Geary rigging

Senior Josh Heindselman makes history, becomes school’s first winner at prestigious Geary Invitational

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Piedmont Newspaper, Piedmont Tribune, Piedmont-Surrey Gazette
Josh Heindselman (Sr.) made history over the weekend, becoming the school’s first champion at the Geary Invitational, one of the nation’s top tournaments over the last 75 years. (Photo provided)

By Trey Hunter
Sports Editor

Senior Josh Heindselman has just about done it all throughout his career at Piedmont.
And he checked another accomplishment off his list.

Heindselman dominated at 285 pounds, pinning three opponents and winning the 75th annual Geary Invitational title with a major decision last weekend in Geary, becoming the school’s first champion at the nationally renowned tournament.

The future Oklahoma Sooner wasted his first three opponents, opening with a first-round fall over Jaykob Mills of Randall before a second-round fall over Tuttle’s Colin Naney. He pinned Broken Arrow’s Noah Cortes at 2:56 to reach the championship match where he defeated Duncan’s Steven Culberson, 13-4 in a major decision to capture the title.

Heindselman is still undefeated this season with win in four duals and two tournament titles, at Geary and at the Mid-America Nationals earlier this season in Enid.

Junior Tabor McClure finished as Piedmont’s lone placer outside of Heindselman, placing sixth at 132 pounds.

McClure opened with two straight wins, knocking off Edmond North’s Austin Mason, 4-0 in the first round before a 4-2 win over Goddard’s (Kan.) Logan Davidson. He followed with a semifinals loss to Blair Academy’s (N.J.) Shane Van Ness before dropping two straight in the consolation bracket. He fell to Tuttle’s Ryder Ramsey, 15-0 in the consolation semifinals before losing 6-2 in overtime to Mustang’s Keegan Luton in the fifth-place match.

Five Wildcats did not place, but each picked up two wins in the tournament, including senior Mitchell Lance, junior Bo Hardy, junior Landis Scoon, junior Thomas Jenkins and senior Braden Culp.

Lance fell in the first round at 126 pounds, but bounced back with a pair of falls over Tascosa’s (Tex.) Cesar Rivero and Tulsa Union’s Noah Smith before falling to Broken Arrow’s Blazik Perez.

Hardy opened with a win over Edmond Memorial’s Jaxon Flaming at 145 pounds before a second-round loss to Union’s Jalen Hernandez. He bounced back with a win over Randall’s Jared Gallegos before falling to Broken Arrow’s Chris Moores in his final match.

Scooon also opened with a win at 152 pounds over Duncan’s Tyson Walker before falling to Edmond Memorial’s Kyle Knowles in the second round. He bounced back with a win over Choctaw’s Chandler Holman in the third round of the consolation bracket before falling to Goddard’s Nolan Craine in overtime.

Jenkins fell in his opening match at 160 pounds, but bounced back with a pair of wins over Thad Hicks of Geary and Tulsa Union’s Gavin Koehler. He fell to Goddard’s Trevor Dopps in his final match in the fourth round of the consolation bracket.

Culp won his first-round match over Mustang’s Joseph Sylvester at 170 pounds before falling to Tuttle’s Dustin Plott in the second round. He bounced back with a win over Arkansas City’s (Kan.) Britton McLaughlin in the third round of the consolation bracket before ending his run with a loss to Tascosa’s Samuel Mora.

Sophomore Tyler Tewell (113 pounds), junior Bryce DiGiacinto (138) and James McGuire (195) each picked up one win in the tournament. Junior Jeremy Stuckett (120) and Austin Cooley (182) both went 0-2.

Third-ranked Piedmont gets back to dual action tonight at Class 4A Newcastle before heading to the Carl Albert Tournament this weekend in Midwest City.