By Byron Beers/Staff Writer OKLAHOMA CITY — After dropping his very first match last Friday during the first day of the Junior Dual National Championships in freestyle action, Chris Hacker did what he has always done — he bounced back and ran off win after win. Hacker, along with Cory Dauphin, Cody Dauphin and Derek Thompson, helped Team Oklahoma to a fifth-place finish at Oklahoma City University over the weekend. Hacker would lose one more match, but still managed to record seven wins. Cory Dauphin went a perfect 3-0 in his matches, while his brother, Cody went 1-2. Thompson finished at 2-1. Adam DeLong did not compete due to an injury. Hacker’s first loss came to Dirk Cowburn during the dual match with Pennsylvania at 145 pounds. Hacker jumped out to a 6-0 lead before being pinned at the 1:35 mark. “Chris just made a technical mistake and got pinned,” said former El Reno head coach Bobby Miller, who was in attendance and continues to work with his former grapplers. “His weight class was a very tough weight class. There were several top 10 kids nationally in his weight class. “Chris did a lot better after that first loss. He started with a match he should have never lost, but he ended up going 7-2 against the best competition at 145 pounds in the entire nation.” Hacker, who was in Colorado Springs (Colo.) two weeks ago at the Olympic Training Center going through classes on body and mind preparations, ran the table during his senior year at El Reno, going 39-0 and clinching his second straight individual state championship. The All-American and University of Nebraska signee, also dropped a decision to Missouri’s Dylan Joiner during the third round of the championship bracket. His wins in the championship bracket came against T.J. Moen of Iowa (10-2), Aldon Isenberg of Kansas (19-13) and California’s Mike Vasser (9-2). “I told Chris afterwards that he did better than what he did last year when he went 4-4 in Fargo (N.D.),” Miller said. “Chris just needs to make a few adjustments and he will be just fine.” Hacker also had a pair of technical fall wins during pool play. He defeated Virginia’s Joel Hutchens 12-0 and then blanked Jon Goncalves of Connecticut 13-0. Cody Dauphin was the only other El Reno product to compete during the championship bracket. Dauphin fell 7-0 in his first time to take the mat against Kansas’ Steve Andrus, but battled back to pin Clayton Jack just 34 seconds in during the fifth-place match against California. “Cody got bumped to the heavyweight class from his normal 215, but did very well,” Miller said. “I was very proud of Cody and what he was able to get done.” Cory Dauphin saw all of his action during pool play where he nailed down three victories at 140 pounds. Two of Dauphin’s wins were by technical fall. He defeated Connecticut’s Brock Coutu 13-2, and later shutout Louisiana’s Zach Eunice 12-0. Thompson, at 189 pounds, had a forfeit win in the match against Connecticut and also defeated Levi Gruwell of Louisiana 10-3. Thompson was wrestling despite injuries. DeLong was out with a knee injury, but is expected to ready for the national tournament in Fargo, N.D., that will get under way on July 20 and conclude on July 26. El Reno will have eight wrestlers competing in Fargo, including Hannah Martin, Ethan Martin, DeLong, Colton Gallo, Cory and Cody Dauphin, Hacker and Thompson. Austin Mogg qualified for the tournament, but will not be going. Hannah Martin is currently on a three-week trip, wrestling in Canada for Team USA in the Canadian Cup in girls competition. “We had such a bigger group of kids wrestling from El Reno this summer than what we had last year,” Miller said. “This will only help them improve and be better for next season. “It’s been a busy summer, but at the same time they are having a very productive summer and making great strides. This is a great group of kids and it is the reason why El Reno has been so successful over the years.” “We’re three laps into a four-lap race,” Miller added. “We are taking this week off and will come back next week and train, train, train to get ready for the national tournament.”