Bruin varsity grapplers upend Oologah; middle school mat team rocketing to success
Bartlesville High School wrestler Jon Ramirez (175) carries an Oologah opponent across the mat during his win in Bartlesville on January 21, 2025. The Bruins defeated Oologah, 47-34.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
Bartlesville High School wrestler Marquise Johnson (150) wrestles an Oologah opponent in Bartlesville on January 21, 2025. Johnson won his match by technical fall. The Bruins won, 47-34.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
Jan. 24, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Bartlesville High and junior high wrestling programs are pinning a lot of smiles on the faces of their fans.
On Tuesday, the Bruin varsity program spread around plenty of happiness by toppling a solid Oologah team, 47-34.
It was a night of many highlights — none more important on a personal level than the achievement of Nick Davis (113 pounds).
“He had not won a match this season,” said first-year Bruin head coach Bryan Vashus. “He came away with a win.”
Davis’ triumph energized his teammates.
Other winners on the mat included Joshua Vashus (126), Jeremy Wilson (144), Marquise Johnson (150) and Jon Ramirez (175).
Wilson won an exciting match that fired up the good-sized crowd.
“He pinned the kid on a crazy move,” said coach Vashus, adding Wilson and his opponent were partly off the mat but kept enough of his body in place to finish off the fall.
But perhaps the most thrilling moment for the homecrowd — which included the Bruin baseball team — took place during Ramirez’ match.
Ramirez lifted his opponent off the match and walked back to the center of the mat to create the exciting finish and wrap up the technical fall (19-2).
Recording wins by forfeits were Matthew Baker (132), Camden Dainty (215) and Avery Hitchings (285).
Dainty still wrangled out an exhibition win.
Rounding out Bartlesville’s varsity lineup were James Coleman (120), A.J. Kerr (120), Ezekiel Mieir (157) and Hank Hough (165).
Coleman had to face a returning state qualifier.
“James wrestled really well even though he lost,” said coach Vashus. “We judge our matches on performance, not on just winning and losing.”
Kerr wasn’t at full strength “and had to go against a hammer of a kid,” the coach said.
Baker and Mieir both made their varsity debut.
Mieir “lost to a tough kid, but it was good to get him out there,” coach Vashus said.
In summarizing the match, coach Vashus said he thinks Oologah wrestlers came into the gym with a lot of confidence they could handle the Bruins.
“This was a good win for us,” the coach added.
Next up, the Bruins participate this weekend in the Yukon tourney.
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Bartlesville results vs. Oologah
106: Forfeit,
113: Nick Davis (W), by decision.
120: James Coleman (L), by decision.
126: Joshua Vashus (W), by decision.
132: Matthew Baker (W), by forfeit.
138: A.J. Kerr (L), by fall.
144: Jeremy Wilson (W), by fall.
150: Marquise Johnson (W), by tech fall.
157: Ezekiel Mieir (L).
165: Hank Hough (L), by decision
175: Jon Ramirez (W), tech fall.
190: Forfeit (in favor of Oologah)
215: Camden Dainty (W), by forfeit.
285: Avery Hitchings (W), by forfeit.
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Bartlesville High School wrestler James Coleman (120) wrestles an Oologah opponent in Bartlesville on January 21, 2025. Coleman fell by decision. The Bruins defeated Oologah, 47-34.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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Junior high
With coaches Cameron Kirk and Sonji Ketiku firing up the rockets, the Bartlesville middle school program has left the launch-pad and is following a successful orbit that continues to ascend.
The progress has been outstanding.
Kirk — a returning wrestling coach who served as interim varsity coach to end last season — noted that number of boys in the middle school program, sixth to ninth grade, numbers 75.
That’s up from 63 the previous season and 14 the year prior to that.
“Right now Bartlesville wrestling is experiencing this explosive amount of growth,” Kirk added.
Not only growth in number of bodies but in exponential positive results.
Consider what the Bruins did at last week’s Wagoner tournament.
In the 80-pound division Landon Martinez muscled all the way to the final and finished as the championship runner-up.
Not bad for a warrior who actually weighs just 65 pounds, Kirk noted.
Christian Ketiku (119 pounds) surged to his weight division championship — and has strung together a 20-0 record.
At 132 pounds, Tag Crowels nailed down third place. He’s 15-5 on the season.
Crowels is a unique gladiator who wears a black mask to protect against suffering more bloody noses because of his aggressive style in attacking his opponent, Kirk said, adding that, “He might be a ghost because he’s lost so much blood.”
First-year wrestler Jeremiah Russell (126) owns a 10-4 record.
As a team the junior high is 8-1 in dual matches.
Kirk is hoping to enter 28 wrestlers in the junior high state meet.
The challenge is raising adequate funds for travel and other expenses. Last year the team was represented by only 10 wrestlers.
Anyone interested in helping sponsor the team’s state expenses could contact Cameron Kirk at kirkch(at)bps-ok.orgor Bryan Vashus at vashusbe(at)bps-ok.org.