Dark Theme for Oklahoma State, Big Drama by Dee Lockett and Cowboys Beat UNI

(Oklahoma State University Athletic Media Relations contributed to this story.)

STILLWATER – It was a “black out” night in Gallagher-Iba Arena as the No. 5 Cowboys welcomed No. 13 Northern Iowa. This was the first of two duals over the weekend in Stillwater featuring the three remaining unbeaten teams in the Big 12 standings. The dual started at 125 pounds and that was just fine for head coach David Taylor and his team. Bonus points in three of the first five matches all by freshmen allowed Oklahoma State to take control of a dual they won 34-3. However, it was a fourth match featuring an OSU freshman and two highly-ranked wrestlers that was the show stopper on the night. 

Stillwater native and No. 2 Dee Lockett came in unbeaten but it sure looked like that was over as Lockett trailed 4-1 in the final seconds of the match. No. 6 Ryan Downey (14-2) had scored a late takedown in the first period and then after an escape in the second led 4-0. Lockett got an escape in the third and the two were just working through the final period. Downey instigated some action and did his best to limit Lockett’s opportunity. 

Literally with eight seconds left Lockett got a double leg and put Downey on his back near the edge of the mat. There was enough time for a two  count leading to a takedown and a two-point near fall and a 6-4 decision for Lockett. That is one of the more dramatic finishes you will ever see. Oklahoma State led 22-0 on the team score after Lockett’s late heroics. 

Troy Spratley continued his solid season as the No. 7-ranked 125 pounder grabbed the leg of Northern Iowa’s Trever Anderson and worked around behind Anderson for the takedown. Spratley controlled and had the riding time advantage by the end of the first period. Spratley started the second period down and was able to flip Anderson over and get the reversal for a 5-0 lead. Anderson escaped in the third period and the riding time finished the scoring at 6-1 for a decision to Spratley. Oklahoma State led 3-0.

The Jax Forrest show continued as the unbeaten freshman that arrived at mid-year used a single shot to a cradle for a first takedown on No. 25 Julian Farber. After a Farber escape, Forrest worked behind for another three points. After an escape by Farber, Forrest flipped his opponent for a third takedown and after the first period a 9-2 lead.    

Farber was wrestling extremely hard. He was likely the best opponent that Forrest had seen, but the new freshman kept using Farber’s aggressiveness against him. 

Going to the third period, Forrest had advanced to a 13-2 lead and 1:30 riding time advantage. After an escape, Forrest snapped Farber down and finished with a double fopr the takedown and at 6:18 in the match a 19-4 tech fall. Oklahoma State led 8-0.

No. 2 and unbeaten Sergio Vega sported his black tights under the singlet for the “black out” and grabbed opponent Max Brady’s leg and took it to a double for the first takedown. In the third with a 4-1 lead, Vega got a double leg takedown and put Brady to his back and got a four-point near fall. After an escape, Vega scored another takedown and finished with a 14-3 major decision. 

At 149 pounds No. 12 Casey Swiderski controlled No. 32 Caleb Rathjen and earned a 9-2 decision and Oklahoma State led 15-0. 

Just before the break for halftime, No. 6 Landon Robideau continued his second semester drive as he suffered the first loss of his freshman season at Nebraska. Since then, Robideau has been dominating his opposition. Northern Iowa’s Cael Rahnavardi was next and he jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the second when the Cowboys got a scare. Robideau’s ankle was underneath Rahnavardi and he screamed. The match was stopped and his ankel was evaluated. He was back and moving. Moving well enough to get a third period takedown and then after Rahnavardi escaped, Robideau got another takedown with one second left to get the 14-4 major decision. 

The Cowboys led 19-0 on the team score and the stage was set for more late match drama with Dee Lockett. 

Oklahoma State Athletics

Facundo after his win over UNI’s Jared Simma.

After the most fantastic finish of the night. No. 7 Alex Facundo scored a 5-1 decision over No. 12 Jared Simma. A good win for Facundo in the rankings. 

Northern Iowa broke the Oklahoma State match streak at 184 as unranked Nick Fox scored an overtime reversal for a 3-1 decision over the Cowboys No. 8 Zack Ryder.

A coaches decision was part of the difference at 197 pounds as No. 7 Cody Merrill of the Cowboys got a second period escape to break the scoreless deadlock. In the third period Northern Iowa had the choice and UNI Coach Doug Schwab had his wrestler Carson Babcock go on bottom for the third period. Merrill is a tremendous rider and that’s what he did. Merrill rode Babcock the entire two minutes of the third period to a 2-0 decision.  

The evening ended with some fireworks as well as heavyweight No. 6 Konner Doucet got a pair of third period takedowns and on the second put Northern Iowa’s Grant Stromberg on his back and and got the mat slapped for the fall. That was Doucet’s second pin of the season and moved his record to 11-1 and the final score to 34-3.

"I just think there's an expectation and standard of what we're working towards," head coach David Taylor said. "We're not just trying to win duals; we're not trying to just beat teams. We are trying to dominate people, and we are trying to continue to get better and separate ourselves. That's for the benefit of the team and individuals here. I think a lot of the guys can leave with improvements from this. We just have to keep getting better, and we have a really great test on Sunday. I'm looking forward to seeing our team go out and wrestle. It's going to be a really good opportunity for us."

Oklahoma State is now 11-1 and still perfect at 6-0 in the Big 12. The only other Big 12 unbeaten No. 3 Iowa State comes in on Sunday for a 2 p.m. showdown. The Cyclones beat OU 29-10 while the Cowboys were winning. Iowa State is 9-1 overall and 5-0 in the Big 12.