Four young wrestlers from Cordell with Blue Devil Wrestling Club made their mark at the 2025 Oklahoma Kids Wrestling Association (OKWA) State Championships this past weekend, February 21-22, in Oklahoma City at the Jim Norick Arena. Under the guidance of their coach, Josh Dickerson, these talented athletes battled their way to the podium.
Leading the way were state champions Preslie Dickerson, daughter of Josh and Rachel Dickerson, and Vera Burch, daughter of LeVon Burch and Holly Burch. Outstanding finishes also came from Tyson Dickerson, son of Josh and Rachel Dickerson, and Hunter Larsen, son of Nathen Larsen and Karli Davis. With long hours of training, intense competition, and enormous support from their families, friends, and community, these kids proved the best of what wrestling is all about.
Tyson, competing in the 12U 76-pound division, fought his way to a sixth-place finish. For Tyson, placing at State was extra special this year.
“It was great because I haven’t placed at State in a couple years, and I worked really hard to do it this year,” he said.
His road to the podium was no easy feat, especially after a tough opening- round loss.
“Losing my first match and having to wrestle all the way back to the placement matches on the losing side was really hard work! I could have had just a few matches if I didn’t lose first, but I had to wrestle really hard and couldn’t lose again in a bunch of matches if I wanted to place.”
Tyson credits his success to his strong mindset and preparation. “[I] practice hard and push myself to have the right mindset. I think to myself, ‘I’m going to wrestle hard, and I’m going to win,’ and I think about the last time I wrestled them. If they have beat me, I know I can win this time.”
In his first-ever State Championship appearance, Hunter placed fifth in the 8U 46-pound division. For Hunter, the highlight of the tournament was the grand entrance.
“Getting to walk out at the ceremony,” he said. While fifth place is an amazing accomplishment for his first time at State, Hunter has his eyes on an even bigger prize next year: to win State.
Hunter’s most exciting moment so far? “Getting first at Regionals.” With his determination, that certainly won’t be his last big win!
It’s not every day that a first-year wrestler dominates the competition, but that’s precisely what Vera did in the 8U 83-pound division, walking away as a State Champion.
Vera expressed that being a state champion in her first year felt amazing! “When my coach talked me into wrestling, he told me I would be a state champion, and that’s just what I did.”
Vera Burch gets emotional as she wins her championship match Vera was inspired to wrestle after watching one of Cordell’s female wrestlers, Baylor Moore, compete at State last year in the same venue where she would later claim her title. But the journey to learning a new sport wasn’t without its struggles.
“Learning new moves, listening for [my] coach when other coaches are yelling, music is playing, and whistles are loud. Plus, the many bumps, bruises, and nosebleeds. Early mornings, long weekends, and hot, sweaty practices,” she stated. Through it all, Vera had the support of her mom, dad, sister Everly, Kalley, and Preslie, who cheered her on every step of the way. She has big plans for next year: “Win State next year in 10U!”
Preslie has built quite the reputation as a force in youth wrestling, and she proved it once again by winning her third consecutive State Championship in the 8U 47-pound division.
“It was so fun, and I was so excited to win again!” she said. Her biggest struggle in training was staying away from her favorite junk food and candy during tournaments to maintain her weight. But with the help of her family, she stays focused.
“My Bubby (Tyson) has helped me the most because I watched him wrestle before I started wrestling, and my Daddy (Josh) pushes me to do my best and work hard when I really don’t want to, and Kalley [comes] to practice with me and makes me want to go when I want to go play instead.”
Preslie has even bigger goals for the future. “I want to win the Trinity Award. I was one match away last year and lost in overtime. It was really sad, and now I know I can do it if I keep trying.”
Beyond the competition, the Cordell wrestlers have taken away lifelong lessons and friendships. Preslie shared, “One of my best friends is from Oregon because of wrestling. Even though we wrestle each other, we are still friends, and that’s really fun.”
Tyson had some wise words for younger athletes: “If you want to do good in any sport, you have to really push yourself even if it’s hard, but especially in wrestling.” Vera cherishes the friendships she’s made so far. “The friends I have made within the community are something I look forward to each weekend. I have wrestled girls from Arizona and Hawaii.”
Congratulations to these four outstanding athletes on their achievements, and best of luck as they continue their wrestling journeys!