Texas Wesleyan Wins Sooner Athletic Conference Championship

Texas Wesleyan started their wrestling program and hired Ray Bedford in 2019. They’ve quickly established themselves as a strong player in NAIA and now the top program in the Sooner Athletic Conference.

The Rams, who are just in their second year of competition, have now already won a conference title.

The Sooner Athletic Conference combines their tournament with the KCAC and the highest finishers from each conference are crowned champions. Wesleyan was outdistanced by Ottawa of the KCAC here, but compiled the best performance of the SAC teams and finished 12.5 points ahead of last years champion OCU.

La’Stot Pleasant dominated the 141 pound bracket and was named SAC Wrestler of the Year and Freshman of the year. Ray Bedford was named SAC Coach of the Year. Don Doyle also won a conference title at 174.

With an obviously very young team that is just in the second year of their program, the future looks incredibly bright for the Rams.

The complete team results are listed below.

125

Isaac Stalcup (16-11) placed 4th and scored 9.5 team points.

• Quarterfinal – Isaac Stalcup (Texas Wesleyan) 16-11 won by major decision over Gabe Gray (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) 13-3 (MD 10-0)
• Semifinal – Billy Sullivan (Oklahoma City) 3-0 won by fall over Isaac Stalcup (Texas Wesleyan) 16-11 (Fall 3:38)
• Cons. Semi – Isaac Stalcup (Texas Wesleyan) 16-11 won by decision over Cooper Mahaffey (Oklahoma City) 2-2 (Dec 9-3)
• 3rd Place Match – Gabe Gray (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) 13-3 won in sudden victory – 1 over Isaac Stalcup (Texas Wesleyan) 16-11 (SV-1 3-1)

133

Kobe Nelms (13-7) placed 6th and scored 9.5 team points.

• Champ. Round 1 – Kobe Nelms (Texas Wesleyan) 13-7 won by decision over Jonathan Halk (York (Neb.)) 13-9 (Dec 10-3)
• Quarterfinal – Kaden Goff (Bethany (Kan.)) 10-5 won by fall over Kobe Nelms (Texas Wesleyan) 13-7 (Fall 6:18)
• Cons. Round 2 – Kobe Nelms (Texas Wesleyan) 13-7 won by tech fall over Kolby Encinas (Oklahoma Wesleyan) 7-12 (TF-1.5 6:44 (18-3))
• Cons. Round 3 – Kobe Nelms (Texas Wesleyan) 13-7 won by fall over Landon Crews (Central Christian College (ks)) 7-6 (Fall 2:58)
• Cons. Semi – Alex Pena (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) 7-1 won by fall over Kobe Nelms (Texas Wesleyan) 13-7 (Fall 4:32)
• 5th Place Match – Jesse Diaz (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) 7-3 won by fall over Kobe Nelms (Texas Wesleyan) 13-7 (Fall 3:35)

141

La`Stot Pleasant (13-3) placed 1st and scored 18.0 team points.

• Champ. Round 1 – La`Stot Pleasant (Texas Wesleyan) 13-3 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal – La`Stot Pleasant (Texas Wesleyan) 13-3 won by fall over Codey Cooper (Oklahoma Wesleyan) 0-2 (Fall 1:03)
• Semifinal – La`Stot Pleasant (Texas Wesleyan) 13-3 won by major decision over Parker Wright (Ottawa University) 16-4 (MD 13-4)
• 1st Place Match – La`Stot Pleasant (Texas Wesleyan) 13-3 won by decision over Jaxen Gilmore (Oklahoma City) 2-1 (Dec 8-3)

157

Enis Ida (8-5) placed 2nd and scored 16.0 team points.

• Quarterfinal – Enis Ida (Texas Wesleyan) 8-5 won by fall over Gabriel McDuffie (Ottawa University) 11-2 (Fall 2:23)
• Semifinal – Enis Ida (Texas Wesleyan) 8-5 won by fall over Brayden Smith (York (Neb.)) 14-4 (Fall 4:50)
• 1st Place Match – Drake Vannoy (Oklahoma City) 3-0 won by decision over Enis Ida (Texas Wesleyan) 8-5 (Dec 7-0)

157

Christian Espinoza (17-7) placed 5th and scored 11.0 team points.

• Quarterfinal – Christian Espinoza (Texas Wesleyan) 17-7 won by fall over Andre Patton (Central Christian College (ks)) 0-5 (Fall 1:50)
• Semifinal – Drake Vannoy (Oklahoma City) 3-0 won by decision over Christian Espinoza (Texas Wesleyan) 17-7 (Dec 7-2)
• Cons. Semi – Gabriel McDuffie (Ottawa University) 11-2 won by fall over Christian Espinoza (Texas Wesleyan) 17-7 (Fall 1:54)
• 5th Place Match – Christian Espinoza (Texas Wesleyan) 17-7 won by injury default over Brayden Smith (York (Neb.)) 14-4 (Inj. 0:00)

165

Dracius McKee (20-5) placed 3rd and scored 14.5 team points.

