PATRIOT AUTO GROUP ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Carter Manley bolsters Bartlesville High wrestling

Bartlesville High School’s wrestling program has boasted some fully-invested warriors.

One of the current crop of this genre of special athletes is Carter Manley.

With the regular season winding down toward the Class 6A East Regional, Manley is re-sculpting his body to put forth his strongest bid to qualify for state.

“He is getting his weight down to 170,” noted veteran Bruin head wrestling coach Josh Pulsifer. “He weighed in at 177 in Tuesday’s dual.”

Manley, who wrestled in the 182-pound division, outlasted his Pawhuska opponent, 7-2, to help Bartlesville rack up a 63-12 dual meet victory — Bartlesville’s third-straight.

Manley is distinguished by “his hard work and dedication, as well as the face he is always in the match.”

It doesn’t matter if Manley is going up against a defending state champion or a rookie — he is going to give his all for the entire six minutes of a regulation match, Pulsifer said.

“He also really a good team player,” Pulsifer said.

In last week’s dual meet win at Tulsa Rogers, Manley dominated his opponent for a major decision, 14-5, to contribute important points in Bartlesville’s 45-24 win.

Back in December, Manley harvested a major victory with a decision against Dean Carrion — a Tennessee prep grappler with a 22-11 record, including 19 pins — in the Sand Springs tournament.

Manley also registered two wins in last December’s Mid America Nationals — one by a technical fall (16-0, against a Tulsa Union opponent) and the other by a fall.

Manley placed ninth (182 pounds) in the Mid America Nationals, a stupendous grappling event that attracted top-notch matters from several states. Manley registered a 6-2 record at the event, including one bye.

At last year’s Class 6A regional, Manley finished with a 2-2 record and missed out by just one loss of fighting for a spot in state.

Manley’s quest to get to state appears to be on track this season.