OSU Wins Biggest Challenge and Battle of Unbeatens at Northern Iowa

It may go down as the wildest match in any dual this season, but after Oklahoma State fell behind in the first four matches against No. 5 Northern Iowa. The road dual in Cedar Falls, Iowa saw an enthusiastic record crowd (6,030) in the McLeod Center. The hometown Panthers gave them plenty to cheer about in taking a 10-3 lead over the unbeaten and No. 3 Cowboys. At 157 pounds just before the break (intermission) No. 11 Caleb Fish was up against defending Big 12 champ and No. 4-ranked Ryder Downey. It didn’t look good, but Fish won in overtime and really looked like the better wrestler throughout. That match pointed the Pokes in the right direction to stay unbeaten 22-14 over Northern Iowa, which lost for the first time and falls to 9-1/3-1.

Fish came out and after Downey got him in a first period headlock, Fish came out of it and gained control for a 3-0 takedown and lead. It looked like he had briefly turned Downey, but the officials didn’t agree. The same in the second period as Fish worked and got behind Downey and appeared to have a takedown. The officials reviewed and did not agree.

At the start of the third period Downey got an escape to make it 3-1. The Downey got a takedown to lead 4-3. In the final seconds of the third period Fish had clearly broke control and it appeared he may have scored a reversal, even turned Downey briefly on his back for possible near fall points. The match end and the officials reviewed. They gave Fish the escape, but no reversal, obviously, no back points. The match was tied at 4-4.

In sudden victory, Caleb Fish got a double leg shot and pushed thrugh for the clear takedown and a 7-4 decision that pulled Oklahoma State to 10-6 on the team score going into the break. 

Oklahoma State Athletics

Cameron Amine won a 10-2 major decision.

It was the momentum that Oklahoma State needed as 165 pound No. 6-ranked Cameron Amine dominated No. 21 Jack Thomsen. Amine led going into the third period 3-0, but dominated the third period with a pair of takedowns including one late. That led to a 10-2 major decision and Amine went to 10-4 on the season and the team scored went to 10-10.

At 174 pounds unbeaten and No. 3 Dean Hamiti Jr. used an ankle pick for a quick takedown and went to work on a ride using a spiral as No. 16 Jared Simma was primed. Hamiti nearly had a cradle but Simma’s foot was off the mat and then off the restart just before the end of the first Simma got a reversal. The start of the second period had Hamiti ticked off and in the second he started off slamming Simma to the mat visciously but Simma eventually got an escape. Just before the end of the period Hamiti got him down and turned over and went to the third with an 8-3 lead. 

Oklahoma State Athletics

Dean Hamiti Jr. in Northern Iowa.

Ankle pick again in the third and another Hamiti takedown to start the third. Hamiti piled it on to go to a perfect 15-0 on the season with a 16-4 major decision and Oklahoma State led 14-10 going to the feature match of the night. 

Northern Iowa’s No. 2 Parker Keckeisen (14-0) has not only blocked the Cowboys No. 3 Dustin Plott (12-1) from winning four matches head-to-head, but last season in the NCAA Championships beat Plott for the title. This one started with Kekeisennot being able to finish a double leg. Plott missed with a good single shot. Then Keckeisen got a takedown, plott the escape to finish the first period 3-1 with Keckeisen leading. Plott down to start the second period and worked the escape to narrow the score to 3-2. Keckeisen got a single leg and Plott couldn’t get free and that takedown made it 6-2.  

At that point, Keckeisen took control and started takedown after takedown and just missed a tech fall in beating Plott 15-4 in a major decision that brought the team score back to 14-14.

No. 7 Luke Surber turned what looked like disaster into an advantage against No. 14 Wyatt Voelker. Voelker had Surber in the air and going down to the mat. Surber bounced off the mat with his hips and got position and control for a takedown to lead 3-0. Northern Iowa’s head coach Doug Schwab through the challenge brick and won the review. Then they threw the brick again thinking Voelker had an escape. Again, challenge denied and just before the period ended Voelker got the escape. Surber led 3-1. 

Another escape for Voelker in the second period made it 3-2. Surber started down in the third period and Surber got the escape for a 4-2 lead. The scramble was on and both wrestlers had their shots and the final stalemate was called with eight seconds and the two tired wrestlers made one more charge but even with a stalling point Surber won 4-3 and Oklahoma State led 17-14 going to the heavyweights and Wyatt Hendrickson.    

It was a no contest as Hendrickson held up his No. 3 ranking with a quick takedown of No. 15 Lance Runyon. Hendrickson dominated like he often does for a 19-4 technical fall and closed out what becomes the closest call of the season and the first time the Cowboys didn’t reach 30 on the scoreboard. The Cowboys are not just 10-0 but also notch another Big 12 win to go 7-0 in league matches.

"This was a really good dual and it was a great wrestling environment," Oklahoma State head coach David Taylor said. "There were good things, there were things our guys have to improve on, but I'm glad we got to experience this."

In the opening match at 125 pounds No. 4 Troy Spratley coming off two losses back to back to   No. 11 Vince Robinson of NC State and then Big 12 Wrestler of the Week No. 17 Jett Strickenberger by fall. No. 30 Trevor Anderson with a single shot into a scramble got the takedwon to lead 3-0 but Spratley reversed him and added two near fall points for a 4-3. He later opened the second period down and reversed Anderson again. Another takedown in the third and riding time of 1:52 lead to a 10-5 decision. A good start and a good sign for Spratley. 

At 133 pounds it was Cael Hughes again instead of Reece Witcraft. Hughes (8-0) unbeaten and newly ranked at No. 19 fell behind when Northern Iowa’s Julian Farber used a duc under for a takedown. In the second period Farber got a pair of double leg takedowns while giving up two escapes. An escape from the down position and then a takedown for Farber worked toward a 13-4 major decision. 

At 141 pounds the Cowboys No. 4 Tagen Jamison pushed No. 5 Cael Happel to overtime. The low scoring 1-1 match went to overtime and Happel got the takedown for a 7-4 win in sudden victory. 

Northern Iowa had their biggest lead after the 149 pound match as No. 16 Colin Realbuto was in trouble and freed up his leg and scored a late takedown for a 6-4 decision and a 10-3 lead for the Panthers, but at that point it was a “Fish” that changed the Cowboys fortunes in the dual.

Oklahoma State travels to No. 13 Iowa State for a nationally televised dual (ESPN) on Sunday starting at 4 p.m.  

No. 3 Oklahoma State (10-0/7-0) 22  No. 5 Northern Iowa (9-1/3-1) 14