No. 3 Cowboys Win In Little Rock, but Former Poke Neil Erisman's Program is Stout

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Neighboring states and collegiate wrestling programs related by the fact that former Cowboys wrestler and graduate assistant Neil Erisman was hired to to start up a wrestling program at the University of Little Rock. The Cowboys came in favored in seven matches and Little Rock favored in three, including a weight that featured former teammates in Stillwater. Erisman continued to show his alma mater and now, this time, new head coach and Penn State, World, and Olympic champion David Taylor that he’s doing an excellent job pushing the Trojans program higher. Not quite high enough as Oklahoma State used their standout upper weights to come from behind and secure a 25-13 win. This was still too close for comfort.

“This was a good tough match in a tough environment,” Taylor said aftert it was over. “This was a big challenge and Neil (Erisman) has done a good job here.”

It looked most grim for Oklahoma State after 157 pounds when Little Rock’s Matt Bianchi, a younger brother of Little Rock’s first ever NCAA qualifier Paul Biacnchi. Matt did his family and the Trojans proud at 157 pounds when in the early third period he got behind No. 12 Caleb Fish and put him on his back. He secured the position and gradually got more of Fish’s back on the mat and the fall was called at 5:28. Little Rock led the Cowboys 13-8.

Bianchi’s heroics to help the Trojans to the lead was set up at 149 pounds where No. 17 Carter Young for Oklahoma State took on a former Cowboy in No. 12 Jordan Williams. Williamns, a Tulsa native was an NCAA qualifier for OSU in 2024. Over the summer and with the new coach David Taylor and his staff taking over, Williams got into trouble off the mat and in August he was dismissed. 

The match at 149 pounds between the two former teammates was close throughout but Young was certainly the agressor. He had a strong single shot in the first that turned into a scramble and no points. In the second, Williams was down and escaped quick, a precursor to what would win the match. Young had several shots but the deepest had Williams knee in a a dangerous position and again, no points. In the third period, again, Young with a deep double leg shot, but Williams athleticism fought it off. 

Tied at 1-1, they went through the two minutes of sudden victory scoreless. On to tiebreaker and Williams escaped in :13 seconds in the first 30 second period. In the second, Williams rode tough and was able to keep Young down for :20 and with a stall call from the first 30 seconds had a 2-1 decision. Little Rock had got the score to within one at 8-7 Oklahoma State.

Oklahoma State University Athletics

Amine after an early takedown of Little Rock’s Joseph Bianchi.

The Cowboys upper weight rescue started with Cameron Amine at 165 pounds. The No. 6 Amine against No. 33 Joseph Bianchi and it was still close. Amine got his takedown in the first 20 seconds of the first period. However, the two battled to a 4-2 decision for Amine and it was 13-11 on the team score. 

No. 3 and unbeaten Dean Hamiti Jr. also came out to a quick advantage over unranked Tyler Brennan. I kept expecting Hamiti to just tak over. He was close but Brennan fought off every opportunity for a big move and Hamiti Jr. stayed unbeaten at 18-0 with a 6-1 decision, just his fourth win by a decision this season. Little Rock fought bonus points where the Cowboys almost always get them. The Cowboys did have the lead again at 14-13.

No. 3 Dustin Plott advanced that lead at 184 pounds. No. 17 Brock DelSignore fought off an early deep shot by Plott and the two wrestlers were in a wild scramble that resulted in no points. It was an early move in the second period that was the momentum builder as Plott used a double and then road out the second period for 1:53 in riding time. Plott started on bottom in the third and got a quick escape to go up 4-1. 

Plott added another takedown on a double leg to go up 7-1. DelSignore got an escape and despite big effort was able to keep from being taken down. It finished as a 8-2 decision for Plott and the Cowboys. OSU now led with two weights left 17-13.

At 197 pounds, Luke Surber, ranked No. 7 was one of the Cowboys that wasn’t favored as he went against No. 5 Stephen Little. Surber took an early lead and looked like he might breeze but Little made it tough and with a second period takedown tied the match at 4-4 going to the third.

Surber started the third period on top and proceeded to ride Little. Twice, the Little Rock wrestler looked like he had a chance to escape but Surber kept control. At one point the official unbelievably called a stall warning on Little on bottom and then Surber on top. The official can’t disrupt a ride out. he didn’t and Surber gave him no chance staying active the rest of the period. he finished with two minutes riding time and a 5-4 decision that had OSU up 20-13 going to heavyweight.

“Score and keep scoring, but I really didn’t do that very well,” Surber said holding the belt for wrestler of the match from UFC Fight Pass, that streamed the action. “I gave up a takedown (end of the second period) and I had to keep wrestling. I had grit at the end and rode out the third period to get the win. I toughed it out.”

Down heading to heavyweight, Little Rock had no chance as No. 3 and unbeaten Wyatt Hendrickson came right out with a takedown and Little Rock’s K.J. Miley was playing the role of rag doll. Hendrickson nearly got a pin and picked up four more near fall points while standing and with brute strength holding Miley down on the mat. After an escape it was another takedown and more near fall points and nearly a fall. Instead a 16-1 tech fall, the second for the Cowboys and the final score of 25-13. The match didn’t even get out of the first period.

“Our upper classmen and upper weights have been good for us all season, and they did it again,” Taylor added. “Those guys know how to win. This was a big challenge and we needed it. We need to use it and have to get better.”  

Oklahoma State Athletics

Spratley gets dramatic first takedown of the dual.

No. 4 Troy Spratley started the dual great for Oklahoma State with a pair of early takedowns on unranked Jayden Carson. The first one a spectacular left and dump to the mat as Spratley had Carson way up in the air. 

That 125 pounders did not get out of the second period as Spratley ran up an 18-1 lead and put Oklahoma State up early on the team score 5-0.

No. 8 Nasir Bailey dominated the Cowboys No. 22 Reece Witcraft, but give the Cowboy credit as he fought off shots in the late third period as Bailey was trying for a technical fall. Instead it was a major decision 14-0. Oklahoma State led 5-4.

At 141 pounds Tagen Jamison won an 8-2 decision to put Oklahoma State up 8-4 before Little Rock rocked the Pokes at 149 and 157 pounds to surge ahead and threaten an upset on this Saturday afternoon.

Oklahoma State is now 13-0 and still 9-0 in the Big 12. The Cowboys wrestle No. 3 Iowa at Iowa on Feb. 23 before the Big 12 Championships on March 8-9.

OSU Wrestlers in bold