Antlers move past Jays in 5A dual showdown

Guthrie won the most anticipated match, they won the most exciting match, they split their matches with Deer Creek, and it still was not quite good enough.

Landry Chappell and Alex Christensen tie up to begin their match Thursday evening.

The fourth ranked Antlers controlled the smaller weights and moved on for the 35-30 win over the seventh ranked Jays. The loss is the first dual setback this season for Guthrie (3-1).

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A season ago, the dual came down to the final match before Deer Creek came away the district title with the 33-29 win.

The most anticipated match entering Thursday evening was Guthrie’s Landry Chappell and Alex Christensen at 215. The match was their second of the season and fourth in the last two seasons.

Chappell controlled the match from the beginning despite holding just a 2-1 advantage after the first period. Chappell added space by pushing the score 5-1 after the second period and cruised for the 10-1 win.

Chappell’s win even the series with Christensen at 1-1 this season and 2-2 overall. Christensen just last week outlasted Chappell in last week’s Cushing Tournament. Both are expected to compete for the 5A crown come late February.

John Davison won the second match with a 1-0 decision. Davison’s second period escape from Tyler Follis proved to be the difference. Guthrie held a 7-0 lead.

Deer Creek got on the board, at 103, with a first period pin, but the Jays were back on the board with Timothy O’Connor’s 11-0 decision, at 113. O’Connor jumped out to a 5-0 first period lead and a 9-0 second period lead. Guthrie held a 13-6 command.

Timothy O'Connor gets the near pin. O'Connor picked up the 11-0 decision.

The Antlers got back on the scoreboard, 13-9, with Tim Hicks win over Austin O’Connor. O’Connor suffered a knee injury in the second period, but fought hard and finished the match.

Deer Creek’s Jake Bradberry gave his team the lead for good (15-13) with a pin, at 125, over Camden Helm and expanded their lead to 29-12 with wins at 130, 135, and 140 along with an unsportsmanlike penalty against the Jays.

The Jays pulled within five points (29-24) in the next three matches with Bryan Dutton, Devin Bilyeu, and Dennis Murphy.

Dutton improved to 18-1 this season and 53-6 overall with a 2-0 decision. Both points for Dutton came in the first period against a gutsy performance by Cole Pacheco.

Bilyeu won the night’s most exciting match in sudden death and eventually getting a 5-4 win. After a scoreless first period, Bilyeu made it a 1-0 second period lead, but Tanner Lackey reversed Bilyeu with 50 seconds left in the match to take a 2-1 lead. However, Bilyeu responded with an escape with just two seconds left to send it into overtime. The match needed a third overtime and after eight minutes of action Bilyeu sent the gym in an uproar.

Murphy had the quickest match by needing just 27 seconds to pull off the win over Cameron Simonson.

The final match of the night featured Deer Creek’s stand-out Nolan Boyd and Guthrie’s Travis Hudson. Boyd, who was second, in 5A, in tackles on the gridiron behind Chappell, got the early pin that ended the scoreboard drama.

The Antlers held a 35-24 lead and forfeit the 189 match to conclude the scoring.

Both teams will quickly turn around and compete in the 46^th Carl Albert Invitational on Friday and Saturday. The following is the list of teams competing:

Ada, Altus, Ardmore, Capitol Hill, Carl Albert, Deer Creek, Duncan, Durant, Edmond Santa Fe, Guthrie, Harrah, Lawton Mac, Miami, Noble, NW Classen, Putnam West, Shawnee, Southeast, Stilwell, Tahlequah, Tecumseh, US Grant and Western Heights.