• Champ. Round 1 – Dracius McKee (Texas Wesleyan) 20-5 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal – Dracius McKee (Texas Wesleyan) 20-5 won by decision over Nick Desch (Bethany (Kan.)) 5-11 (Dec 11-4)
• Semifinal – Seth Dixon (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) 5-2 won by decision over Dracius McKee (Texas Wesleyan) 20-5 (Dec 7-3)
• Cons. Semi – Dracius McKee (Texas Wesleyan) 20-5 won by fall over Dylan Archuleta (Bethany (Kan.)) 1-5 (Fall 1:58)
• 3rd Place Match – Dracius McKee (Texas Wesleyan) 20-5 won by major decision over Jaden Welden (Oklahoma Wesleyan) 8-10 (MD 15-7)

174

Don Doyle (10-7) placed 1st and scored 17.5 team points.

• Quarterfinal – Don Doyle (Texas Wesleyan) 10-7 won by fall over Dereck Samudio (York (Neb.)) 8-7 (Fall 5:55)
• Semifinal – Don Doyle (Texas Wesleyan) 10-7 won by tech fall over Dailen Presgrove (Oklahoma Wesleyan) 15-12 (TF-1.5 7:00 (19-3))
• 1st Place Match – Don Doyle (Texas Wesleyan) 10-7 won in sudden victory – 1 over Jesse Daniel Perez (Ottawa University) 13-3 (SV-1 12-10)

184

Brahn Howard (9-12) placed 3rd and scored 13.5 team points.

• Champ. Round 1 – Brahn Howard (Texas Wesleyan) 9-12 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal – Chase Vincent (Oklahoma City) 2-1 won by decision over Brahn Howard (Texas Wesleyan) 9-12 (Dec 6-2)
• Cons. Round 2 – Brahn Howard (Texas Wesleyan) 9-12 received a bye () (Bye)
• Cons. Round 3 – Brahn Howard (Texas Wesleyan) 9-12 won by major decision over Ridge Smith (Oklahoma Wesleyan) 13-13 (MD 14-6)
• Cons. Semi – Brahn Howard (Texas Wesleyan) 9-12 won by decision over Jarvis Echols (York (Neb.)) 9-8 (Dec 16-12)
• 3rd Place Match – Brahn Howard (Texas Wesleyan) 9-12 won by fall over Hunter McCarty (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) 12-7 (Fall 5:16)

184

JaMarcus Thomas (6-9) placed 5th and scored 14.0 team points.

• Champ. Round 1 – JaMarcus Thomas (Texas Wesleyan) 6-9 won by forfeit over Riley Jaramillo (University Of Saint Mary (ks)) 2-2 (For.)
• Quarterfinal – Jarvis Echols (York (Neb.)) 9-8 won by fall over JaMarcus Thomas (Texas Wesleyan) 6-9 (Fall 1:29)
• Cons. Round 2 – JaMarcus Thomas (Texas Wesleyan) 6-9 received a bye () (Bye)
• Cons. Round 3 – JaMarcus Thomas (Texas Wesleyan) 6-9 won by forfeit over David Taylor (Central Christian College (ks)) 0-7 (For.)
• Cons. Semi – Hunter McCarty (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) 12-7 won by fall over JaMarcus Thomas (Texas Wesleyan) 6-9 (Fall 4:39)
• 5th Place Match – JaMarcus Thomas (Texas Wesleyan) 6-9 won by injury default over Jarvis Echols (York (Neb.)) 9-8 (Inj. 0:00)

197

Deandre Rucker (16-9) placed 5th and scored 10.5 team points.

• Quarterfinal – LaTrent Owens (Oklahoma Wesleyan) 14-17 won in sudden victory – 1 over Deandre Rucker (Texas Wesleyan) 16-9 (SV-1 7-5)
• Cons. Round 1 – Deandre Rucker (Texas Wesleyan) 16-9 won by forfeit over Avery Jaramillo (University Of Saint Mary (ks)) 3-3 (For.)
• Cons. Semi – Marce Vasquez (York (Neb.)) 17-8 won by fall over Deandre Rucker (Texas Wesleyan) 16-9 (Fall 4:20)
• 5th Place Match – Deandre Rucker (Texas Wesleyan) 16-9 won by fall over LaTrent Owens (Oklahoma Wesleyan) 14-17 (Fall 0:52)

285

Rylan Bonds (9-5) placed 4th and scored 12.5 team points.

• Champ. Round 1 – Rylan Bonds (Texas Wesleyan) 9-5 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal – Marcus Cave (York (Neb.)) 10-11 won by decision over Rylan Bonds (Texas Wesleyan) 9-5 (Dec 15-12)
• Cons. Round 2 – Rylan Bonds (Texas Wesleyan) 9-5 won by forfeit over Nic Roller (University Of Saint Mary (ks)) 2-2 (For.)
• Cons. Round 3 – Rylan Bonds (Texas Wesleyan) 9-5 won by fall over Aaron Lopez (Oklahoma Wesleyan) 1-2 (Fall 1:18)
• Cons. Semi – Rylan Bonds (Texas Wesleyan) 9-5 won by decision over William Bennett (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) 10-8 (Dec 8-7)
• 3rd Place Match – William Mason (Bethany (Kan.)) 16-1 won by decision over Rylan Bonds (Texas Wesleyan) 9-5 (Dec 9-3)