- Order Now!!! VYPE Oklahoma Announces the 2020 Pigskin Preview
- VOTE NOW! Which North OK Area Track Athlete Should We Feature Next? – Presented by Law Firm of Boettcher, Devinney, Ingle, Wicker (Poll Ends 5/11)
- VYPE Magazine Announces the Shelter Insurance Mr. & Miss Basketball Oklahoma Award Winners – Bryce Thompson & Aaliyah Moore
- VOTE NOW! Which North OK Area Slowpitch Softball Player Should We Feature Next? – Presented by Law Firm of Boettcher, Devinney, Ingle, Wicker (Poll Ends 4/24)
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- Morrison’s Trevor Hughes – Athlete Spotlight Presented By Stillwater Medical Center Clinic of Morrison
- Pawnee’s Lexie Tatum – Athlete Spotlight Presented By Stillwater Medical Center Clinic of Pawnee
- Blackwell’s Tori Wood – Character Counts Presented By Blackwell Regional Hospital
- Blackwell’s Brett Lenon – Character Counts Presented By BancFirst Blackwell
Perry Maroons Wrestling Update Presented By Exchange Bank – Perry
- Updated: February 17, 2020
Built on a proud tradition of wrestling excellence, the Perry Maroons have experienced a bit of an uphill climb this season. In the spring of 2019, Ladd Rupp was still the head coach of Cushing and was in the process of build a solid wrestling program until his alma mater came calling.
For Rupp, the decision to bounce from Cushing to Perry was not an easy one, but Rupp and his family wanted to be closer to home and closer to family.
Coming into the summer, Rupp knew the room was not stacked with experienced upperclassmen. He knew it would take some work. The Maroons did however return three wrestlers capable of making some noise this year. Two were state champions and one was a state placer. Dylan Avery, Ryan Smith and Gabe Valencia would need to take on leadership roles in the wrestling room and coach Rupp, assisted by another former Perry wrestler in Jared Miner, began to piece things together as the school year approached. Fast-forward to December, 2019 and the Tournament of Champions. Several guys took their lumps, but the Maroons fought hard and sent several guys to the podium.
After the Tournament of Champions, Perry wrestling coach Ladd Rupp told Jimmy Gillispie of the Stillwater News Press, “We’ve got a lot of growing up to do.”
During the hometown tournament the Maroons placed four wrestlers in the top five. Dylan Avery earned the highest finish placing runner-up at 152-pounds which helped the team finish seventh overall in team standings.
Gabe Valencia grabbed a fourth place finish at 120-pounds as did Logan Smith who wrestled at 132-pounds. Taking fifth place at 138-pounds was Kaleb Owen.
Tough duals and tournaments remain before the Maroons begin to focus on their efforts for state.
Senior Dylan Avery is a two-time state champion (2018-132lbs, 2019-132lbs) and Gabe Valencia, now a senior, placed third at state in 2019 at 106-pounds.
Perry has a tough schedule to finish out the regular season before they get into tournament mode. Expect coach Rupp and the Maroons to be ready for state when and look for those Perry wrestlers on the podium again this season.
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