Kochenower is state runner-up
Kingfisher sophomore reaches 3A’s 138-pound championship match
KINGFISHER SOPHOMORE Brayden Kochenower (right) wrestles Berryhill’s Kyler Tabor in the Class 3A championship match on Saturday. Tabor won the bout with a second-period pin. [KT&FP Staff Photo]
It was going to take a monumental effort from Brayden Kochenower to bring home a state championship.
That didn’t quite happen Saturday at State Fair Arena, but a message was also sent.
“He turned several heads in the 3A wrestling community over the weekend,” said Kingfisher High School wrestling coach Steven Wilson.
Indeed, Kochenower did just that.
The sophomore brought home a state runner-up silver medal from the 138-pound weight class.
He was pinned at 3:25 by Berryhill senior Kyler Tabor, the same wrestler who beat him the previous Saturday in the finals of the western regional in Marlow.
Tabor was making his fourth appearance at state and was the 144-pound runner-up a season ago.
Kochenower, a sophomore, was under the lights of “The Big House” for the first time.
He was unphased Thursday when he pinned Laken Ingram of Blackwell in the third period, giving Kingfi sher its lone victory of the day in five matches.
He then outwrestled Community Christian’s Cade Maynes on Friday, earning a 12-4 major decision in the semifinals.
Kochenower was able to hang with Tabor early, but the crafty Chief managed to work Kochenower into a pinning position late in the second period and earn his first gold medal.
Wilson said he hopes the experience is something Kochenower is able to build on as he moves forward with his career.
“I really think his future is high and on the rise,” Wilson said.
Kochenower scored all 17 of Kingfisher’s team points.
The Jackets’ other two wrestlers to make it to Friday - Jaxon Sheppard at 126 and Gant Browning at 132 - lost their first consolation matches.
Sheppard was eliminated by Hinton’s Brycen Rasnic with a pin at 1:25.
The freshman had won the 3A regional the previous week.
Browning was making his fourth appearance at state. He was beaten 9-8 by Oklahoma Christian School’s Jace Lillie.
KHS had two others make the state tournament as senior Damien Haynes (144 pounds) and junior Mason Alig (175) lost their wrestle-in matches Thursday morning.
“Gant and Damien have been great assets to the program and I look forward to watching Gant compete in college,” Wilson said.
“We hope Jaxon and Mason grow in the offseason and make a return to the fairgrounds next year.”
Wildcat wrestlers eliminated Friday
Cashion’s Carlos Martinez and Matthew Stockton also made it to Day 2 of the tournament after winning their respective wrestle-in matches (see last Sunday’s edition).
Both were defeated in their quarterfinal match later on Thursday and then lost their consolation matches on Friday.
Martinez was pinned at 5:33 of his 157-pound match by Hinton’s Dakota Dahlenburg.
Stockton, a heavyweight, lost via a fall at 5:28 against Kameron Long of Pawhuska.