Oklahoma State Takes Down No. 22 Northern Iowa and Now No.4 Iowa State Awaits

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State survived a scrappy Northern Iowa Panthers team to stay unbeaten in dual competition with a 22-12 win. The key match for the Cowboys was at 149 pounds where head coach John Smith sent out unranked Jordan Williams for the first time in several weeks. Williams looked fresh and he immediately starter dominating unranked Adam Allard.

Williams had two takedowns in the first period plus riding time to lead 6-1. He continued to get the takedowns and in the third period clinched the technical fall at 20-5 pushing the Oklahoma State advantage in the team score to 12-3. 

The match everybody was pointing to, the match of the night featured No. 1 vs. No. 2 as unbeaten Panthers 184 pounder Parker Keckeisen took on the Cowboys Dustin Plott. Keckeisen came in unbeaten at 16-0 and Plott came in at 18-1. It was Keckeisen that scored the first takedown, a deceptive move where he showed one side and then attacked the other. Plott broke through for a double leg shot and the battle was on. In the third period Keckeisen took the lead and Plott paid for taking some aggressive shots and Keckeisen won a 12-6 decision, but it was a very well wrestled match.  

In the opening match of the night No. 20 Troy Spratley rode out No. 30 Trever Anderson in the third period to take a tough 3-2 decision and give the Cowboys a 3-0 lead. 

At 133 pounds Daton Fix looked like he was on his way to a tech fall as he kept taking down No. 23 Julian Farber, but give Farber credit in the third period and he was able to avoid Fix trying to finish him off and the Cowboys No. 3 Daton Fix took an 18-4 major decision. 

The Cowboys got wins at 165 pounds from No. 4 Izzak Olejnik with a 12-2 major decision over R.J. Weston; at 174 pounds as Braden Thompson scored a 6-3 decision over Jared Semma; and then at heavyweight No. 9 Konner Doucet won for the first time in three tries against No. 15 Tyrell Gordon with a 4-3 overtime win in tiebreaker one. 

Losses for the Pokes came at 141-pounds where a late takedown sewed up a 4-2 decision for No. 6 Carl Happel over No. 9 Tagen Jamison; at 157-pounds by No. 14 Robert Downey 4-1 over No. 18 Teague Travis, and at 197 pounds where Jersey robb subbed in for the Cowboys and was beaten 5-1 by Wyatt Voelker. 

The Cowboys, who are looking to match their longest winning streak to open a season since 2019, will host fourth-ranked Iowa State tomorrow night at Gallagher-Iba Arena. The dual is slated for 6 p.m. and will be available for streaming on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

No. 5 Oklahoma State 22, No. 22 Northern Iowa 12                                                                                Jan. 26, 2024 | Gallagher-Iba Arena | Stillwater, Okla.  Attendance:  3,713

125: No. 20 Troy Spratley (OSU) dec. No. 30 Trever Anderson (UNI), 3-2

133: No. 3 Daton Fix (OSU) MD No. 23 Julian Farber (UNI), 18-4

141: No. 6 Cael Happel (UNI) dec. No. 9 Tagen Jamison (OSU), 4-2

149: Jordan Williams (OSU) TF Adam Allard (UNI), 20-5, 6:01

157: No. 14 Ryder Downey (UNI) dec. No. 18 Teague Travis (OSU), 4-1

165: No. 4 Izzak Olejnik (OSU) MD RJ Weston (UNI), 12-2

174: No. 25 Brayden Thompson (OSU) dec. No. 30 Jared Simma (UNI), 6-3

184: No. 1 Parker Keckeisen (UNI) dec. No. 2 Dustin Plott (OSU), 12-6

197: No. 23 Wyatt Voelker (UNI) dec. Jersey Robb (OSU), 5-1

HWT: No. 9 Konner Doucet (OSU) dec. No. 15 Tyrell Gordon (UNI), TB-1 4-3