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  • SUN FILE PHOTO Jake Bradbury turned in a gutsy 1-0 decision win over Lawton MacArthur's Adrean Gaines at the Class 5A dual state tournament on Saturday.

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February 12, 2012

Antlers top Duncan, fall to Lawton Mac

Jeff Harrison Special to The Sun

YUKON — The Deer Creek wrestlers climbed out of one hole Saturday at the Class 5A dual state tournament. But they couldn’t find that magic again in the semifinals.

After rallying to beat Duncan in the first round, the Antlers found themselves in another tight spot against Lawton MacArthur in the semifinals. Cole Pacheco pulled Deer Creek within seven points late in the dual, but the Highlanders wouldn’t let up.

Ricky McCarty and Dillon White delivered big wins, helping Lawton MacArthur advance to the dual state finals with a 30-29 victory.

“We told them it would come down to bonus points and some of them just gave up way too easily,” Deer Creek coach Andy Howington said. “I don’t know why you’d come out flat in the semifinals, but some of our guys did.”

Lawton MacArthur went on to lose to Collinsville in the 5A finals, 52-17.

Deer Creek briefly led Lawton MacArthur early in the dual. Tyler Follis collected a first-period fall at heavyweight to put the Antlers up 6-3. But the Highlanders soon regained control when Briar Adams topped Andrew Prescott by a major decision at 106 pounds.

Lawton MacArthur reeled off three more straight wins to extend its lead to a dozen.

Jake Bradbury got the Antlers back on the board with a gutsy 1-0 decision against Adrean Gaines. Atticus Young and Pacheco added wins to pull them within seven, but it’s all the closer the Antlers would get.

Lawton MacArthur clinched the semifinal win with victories at 160 and 170. They surrendered forfeits at 182 and 195 for the 30-29 victory.

The Antlers found themselves in a jam early against Duncan, but used a controversial call to spark a rally.

Trailing 9-0 in the third period, Brennan Smith tried to turn the tables when he put Jett Gray on his back and looked for the pin in the 113-pound match. Gray screamed for timeout and was hit with a four-point penalty. When action resumed, Gray held on for an 11-4 major decision, igniting a Deer Creek rally.

The Antlers took the lead on a forfeit at 132 and never looked back. Young and Pacheco each earned falls, paving the way for the 43-23 quarterfinal win.

“That got us going because that’s something that we don’t coach,” Howington said. “If you’re getting pinned, you’re getting pinned. It didn’t hurt us, but it really sparked our team. And that’s one of the rules I’d like to see them change.”

Deer Creek will be at home Friday and Saturday for the Class 5A West regional tournament.

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