Oklahoma State Grabs Big Wins Off the Top to Take Arizona State 33-6
STILLWATER – The second home dual of the weekend and new head coach David Taylor and his agressive group of Cowboy wrestlers were making themselves at home inside Gallagher-Iba Arena. The Cowboys won the battled of Cowboys on Friday night with Wyoming 32-6. Back at it on Sunday afternoon and the Cowboys handled another Big 12 opponent in Arizona State 33-6. It was also the first dual for former head coach John Smith to watch sitting in the stands. It sure looked like Smith was enjoying the show.
The dual opened with the biggest wrestlers and a battle of ranked heavyweights in the Cowboys All-American transfer from Air Force Academy in No. 3 Wyatt Hendrickson and Greco-Roman specialist and No. 5 Cohlton Schultz.
Schultz had problems with the more athletic Hendrickson, who opened the scoring with a single leg move to a trip for the takedown. After Schultz worked hard for an escpae it was 3-1 after the opening three minute period. Hendrickson started up and tried to score, but instead rode out the period for 2:20 in riding time. In the third period, Hendrickson sewed it up with a picture perfect double leg takedown into a four-point nearfall and a 9-1 lead. After Hendrickson cut Schults loose to make it 9-2, Schultz bulled his way to a takedown. Hendrickson got the escape. With the riding time Hendrickson had the 11-5 decision. Oklahoma State up 3-0.
From the biggest to the lightest as No. 6 Troy Spratley was hoping to see No. 1 Richard Figueroa of Arizona State. Spratley had the chance to take down numbers one and two in the same weekend as he had upset Wyoming’s No. 2 Jore Volk 7-4 in sudden victory on Friday night. Figueroa was injured and the Sun Devils sent out backup Max Brewster. The two opened up with a scrambe that Spratley won with a granby roll move into a takedown. After giving up the escape for a 3-1 lead, Spratley got Brewster around the neck for a takedown then after another release, Spratley took Brewster down again for a 9-2 lead.
Spratley opened the second period down and reversed Brewster and then worked him over on his back and got the fall at 4:38. The confetti cannons fired again in the rafter of Gallagher-Iba. A new tradition getting lots of work. The Cowboys led the Sun Devils 9-0.
Stillwater’s Cael Hughes ranked No. 33 got another Sun Devils backup Carter Dibert as ASU is having plenty of early season injury issues. Hughes used a double leg to get an opening takedown and he added a two-point nearfall. Hughes had a second period reversal and then in the third period two more takedowns and then was able to move into another nearfall and 5:35 in riding time Hughes earned a 19-1 tech fall. Oklahoma State led 14-0.
At 141 pounds, Tagen Jamison got all he wanted from Emilion Ysaguirre of Arizona State as the two went through a scoreless first period. Jamison started the second period on the bottom and managed to win a scramble for a takedown and with 2:06 in riding time using in part a crab ride in the third period before he released Ysaguirre gave No. 12 Jamison a 5-1 decision and a 17-0 lead for Oklahoma State on the team scoreboard.
Arizona State still had No. 15 Jesse Vasquez at 149 pounds and he fell behind the Cowboys No. 18 carter Young 3-1 after the first period. In the second, Vasquez used aan escape then a fireman’s carry into a takedown for a 5-3 lead. After Young escaped, Vasquez used a double leg takedown. Vasquez really maintained control although almost lost it when he drew a locked hands technical violation in the third period. Vasquez scored the first points for Arizona State with the 9-7 decision. It was 17-3 Oklahoma State.
At 157 pounds, Cutter Sheets wrestled again with Teague Travis rumored to be dealing with issues making weight. Sheets and Austin Scott went on one of the most impressive scrambles of the day. It was almost 30 second in length and Sheets got the takedown and rode out the period for 1;48 in riding time. In the second, Sheets started with a reversal and after Scott got an escape, Sheets used a cradle into a takedown and went on to an 18-5 major decision.
What a way for the son of former Cowboys champion Mike Sheets to get his first official match win as a Cowboy and in Gallagher-Iba.
No. 6 Cameron Amine and ASU’s No. 28 Nicco Ruiz both wrestled tight and the 1-1 match went into sudden victory and for the second time Amine lost this season with snap back move to a single by Ruiz for the winning takedown.
At that point Oklahoma State led 21-6. No. 5 Dean Hamiti was impressive going to a 14-4 major decision. Hamiti is now 4-0 on the season.
No. 3 Dustin Plott stayed unbeaten on the season at 4-0 with a dominating 15-2 major decision. Oklahoma State led 29-6.
Finally, Luke Surber survived an early challenge from Max Acciardi to bust out and score a 17-4 major decision. Surber coming off all those injuries a season ago is now 4-0 in this one and ranked No. 17 and will be climbing.
Oklahoma State goes to 4-0 on the season, 3-0 in the Big 12 and will next wrestle in two weeks in Las Vegas at the Cliff Keen Invitational.