The Guthrie BlueJay Wrestling team opened their season with the Carl Albert Open last weekend and had four Jays medal.
Leading the was Devin Bilyeu’s first place finish at 152 pounds, Michael Conner finished runner-up at 189, Dennis Murphy, at 160, was third, and Timothy O’Connor, at 119, finished fourth.
“Coach (Jack) O’Connor and I were pretty happy with the wrestlers’ performances,” assistant coach Scott Pope said. “We are not a finished product by any means, but it is the first pre-season tournament of the year.”
Despite not having a full squad with athlete’s still playing football, Pope says the pre-season tournament gives his squad something to work on.
“It was good to get to focus on competition and wrestling someone besides our teammates in practice. Now we have something to build on,” Pope said.
The wrestlers will have a week off from competition and we will return to action, at Noble, on November 20th.
Do you know how many of the wrestlers plan to wrestle in the Oklahoma Open over Thanksgiving weekend? That was always the season opener for us. All this other crap is basically preseason. The big boys will be at the Open….it has junior high, high school, and college divisions…..I know OU will be there, I think OSU has some tournament in Omaha.
Your right, these opens are like preseason and I am not sure if there are any guys wrestling, from Guthrie, in the OK Open, or not. I can not think of anyone who would. Obviously, if Dutton and Chappell were not playing football they would be there. I will ask though.
That is a great event too. I have only followed wrestling somewhat close for the last year or two, but that defintely brings the top dogs out.