships.
According to the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association 313 girls from across the state registered to compete for the 2019-2020 season.
Two of the event’s tens mats at the State Fair Arena were reserved for girls wrestling. Three Lady Wildcats (Braylee Thompson Abby Tiernan, and Jaeda Townsend) made the trip to state.
Tiernan won in the second consolation round to become the first girl in the history of Madill High School to win at state.
Tiernan said the match she won was tough.
“Boy, it was definitely hard to win it,” she said. “I had to definitely get out a lot of energy for it, but after I won it it felt really good. To be the first one that won something at state.”
Madill wrestling head coach Jim Love was in a reflective mood midway through the event.
“Well it was an exciting day for us cause the girls got to wrestle for us in the state tournament for the first time in history,” he said. “I think it’s a wonderful thing for the sport to help it grow. If you can imagine, like I said in 1975 half the high schools in Oklahoma didn’t have girls basketball and imagine them not having it today. I think girls wrestling is gonna grow tremendously.”
Tiernan, a junior, was competing at 147 pounds. She received a bye in the first round. In the Championship second round Norman’s Hilarie Martinez won by fall over Tiernan (Madill).
Tiernan came back in the Consolation second round to defeat Western Heights’ Georgia Smith by fall.
Then, in the Consolation third round Tiernan was defeated via fall by Ciana Grate of Southmoore.
Thompson, a sophomore, competed at 112 pounds. In the Championship first round.
Ashondra Valencia of Wagoner won by fall over Thompson.
Then, in the Consolation first round, Noble’s Perry Simpson (won by fall over Brayiegh Thompson.
Townsend, a sophomore, wrestled in the 118-pound class. In the Championship first round Pawhuska’s Landon McCartney topped Townsend by fall.
Then, in the Consolation first round, Townsend lost by fall to Grove’s Kailan Cloud.
Boys results
Two Wildcats qualified for state; senior Coty Tweedy at 195 pounds and senior
John Venable wrestles at 182 pounds.
Venable ultimately advanced the farthest for all Madill wrestlers as he made it to the Consolation Semifinal on Feb. 29.
In the Championship Quarterfinal round, Cushing’s Hayden Fry defeated Venable in a 11-4 decision.
Following a break ahead of the afternoon session on Feb. 28, Venable spoke about his loss to Fry.
“In my first match I learned I need to clean up my shots, endurance and now I have to win,” he said. “I have to keep winning.”
Then, in the Consolation first round Venable won by fall over Kingfisher’s Blake Neal. The pair faced off earlier in the season in a match which Venable also triumphed.
Venable said he kept their first contest in mind ahead of facing Neal.
“He gets sloppy, desperate towards the end, do anything, which is smart, but I capitalize off his faults,” Venable said. “He isn’t a bad wrestler.”
Venable’s run ended after he lost a 7-3 decision to Weatherford’s Mike Hixon.
Venable said he felt great to come to state.
Meanwhile, in the Championship first round, Wagoner’s Chochee Watson won by a 3-2 decision over Tweety.
Love said he was happy to see Tweety bounce back from an injury last year.
“Then, Coty Tweety, who is 195, came off a terrible car wreck earlier in the year,” Love said. “We were so happy he got back and got healthy. He went to state again but got beat in a close one.”