Who's the best kid to ever come out of high school in OK?

[MiccoMacey]

I'm just talking about as they were coming out of high school. Who were the "can't miss" kids going forward. Future success is irrelevant. Who were the kids that everybody just "knew" would be the next big thing in wrestling, whether they lived up to that billing or not.

I'm not including transplants on this list...those that came for a year or two solely because they were eventually headed to a university nearby.

I'm thinking Daton Fix has to be mentioned up there, along side Kenny Monday, John Smith and others.

Any old timers on this board want to add who those might be? I'd imagine most of the 4x state champs might be mentioned. Although, not all 4x state champs are the same. Even a few 3x state champs (like a Jaworski, maybe) might have had more hype than a 4x'er like Jerry Best.

When I graduated high school (in 1984), I think everyone just knew John Smith was going to be all-world. And he certainly lived up to that moniker. As I think back, my memory is that Midwest City star Keith Walton was just as hyped in most circles. I believe they both graduated in 1983, but both were hyped as future stars.

Care to add to that list?

 

[MiccoMacey]

And how does Daton stack up against them all, hype-wise?

 

[osudog]

Daton is a beast
I would say John smith or Kenny

 

[mike tognetti]

I heard John Ober was up there, rumor has it Smith backed out of a tournament so he wouldn't wrestle Ober. Never saw him wrestle but saw him later in life, a shell of a man now. Sad, already over the hill in his 40's.

 

[Air_Thurman]

I'm not an old timer so my perspective is a little narrow. However, would Teyon Ware be up their for recent years?

 

[MiccoMacey]

I heard John Ober was up there, rumor has it Smith backed out of a tournament so he wouldn't wrestle Ober. Never saw him wrestle but saw him later in life, a shell of a man now. Sad, already over the hill in his 40's.

I'll stop you when you're lying.

 

[osu2082]

Not an old timer and also somewhat of a newer follower of wrestling but I would think guys from the last 5-10 years who have generated the "can't miss" moniker are probably a little more legitimate across the board than those of 20+ years ago based off of all the national and international tournaments these kids go to now.

The top wrestlers at each weight consistently go up against their peers from all over the country at a much more frequent rate.

Fix would have to rank up there pretty darn high especially if he ends his HS career as well as he has started it.

 

[april racer]

I'm just talking about as they were coming out of high school. Who were the "can't miss" kids going forward. Future success is irrelevant. Who were the kids that everybody just "knew" would be the next big thing in wrestling, whether they lived up to that billing or not.

I'm not including transplants on this list...those that came for a year or two solely because they were eventually headed to a university nearby.

I'm thinking Daton Fix has to be mentioned up there, along side Kenny Monday, John Smith and others.

Any old timers on this board want to add who those might be? I'd imagine most of the 4x state champs might be mentioned. Although, not all 4x state champs are the same. Even a few 3x state champs (like a Jaworski, maybe) might have had more hype than a 4x'er like Jerry Best.

When I graduated high school (in 1984), I think everyone just knew John Smith was going to be all-world. And he certainly lived up to that moniker. As I think back, my memory is that Midwest City star Keith Walton was just as hyped in most circles. I believe they both graduated in 1983, but both were hyped as future stars.

Care to add to that list?

I thought Jaworski was a 4 timer. It's been a long time so I'm probably misremembering. 2 others around that time that were really hyped were Jacob Newby and Scott Schluchter.

 

[Kingk0ng]

I'm not an old timer so my perspective is a little narrow. However, would Teyon Ware be up their for recent years?

Teyon and Johny H were definite can't miss prospects coming out of HS though Johny struggled a bit his freshman year when he was pulling so much weight. Another of that same era was Matt Grice of Harrah, but was never the same wrestler after an accident the summer after his senior year of HS.

 

[osudog]

Lightner was good also but only got that one title in college

 

[proud2bpokes]

Tyrone, Johny, Teyon and Chris Perry are all I can think of from my time. I think Joe Smith is arguably in that group and Daton (definitely) and Gfeller (maybe)will be there. Seems like I remember hearing a lot about Chenowith being that type of recruit about 25 year ago.

