Woodward Wresting News 2007-2008

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Boomer wrestlers take on Bulldogs

Johnny McMahan 11/29/07

Woodward opens its high school and middle school dual wrestling season tonight against the Altus Bulldogs at Boomer Fieldhouse.

While this is technically the season opener, several wrestlers have taken part in some open tournaments and state title hopeful Zach White is coming off a second place finish in the Oklahoma Open. He beat a highly regarded wrestler from Tulsa Union in the semifinals then lost to Dallas Bailey of Catoosa, a top 10 national wrestler, 3-1 in the championship round.

Woodward has a new coach this year.

Bobby Cook will be the third head coach in the program’s history, taking over from Greg Johnson.

Cook said the Boomers will have some holes in their dual lineup until after Christmas, but will be a strong tournament team all season.

“I’ve got about five guys who can place in any tournament we go to,” Cook said.

Zach White was a state runnerup last year and is the Boomers’ headliner. “He’s most definitely one of the top 15 guys in the country at his weight, we’ve got high expectations for him in the state tournament this year,” said Cook.

Matt White compiled a 10-4 record in tournaments at Yukon and Midwest City while wrestling up from his normal weight.

“Matt has wrestled tough competition and hasn’t lost to anyone less than a state placer,” Cook said.

Another wrestler who has stepped up early is Michael Hale at 125 pounds.

“From the first day until today he has improved more than anyone in the wrestling room,” Cook said. “We expect big things from him later on down the road.”

The Boomers don’t have OCU women’s signee Joey Miller available right now due to a shoulder injury from the summer.

“She’s working out and drilling, but she can’t wrestle until she gets cleared from the doctor,” Cook said.

The Boomers lineup for tonight’s high school dual looks like this:

103 - Josh Rosborough; 112 - Jonathan Rosborough; 119 - Tommy Bucher; 125 - Michael Hale; 130 - Matt White; 135 - Kelby Shifflett; 140-160 - vacant; 171 - Zach White; 189 - vacant; 215 - Derek Branson; 275 - Kevin Tapia.

The middle school dual will start at approximately 5:15 p.m., Cook said, and the high school dual will follow.

There is one change in the middle school schedule as far as this weekend’s Kingfisher Tournament is concerned. Kingfisher moved the start of its tournament to tonight because the Yellowjackets are playing Saturday in the Class 3A football championship game. Since Woodward already has a match tonight, the Boomers will wrestle only on the second day of the tournament on Friday.

Here is the rest of Woodward’s schedule:

Dec. 6 - Weatherford (HS and MS), 5 p.m.

Dec. 7-8 - Perry Tournament

Dec. 11 - @ Geary/Hinton (HS and MS)

Dec. 14-15 - Kingfisher Tournament

Dec. 15 - McLoud Tournament (MS)

Dec. 20 - @ Clinton, (HS and MS), 5 p.m.

Jan. 4-5 - Cushing Tournament (HS)

Jan. 8 - Enid (HS and MS), 5 p.m.

Jan. 12 - @ Liberal, Kan. (MS)

Jan. 17 - District Duals vs. El Reno, Guthrie, John Marshall (MS and HS)

Jan. 18-19 - Chickasha Tournament (MS)

Jan. 19 - Newkirk Dual Tournament (HS)

Jan. 22 - @ Kingfisher/Watonga, 4 p.m. (MS and HS)

Jan. 25-26 - Chickasha Tournament (HS)

Feb. 1-2 - Junior High All State, Oklahoma City

Feb. 8-9 - Dual State

Feb. 15-16 - Regional Tournament

Feb. 22-23 - State Tournament
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Latest News

7/16/07

 

Zack White, Matt White and Joey Miller returned from Team Oklahoma camp today and will leave at the end of the week to attend the USA Junior National tournament . Joey was named to TheMat.com/ASICS Girls High School All-American Wrestling Team and will recieve a plaque at the tournament but will not get to compete in the tournament because of a opperation on her shoulder 6 weeks ago. She will be part of team as a coach for the Oklahoma womens team. Zack and Matt will wrestle freestyle in Fargo and we have high hopes for both of them.

We will welcome the new coach (Coach Cook) this wednesday and would like to have all the parents and wrestlers attend to meet Coach Cook.

I will add more when I get back from Fargo. I will be there as the USA Womens director and coach.

