Buttram earns All-American honors at Fargo

By Jeff Harrison
Midwest City Beacon

Three Del City High School wrestlers competed in the 2023 US Marine Corps USAW Junior National Championships last week in Fargo, North Dakota.

Deontre Buttram and Dimitri Kizer both wrestled in Greco-Roman and Freestyle divisions. Kylea Birdsong competed in the Junior Women Freestyle division. All three represented Team Oklahoma.
Buttram led the way for the Eagles with a fifth-place finish in Junior Greco-Roman, becoming the school’s first Fargo All-American since 1998.

Buttram won his first five matches, including one by fall, to advance to the semifinals. The 170-pounder lost a tough 14-13 decision against Tyler Secoy of George in the semifinal round. Buttram lost another close match in the consolation semifinals before finishing strong in a 17-16 decision over Angelo Posada of California for fifth place.

He didn’t find as much success in Junior Freestyle competition, where he went 1-2 with a technical fall.

Kizer went 1-2 in 16U Freestyle. After opening with a loss to California’s Joshua Requena, the 132-pounder returned with a fall against Missouri’s Gokkhan Yurdanidze (3:06). Kizer dropped his final match against Nevada’s Brenden Jorden Agcaoili, by a 14-7 decision.

The sophomore fared much better in Greco-Roman style, finishing with a record of 4-2. Kizer lost his opening match but responded with four straight victories. He was eliminated with an 8-0 loss to Requena in the consolation Round of 16.

Oklahoma finished third in 16U Greco-Roman, Junior Freestyle, fifth in Junior Greco-Roman, and 14th in 16U Freestyle.

Birdsong went 1-2 in the Junior Women division. She won her first contested match by fall at 164 pounds, as she pinned Nebraska’s Carson Shank in 2:29. But Birdsong lost her final two against Jael Miller of Pennsylvania in the Round of 64 and Madeline Hodges of Texas in the consolation bracket.