 

[oberebo]

Not an old timer and also somewhat of a newer follower of wrestling but I would think guys from the last 5-10 years who have generated the "can't miss" moniker are probably a little more legitimate across the board than those of 20+ years ago based off of all the national and international tournaments these kids go to now.

The top wrestlers at each weight consistently go up against their peers from all over the country at a much more frequent rate.

Fix would have to rank up there pretty darn high especially if he ends his HS career as well as he has started it.

There have been busts and hits on the most recruited guys to come out of Oklahoma high schools in the last 25 years. The smiths and Monday are no brainers for hits (except for Mark). Chris Perry 4x state champion, 2time NCAA champion and 3X All-American. K;yle Rosebure out of McAlester was a 6 X state champion counting Jr. High and a bust as a college wrestler( 1 4th place finish in the Big 8 for OU in 1989) and I would consider him possibly the biggest bust.Although 4 X state champion Brandon Tucker from Broken Arrow would be close. He signed with Purdue and he had an overall record for his first three years at Purdue as 42-47 Other 4 time "can't miss" wrestlers would include Ladd Rupp in the miss category for OSU, Kyle Garcia OU/OSU in he miss category so far, Derek Fleenor OSU in the miss category, Matt Grice OU in the miss category somewhat due to injuries and then serious car accident while in MMA, Dallas Bailey in the miss category, On the other hand in the hit category TJ Jaworsky 3X NCAA champion, Todd Chesboro 3X AA at OSU and finished 2nsd in 1992, Shane Roller a hit as a 3X All-American at OSU and 3X all academic also. One in Micco's era that was a 4X state champion was Johnny Nimmo from Del City who became a 4 time National champion at UCO, Michael Lightner 4X AA at OU and 2001 National champion and a 4 X Big 12 champion, Teyon Ware who was a 4X AA at OU and a 2X National champion and on the 2011 US world team.
#1 all time HS wrestler in the can't miss category however has to be Cary Colat who was 137-0 in highschool and beating NCAA AA's and freestyle champions as early as his sophomore year in high school. Most people at the time could not even conceive of him losing a match. His collegiate and international career was also stellar having 2 NCAA championships and placing all four college yeas in the top 3. He was on our Olympic team and he was a two time world medalist. Alan Fried from Ohio was the first ever 4X Fargo Junior Nationals champion and signed with Oklahoma state and had a great career with OSU. He was so good in High school that as a Sophomore he beat Tom Brands from Iowa in Junior nationals when Brands was two years older and a senior and to prove this was not a fluke three years later as a redshirt freshman for OSU he beat Tom Brands again in an open tournament. Brent Metcalf from Iowa was another can't miss high school wrestler who had a great career at Iowa and still highly regarded as our 65 kg wrestler on the world team. Many more but I have gone on too long already.

 

[driad]

Not sure how good he was but I remember everyone talking about Cory Baze years ago-mid 80's.

 

[jon_osu]

cory baze was elite in junior high school...too small for college...

jw smith would win at 2 different weights in junior high tournaments while in elementary school.

jaws was awesome in high school...a man among boys.


many high school studs in oklahoma...

mark smith...go figure

 

[MiccoMacey]

Cory was my age. Graduated PC North, I think he won 4A state at either 108 or 115 his senior year. Cory's problem was he was just out-sized in college, but was still an AA for OSU, mainly because of his heart.

I remember him telling a story about one year in high school he was pulling weight. We've all been there...you can get pretty irritable. One day some kid sitting behind him kept pestering him. Cory told him to stop, but the kid kept on, so Cory turned around and drove the sharp end of a protractor into the kid's hand. Got the kid's attention.

 

[Cowguy]

Not sure how good he was but I remember everyone talking about Cory Baze years ago-mid 80's.

I can't remember anyone with Daton's resume. Jacob Newby maybe?

 

[osudog]

Daton has a chance to be a very very special wrestler

 

[april racer]

I can't remember anyone with Daton's resume. Jacob Newby maybe?

Scott Schlucter had a ridiculous resume. He won state as Soph for edmond, prep nationals for Blair as a junior, state as senior for Del City he won three junior national titles before losing to Jeff Mcginnes as a senior. Was part of a really good recruiting class for ASU along with Miguel Spencer, Jeff Theiler and I belive Dan St John.

