Edmond North is a powerhouse of athletic achievements, from state championships to state records. The school has over 75 state titles ranging in a variety of sports. Although basketball and football garner the most attention at North, wrestling has also proven itself to be deserving of recognition.
The boy’s wrestling team won the dual state and state championship in 2013. They returned in 2024 to do the same and more, breaking state records and all wrestlers winning medals at the state tournament. Eight of the fourteen wrestlers won first place.
In addition to the boy’s wrestling team, the school’s girl’s team has also gained some traction. The team got 2nd at the state championship, with 3 of the girl wrestlers winning first place.
After an outstanding season last year, the wrestlers competed in the freestyle and greco-roman style wrestling. A few Edmond North wrestlers attended the USA Wrestling World Team Trials, and two fought hard and placed first, landing a spot on the World Team.
Senior Bella Williams and Junior Joseph Jeter have been dedicated to reaching the international high school wrestling level. Williams made the Women’s U17 World Team, and Jeter made the Greco-Roman U17 World Team.
Bella Williams’ Early Years
Bella Williams is originally from Lahaina, Hawaii. Hawaii was the first US state to sanction women’s wrestling, giving her more opportunities as a young lady wrestler. From a family filled with wrestlers, Williams began training at a very young age, starting the sport at around 7 years old.
“My family has always been involved in wrestling from the beginning and still is,” said Williams.
In only her first year of wrestling, Williams took home the first-place medal for the Hawaii State Tournament. This was her first taste of her future success. She later went on to win Folkstyle Nationals when she was in the 5th grade.
Bella Williams Now
At present, Williams is a three-time 6A state wrestling champion. In 2023, Williams also earned her first plaque in the 16U Girls Freestyle National Championship. She is number one in the nation for high school girls wrestling at the 140 lbs weight division.
“My motivation is wanting to continue to improve and get better,” said the Edmond North Wrestler.
In the spring season, Williams competed at the Women’s World Team Trials in Spokane, Washington. She dominated her way through the tournament in the 65kg bracket and won 9-2 in the final best-of-three match against Isis France. This win secured her place on the U17 women’s wrestling world team.
She went on to compete at the U17 Pan-American Championship, getting the gold medal for the USA. This win for Williams qualified her for the World Championship.
Although Williams wanted to compete in the competition, due to complications in the Middle East, she and a few women decided to pull out from the World Championship because of safety issues in Amman, Jordan.
Williams is still pursuing greatness. She is going for a fourth state title with just one year left of high school. After the folkstyle season ends, Williams will have another chance to make the World Team in 2025 and compete in the World Championship.
Joseph Jeter’s Beginning
Joseph Jeter is also a rising star. Jeter started out his wrestling career in Texas. He lost many matches when he first began wrestling, but he slowly climbed the ranks.
He won the Texas Greco-Roman State Tournament in 2014 but came in 3rd in the freestyle division. In the following years, Jeter juggled with wins and losses, but he almost always made the podium at his events.
“My biggest motivation to keep wrestling is the feeling of winning and all of my hard work being shown,” Jeter says. “Nothing beats the feeling of being on the top of the podium.”
It wasn’t until his high school years that Jeter started seeing the reward for his dedication to the sport.
Joseph Jeter Now
Jeter is now a 6A state wrestling champion in the 157 weight division. He also has other victories under his belt, including first place at the Younes Victory College Open, the Brian Kneck Memorial Preseason Nationals, and the 79th Geary Invitational. More recently, Jeter won the U17 US Open, earning himself a spot on the U17 Greco-Roman World Wrestling Team.
Jeter’s next stop was the Dominican Republic, where he represented the USA and competed in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. He won the gold medal for both styles of wrestling, as well as winning the award for Outstanding Greco-Roman Wrestler.
Jeter traveled to Amman, Jordan, for the 2024 U17 Greco-Roman World Championships. He fought hard through the tournament and placed 5th.
“My experience in Jordan was great, other than losing,” Jeter says about the whole experience.
The hard-working wrestler plans on training hard for the next year’s World Championship.
“Being on the U17 World Team was very motivating, and it motivates me to be on another world team.”
Both wrestlers represent not only their school but also the USA. Their overseas experiences will make them even more elite athletes during their high school careers.
Jeter still has two more years of high school wrestling and continues to train and improve his skills. Williams is entering her final year, preparing herself to wrestle at the next level after high school.
The Rise of Husky Wrestling
These are just two examples of the many great wrestlers in Edmond North’s program. The accomplishments they make on this team show the expanding popularity that the program deserves. The team has been hard at work, practicing throughout the entire offseason and even their summer break. As the wrestling season opens, it will be exciting to see what the team has to offer.
Show your support for the Edmond North Wrestlers by showing out at their home events this winter season!
