Oklahoma State Wrestling Schedule Winds Down with Home Finale vs. Missouri
STILLWATER – It seems like Oklahoma State was just welcoming in new head coach david Taylor in the first home dual against Wyoming back on Nov. 22 and a crowd of 6,781, almost unheard of for a Friday night November dual was there. Since then, Taylor and the Cowboys have gone 11-0 and 8-0 in Big 12 duals. Taylor and his staff have developed at least seven wrestlers that are capable of making serious noise in the postseason as potential Big 12 champions and wrestler that could make a run at the NCAA Championships in Philadelphia.
Oklahoma State is also virtually assured of setting a season attendance record as the home crowds have all been over 6,067 (Virginia Tech) and the last two have been 8,212 (NC State) and 8.257 (West Virginia). The athletic department is promoting a push to have 10,000 plus for Senior Day and home finale with Missouri.
The huge disappointment is that Missouri’s top-ranked 174 pound Keegan O’Toole (11-0) is still apparently injured and will not go against the Cowboys No. 3-ranked and unbeaten dean Hamiti Jr. (16-0). Hamiti Jr. may be the best wrestler in the NCAA Division I right now as he has shown signs of being unbeatable. The two should see each other in Tulsa on March 9 at the Big 12 Championships.
Speaking of postseason, I asked Taylor the other day about the light dual schedule down the stretch with this one with Missouri and at Little Rock (Feb, 8) and at No. 2 Iowa (Feb. 23) as all that is left before the Big 12 Tournament on March 8-9.
“I think a lot of the … I’m not going to tell you our secrets,” Taylor kind of kidded with his answer. “A lot of the schedule was in place with what we could schedule. You have to work around your conference schedule and you have to challene your team in different ways. I think we are getting toward the end of the season and have time in the room is valuable. A lot of our work has been done. Now, it is a matter of getting guys ready to go.”
| Final Home Match | #3-Oklahoma State (11-0/8-0) | #20-Missouri (5-7/4-1) |
| Head Coaches | David Taylor 1st Year (11-0) | Brian Smith 28th Year (341-127-4) |
| 125 | No. 4 Troy Spratley (14-3) | No. 31 Gage Walker (10-6) |
| 133 | No. 21 Cael Hughes (8-1) or Reece Witcraft (9-3) | Kade Moore (9-12) |
| 141 | No. 5 Tagen Jamison (15-3) | No. 14 Josh Edmond (12-6) |
| 149 | No. 17 Carter Young (9-8) or Cutter Sheets (15-9) | Logan Gioffre (5-5) |
| 157 | No. 12 Caleb Fish (15-5) | James Conway (12-12) |
| 165 | No. 6 Cameron Amine (11-4) | No. 15 Cam Steed (9-3) or Joel Mylin (5-10) |
| 174 | No. 3 Dean Hamiti Jr. (16-0) | Jeremy Jakowitsch (0-4) |
| 184 | No. 3 Dustin Plott (13-2) | OPEN |
| 197 | No. 7 Luke Surber (17-1) | Jesse Cassatt (6-14) |
| Hwt. | No. 3 Wyatt Hendrickson (15-0) | No. 24 Jarrett Stoner (20-6) or Seth Nitzel (6-6) |
Taylor is a calculated individual and I think he knew what he was doing. He also knows how to puch his team’s buttons for preparation and competition both.
“Don’t wish the day away, enjoy this process,” Taylor said of the advice he received as a competitive wrestler. “Don’t waste that moment. I accpted that and my mind shifted and that is what I try to share with these guys. Don’t waste these days and you are going to look back in your life and love these times.”
There is no doubt, and attendance backs it up, that the fans are enjoying these times and their mouths will be watering for wrestling by the time the Big 12 event begins.
David Taylor and his team have Cowboy wrestling fans fired up.