 

[Air_Thurman]

He wasn't a can't miss recruit because no one recruited him but I went to high school with a guy who won 4 Oklahoma state titles (Matt Bean). He was a bit older than me so I didn't know him personally.

 

[Air_Thurman]

Is there much info out there on what Fix is thinking college wise. I imagine we are in the hunt but I haven't really been following along.

 

[mike tognetti]

Daton loves OSU, but what he loves more is his team mates from Oklahoma. The group of young men that he has went to battle with against the rest of the nation! They not only proved they we're the best at National Duals but also Fargo. They will always remember the fun they had during these times. A lot of those team mates are future OSU wrestlers. Daton will get a full ride one way or another from OSU, hope he hit the Pinata soon so I can see all that candy falling OSU way!

 

[oberebo]

Is there much info out there on what Fix is thinking college wise. I imagine we are in the hunt but I haven't really been following along.

It is never wise to take someone for granted but almost everyone envisions him in Orange and Black. He has attended matches in Stillwater resplendent in these colors with his parents. Due to his great success it is difficult to believe he will only be a junior next school year. I would want him for Oklahoma State if he were only average as he is a great kid and has great parents with a wrestling lineage(Derek is a former OK State wrestler and Stacee is a Karstetter). He can go wherever he wants due to his abilities but I believe he will stay within 63.2 miles of his home in Sand Springs.

 

[Air_Thurman]

Awesome info guys. Hopefully he is a kid we get to see do big things at OSU.

 

[OSUMatFan]

I think Daton has already accomplished "big things". I think he is an absolute must for Oklahoma State.

The tough thing about a wrestler in that weight range is there are about six guys in the top 10 pound for pound in that weight range. He and Spencer Lee are the best, but many are very good.

Spencer Lee
SR. Nick Suriano Bergen Cath
JR. Yianni Diakhomihalis Hilton NY
SR. Rudy Yates Carl Sandburg IL
Chad Red

and Gfeller is fairly close to that weight class and has shown great improvement.

If you look at the other pound for pound guys none of the big guys stick out as dominant. Mannville did not look very good at Fargo.

Do we know much about Golowenski out of Tuttle? I see he is ranked 5th at 106 and is a rising So.

 

[wehweh]

During the 1964 NCAA finals at Cornell University (Ithaca, NY) my uncle sat next to Dan Fix who had placed 3rd for Colorado School of Mines - Dan Fix told my uncle he had hitch-hiked to get to the tournament. Is Dan Fix any relation to Daton?.

 

[oberebo]

During the 1964 NCAA finals at Cornell University (Ithaca, NY) my uncle sat next to Dan Fix who had placed 3rd for Colorado School of Mines - Dan Fix told my uncle he had hitch-hiked to get to the tournament. Is Dan Fix any relation to Daton?.[/QUOIf the Fix's are at the All State Matches tonight I will ask. It makes sense as Derek is from Colorado.

 

[chasepollard]

I watched Fix's marathon match at "Who's #1" with Suriano last night and noticed several things about the young man.

1. Sportsmanship
2. Loves Wrestling
3. Biggest Gas Tank imaginable
4. Tough
5. Slick

and

#1...Chris Perry was in his corner!

 

[osudog]

Fix loves OSU and the coaches

 

[NCcowboy]

Two wrestlers yet to be mentioned-Chris Barnes from oologah and Bret Beams from Shawnee. Both were outstanding high school wrestlers, but very different careers in college.

 

[MiccoMacey]

Brett's from Shawnee like I am, but was two years younger than I.

What's funny about Brett is that when he was a lot younger, he was the kid everybody wanted to practice against. Because he was a little pudgy and didn't want to work hard. It was almost like getting a break in practice.

But when he decided to make the turn, he became unstoppable. World Schoolboy Champ in the 6th grade. Unbelievable talent, backed up by unmatched work ethic.

I think when he went to OU, away from his father for the first time, he lost some focus. He still went to Central State and was a National Runner-up, losing in the finals on a last second takedown.

I see him on Facebook every now and then, and he's doing well.