 

Jerry <><

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Cook takes Woodward mat reins


By Bruce Campbell Staff Writer 7/5/07

Bobby Cook promises to be “offensive’’ as Woodward’s new wrestling coach. “I like to preach offense,’’ said Cook, who was approved as the Boomers’ new coach at a school board meeting Monday. “I would rather win or lose a match 15-12 than win or lose a match 2-1.’’ Cook was an assistant at Class 4A state champion Lawton MacArthur last year and was an aide at Class 3A power Locust Grove three years before that. “This (first head coaching position) is something everybody looks forward to,’’ Cook said. “I had other opportunities before, but I opted not to take them. I was looking for the right situation.’’ Woodward had its first-ever top 10 finish at this year’s Class 4A state tournament. The Boomers return four state qualifiers from last season — Matt White, 112; Jake Ruble, 125; Zach White, 160; and Derek Branson, 215, as well as senior Joey Miller, who became the first girl to place at state in 2005. “Woodward is a sleeping giant as far as wrestling goes,’’ Cook said. “If you can get the support of the community and the administration, the sky is the limit.’’ The community appealed to Cook, who didn’t have any previous connections to northwest Oklahoma before taking the job. “The people here are great,’’ he said. “My wife and I wanted to put ourselves in that type of environment.’’ Cook was virtually born to be a wrestler. He was the last of four brothers, all of whom were state champions. Brother Tony excelled at the international level. His first job was under brother Johnny at Locust Grove. “The name Cook is pretty well known in wrestling,’’ he said. “I had to be a wrestler.’’ Cook was a two-time state champion and a two-time state runner-up at Locust Grove in high school. He accepted a scholarship to Syracuse, but the Orangemen soon dropped their program. Cook ended up as a four-time Southern Conference champion at Tennessee-Chattanooga. He was an NCAA qualifier as well. Cook received his bachelor’s degree in history from Northeastern Oklahoma State. He will stress discipline and conditioning with the Boomers. “Conditioning is a big factor in wrestling,’’ he said. “You could be wrestling someone who is better than you, but if they’re not in good condition and you are, it can level the playing field. It gives you a better opportunity to win.’’ Cook sees himself as a wrestler’s coach. He said his strength is being able to motivate and relate to his wrestlers.

 

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Miller signs to wrestle for OCU in 2008

By ROBERT CASSIDY
SPORTS EDITOR 5/12/07



Woodward wrestler Joey Miller signs a letter of intent to compete for Oklahoma City University while OCU wrestling coach Archie Randall looks on. (Photo by Robert Cassidy)

Being one the nation's top female wrestlers has its perks. In cases such as . this howcver, it has 100,000 of them.
Woodward High School's Joey Miller, who is regarded as one of the country's best female wrestlers, signed a national
letter of intent to wrestle for coach Archie Randall's upstart women's wrestling team at Oklahoma City University on Friday. .
Miller, a junior. at Woodward, will begin her career at OCU during the 2008 season and. Randall estimates that her scholarship IS worth between $22,000 and $24,000 per year and will pay Miller around. $100,000 in scholarship money through out her tenure at the school. Not a bad pay day for an athlete whose craft was viewed as taboo just a short time ago"
'There are only about seven women's wrestling programs in the country right now, but that 'number should grow to about, 30 over the next three to five , years," 'said Randall of the rapidly grow ing sport.
Miller welcomes the transition into wrestling women exclusively, but cites her history of competing against men as a reason' for her vast accomplishments in the sport.
"Wrestling guys has helped my technique and made me stronger," she said. Miller has experienced great success on the mat with men. She has been nothing short of dominant. against other women. Miller captured the United States Girls Wrestling Association National Championship as an eighth grader, and has repeated the feat every year since. She is an two-time ASlCS All American and will attempt to win her fifth national title next year, but she. views her past accomplishments and future as a collegiate wrestlers as stepping stone to her ultimate goal. . . London.

Miller's focus is on the 2012 Olympic Games in the City on The Thames and her Olympic aspirations weighed heavily on her decision to attend OCU.
"Coach Randall is a great coach," said Miller. "He will make the program really good. and he will be able to help me reach my goal (of making the Olympic team)."
Randall, who built a dynasty during his tenure as wrestling coach at El Reno High School, has history with Miller who attended his camps, and trained under his tutelage during the summer months.
"Unfortunately, ! had to coach against her," said Randall of how he first became familiar with Miller.
Though the two have formed a relationship over the years, Randall thinks Miller's decision to wrestle under him was made in the classroom.
'The decision was based on academics for her. At OCU a degree comes first and athletics come second." Randall said.
Though Miller, an honor student and academic letterman, has no problem focusing inside the classroom, she makes it clear where her passion truly lies.
'We're going to be the top team, and we're going to win it all," she said of her collegiate goals.