Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
Wyoming
Cowboy Wrestling Advances to NWCA Final
February 12, 2012 | Cowboy Wrestling
Feb. 12, 2012
STILLWATER, Okla. – The top-ranked Oklahoma State wrestling team rolled through the regional round of the NWCA National Duals Sunday as the Cowboys defeated No. 10 Wyoming, 28-7, and No. 6 Ohio State, 25-6.
With the regional title, the NWCA announced that the Cowboys (14-0) would host the final round next Sunday at 2 and 6 p.m. at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
“It's a good event to win,” coach John Smith said. “I think some of our best wrestling is still yet to come. The scores are a little bit surprising: obviously, 25-6, it was a little closer match than that, from the standpoint of winning tough, close matches. I like the fact that it seemed like we out-scrambled them in several situations.”
Oklahoma State had an impressive day, going 9-4 against ranked opponents.
Junior Jordan Oliver, ranked No. 1 at 133 pounds had the biggest wins of the day, winning 7-3 over second-ranked Logan Stieber of Ohio State and 17-4 over No. 17 Zach Zehner of Wyoming.
“These are the most exciting matches,” Oliver said. “You train and wrestle every day to wrestle the best. I honestly don't like always going out and pinning a guy right away or getting a technical fall. I like getting in those competitive matches when the intensity and the tempo of the match raises. You do get the hype and the pressure and all that. It's fun because you train every day so hard to wrestle the best guys in the country. I always live by the motto 'In order to be the best, you have to beat the best.'”
Jon Morrison, a sophomore ranked 14th at 125 pounds, also came up with a pair of big wins to open each dual. He knocked off No. 16 Michael Martinez of Wyoming in the first match, 3-1, in overtime and No. 17 Johnni DiJulius of Ohio State, 3-1.
“It's always important to get those late takedowns and get the win,” Morrison said. “I think I have to get more toward wrestling like that the entire match instead of standing around too much and not wrestling at a high pace, but I know I'm building toward that, so it's a good start.”
Cayle Byers, wrestling in his sixth and seventh duals of season, added a pair of wins against ranked opponents as well. The 197-pound senior beat Wyoming's No. 11 Alfonso Hernandez, 5-4, and Ohio State's No. 20 Andrew Campolattano, 3-1.
Other notable wins included 184-pounder Chris McNeil's 3-2 win over Ohio State's Nick Heflin, ranked No. 7 at 174 pounds; Josh Kindig's major decision over Wyoming's Chase Smith; Alan Gelogaev's 18-3 technical fall over Wyoming's L.J. Helbig and Chris Perry's major decision over Ohio State's Joe Grandominico.
The Cowboys return to the mat Thursday when they take on the Oklahoma Sooners in Norman in a final tune-up before the NWCA Mat Mayhem final round.
No. 1 Oklahoma State 28, No. 10 Wyoming 7
Feb. 12, 2012 | 3 p.m. CST | Gallagher-Iba Arena
Officials: Pat Fitzgerald and Gary Mayabb
Attendance: 3,412
Bout Results
125: No. 14 Jon Morrison (OSU) dec. No. 16 Michael Martinez (WYO); 3-1;SV1
133: No. 1 Jordan Oliver (OSU) MD No. 17 Zach Zehner (WYO); 17-4
141: Josh Kindig (OSU) MD Chase Smith (WYO); 11-3
149: No. 2 Jamal Parks (OSU) dec. McCade Ford (WYO); 12-5
157: No. 13 Albert White (OSU) dec. Andy McCulley (WYO); 4-2
165: No. 3 Shane Onufer (WYO) dec. Dallas Bailey (OSU); 7-1
174: No. 3 Chris Perry (OSU) dec. No. 19 Patrick Martinez (WYO); 7-1
184: No. 1 Joe LeBlanc (WYO) MD Chris McNeil (OSU); 14-2
197: Cayle Byers (OSU) dec. No. 11 Alfonso Hernandez (WYO); 5-4
285: No. 3 Alan Gelogaev (OSU) TF5 L.J. Helbig (WYO); 18-3
No. 1 Oklahoma State 25, No. 6 Ohio State 6
Feb. 12, 2012 | 7 p.m. CST | Gallagher-Iba Arena
Officials: Mike Hagerty and Pat Fitzgerald
Attendance: 3,412
Bout Results
125: No. 14 Jon Morrison (Oklahoma State) dec. No. 17 Johnni DiJulius (Ohio State); 3-1
133: No. 1 Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State) dec. No. 2 Logan Stieber (Ohio State); 7-3
141: No. 5 Hunter Stieber (Ohio State) dec. Josh Kindig (Oklahoma State); 7-6
149: No. 2 Jamal Parks (Oklahoma State) dec. No. 13 Cam Tessari (Ohio State); 3-2
157: No. 16 Josh Demas (Ohio State) dec. No. 13 Albert White (Oklahoma State); 3-2
165: Dallas Bailey (Oklahoma State) dec. Derek Garcia (Ohio State); 7-4
174: No. 3 Chris Perry (Oklahoma State) MD Joe Grandominico (Ohio State); 11-1
184: Chris McNeil (Oklahoma State) dec. No. 7 Nick Heflin (Ohio State); 3-2
197: Cayle Byers (Oklahoma State) dec. No. 20 Andrew Campolattano (Ohio State); 3-1
285: No. 3 Alan Gelogaev (Oklahoma State) dec. Peter Capone (Ohio State); 6-2
Players Mentioned
