Bedlam Wrestling Preview
STILLWATER – It was really fun to hear John Smith get rip snortin fired up earlier this week. Bedlam is something the two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, six-time World Champion, and winningest head coach in Oklahoma State wrestling history gets fired up for.
“You need to raise it to another level, you need to get serious about it, and I’ve said it every year that we take it serious,” Smith told the media. “Maybe it’s a dual that is more important thany any other and you want to prepare to win.”
I’m going to guess the wrestling room has been a tough place to hang out this week. If you were there then you had better be working. If you’re injured then you should stay away.
Smith’s options for his line-up shrunk some this week with 141-pounder Kaid Brock (ranked No. 12) being out for the season now with injury. Anthony Montalvo wrestled last week at 174-pounds but did not seem ready. Oklahoma State had wrestlers take it on the chin in Iowa as they beat Northern Iowa 20-12 and Iowa State barely at 16-15. By comparision, Oklahoma sporting four ranked wrestlers in their line-up lost to Northern Iowa 23-13 and to Iowa State 18-16.
Sooners head coach Lou Rosselli has OU wrestling more competitive and at least Oklahoma is going to wrestle the Cowboys twice this season for the first time since the 2016-17 season. Oklahoma State leads the overall series about as dominating as Oklahoma has the advantage in football at 143-27-10. Oklahoma has only won three times in the last 25-years.
Smith was asked what he thought, are the Sooners improving?
“I don’t know, it’s hard enough to take care of business with your own program, much less looking at somebody elses,” Smith said.
Smith does know this, he needs to see more out of his wrestlers. It is that annual plea if you’re working a decision then elevate and get a major. If you have a major decision then gas it and get a tech fall. If you can turn an opponent then do it and put his back on the mat.
Oklahoma is coming off a three-dual win at a triangular in Little Rock with South Dakota State, Arkansas-Little Rock, and Stanford.
Sizing up the match, freshman Trevor Mastrogiovanni should be heavily favored at 125. Reece Witcraft should win but Tony Madrigal isn’t a complete pushover at 133-pounds. Dusty Hone will be a big underdog to the Sooners Dom Demas at 141. Boo Lewallen will get his best test of the season from OU wrestler Mitch Moore at 149. One of the best matches, based on ranking could be at 157 with Wyatt Sheets and Justin Thomas. Oklahoma State should run through 165, 174, and 184-pounds.
Freshman A.J. Ferrari will get tested by jake Woodley on OU. Ferrari is ranked No. 11 by intermat and Woodley is ranked No. 12. heavyweight is a toss up with the Cowboys Austin Harris and Josh Heindeselman of OU.
| Sunday, Feb. 7 at 1 p.m. in Norman, Okla. | No. 4/9-Oklahoma State (7-0) vs. | UR/No. 18-Oklahoma (5-3) |
| 125 | No. 19/15-Trevor Mastrogiovanni (7-1) | Mason Naifeh (3-5) |
| 133 | Reece Witcraft (5-3) |
Tony Madrigal (3-5) |
| 141 | Dusty Hone (4-2) | No. 8-Dom Demas (7-1) |
| 149 | No. 4-Boo Lewallen (7-0) | No. 19/17-Mitch Moore (7-1) |
| 157 | No. 9-Wyatt Sheets (2-1) or Jalin Harper (5-1) | No. 11-Justin Thomas (7-1) |
| 165 | No.3/4-Travis Wittlake (7-0) | Jake Stiles (0-6) or Troy Mantanona (2-0) |
| 174 | No. 12-Dustin Plott (6-0) | Anthony Mantanona (4-4) |
| 184 | No. 11/13-Dakota Geer (6-1) | Darrien Roberts (6-2) |
| 197 | No. 11-A.J. Ferrari (7-0) | No. 12-Jake Woodley (5-3) |
| HWT. | Austin Harris (5-2) | Josh Heindselman (5-3) |
The toughest aspect of the day for John Smith may be firing his team up on the bus ride back to Stillwater where the Cowboys are scheduled to wrestle Arkansas-Little Rock at 7 p.m. after Bedlam and during the Super Bowl. I can tell you I wouldn’t want to be the wrestler that asks Smith why they are wrestling and not watching the Super Bowl.