Oklahoma girls state wrestling recap: Bixby holds on to grab Class 6A crown

OKLAHOMA CITY - Going into her match, Millie Azlin knew what she had to do. 

Bixby’s 155-pounder had already been told by her coach that if the Lady Spartans were going to win a state title, she had to do more than just win. They needed her to get a pin.

While that may seem like a lot of pressure to put on a sophomore, Azlin accepted the challenge. And 1:22 into her match, she put Broken Arrow’s Sophie Donaho on her back for the fall.

“My coaches told me before I stepped on the mat that if I got a pin, we would win by at least half a point,” Azlin said. “So that was what was going through my mindset was that I needed to get a pin for the team.

"It’s a good feeling.”

The six points secured the title for Bixby, who scored 90 points. That was just enough to hold off Edmond North, who were on their heels with 89.5 points.

It was a complete reversal from last year for the Lady Spartans, who lost to Tulsa Union in 2023.

“Hat's off to all the other teams; Broken Arrow, Union, Edmond North, even Westmoore. It was a great tournament,” Bixby coach Paul Mayfield said. “It was back and forth all three days. And last year, we came to this tournament and we lost by half a point.

"So we took second by half a point and that was our bulletin board material. We put it up on our wall all season long. It was like, half a point, half a point. Just preached it to our girls all year, all summer, and then we come back this year and we're able to win it by half a point. It was just super special.”

Union, who was on a quest for a three-peat, took third with 88 points. Broken Arrow (82), Putnam City (76), Moore (75) and Westmoore (63) were all in contention as well.

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Moore’s Shelby Kemp was named the 6A Wrestler of the tournament after winning her second title. She claimed the 135-pound class after handing Blanchard's Lynn Horn her first loss on the season with a pin in exactly six minutes.

Along with Azlin, Bixby finished with three individual champions. They included Jadyn Roller (105) and Brissa Bernal (120). Both won their matches by a single point.

“I knew we needed to win at least three because that was what Edmond North and Union had in the finals,” Mayfield said. “I thought we had the girls to do it and we did, and we had some epic matches here.

"Starting off with Roller, that's probably one of the most exciting matches I've ever been in during my 15 years of coaching and then followed up a couple of matches later with Bria and Millie at the end there, putting the cherry on top, having to pin to have us win by half a point. (Azlin) knew what she had to do; we talked about it. She went out there and executed.”

Edmond North went 3-for-3 in the championship round as Taylor Ellis Hishaw, Bella Williams and Kinslee Collier all won by pinning their opponents. Williams concluded her junior season with a 34-0 record and a third state title, winning the 140-pound class by pinning her opponent in 2:51.

But it wasn’t enough to overcome a Lady Spartan squad that was on a mission of redemption.

“Just like any team, we had ups and downs throughout the season and we definitely had our fair share of those,” Mayfield said. “I'm just proud of their resolve and their desire to come here and shine in the big moments on the state term and under the lights.

"And like I said, we had some matches where we were down and out; four seconds left in Roller's match and found a way to win. We don't win that match, we don't win it. I mean, it's that close. We had to have a total team effort.”

Class 5A

Little Axe won its wrestling program’s first title after scoring 84 points. Cache and Harrah were right behind with 76 points.

Alexus Jones (130) and Chloe Vawter (235) were the only individual title holders for Little Axe. But both picked up clutch wins to seal the deal.

Photo of Class 6A girls state champion Bixby 

-- Michael Kinney | @SBLiveOK