Gore Pirates freshman wrestler Jaydan Gates earned a state runner-up finish at 160 pounds in the 2026 Oklahoma Junior High State Tournament, which took place last Friday and Saturday at “The ‘new’ Big House,” a.k.a., OG&E Pavilion, in Oklahoma City.
On Jan. 30-31, the Gore wrestlers competed at the 2026 Maverick Conference Tournament in Fort Gibson.
The Pirates were seventh with 79.5 points, and saw three wrestlers place — including a conference champion crowned — on Jan. 31.
Kaydin McCartney was the champion at 215 pounds, Bladin McCartney was third at 175 and Gates was fourth at 165.
In the junior high portion of the tournament on Jan. 30, Gates was not only the conference champion at 170 pounds for the Pirates, he was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler.
Also for Gore, Wyatt Chitty was conference runner-up at 86 pounds, while Beau Moore was fourth at 119.
On Feb. 3 at Paul Post Field House, the Pirates lost 77-6 at Sallisaw with the lone win coming at heavyweight as Kaydin McCartney pinned Sallisaw’s Tukker Flute in 1:15.
The Pirates were slated to have their Senior Night home triangular on Tuesday night at Gore Event Center with Heavener and a second team that was to be named later to replace Roland — which was the original third team in Tuesday’s triangular.
