No. 3 Oklahoma State wrestling rallies past Wyoming

The third-ranked Oklahoma State wrestling team rolled off four straight wins after falling in a 9-0 hole to open Tuesday’s Big 12 conference dual against Wyoming for a 20-15 victory in the Cowboy Showdown to stay undefeated this season.

OSU (5-0, 3-0 Big 12) took the win in front 2,580 rowdy fans Storey Gym in Cheyenne, Wyoming, despite Wyoming picking up four victories against top-10 opponents and returning All-Americans.

The dual was highlighted by Wyoming’s No. 3 Bryce Meredith snapping two-time NCAA champion and top-ranked Dean Heil’s 55-match win streak at 141 pounds. Tuesday marked the fifth time the two have met. Heil held a 4-0 record against Meredith going into the match, including three in regular-season duals and once in the 2016 NCAA final and 2017 Big 12 final.

Heil got the scoreboard first with an escape in the first period. Meredith tied the score at 1-1 with an escape of his own in the third period to send the match to overtime. The two tussled in a wild scramble for much of the 1-minute sudden-victory period, but no points were awarded. The match went to 30-second riding time periods, where Meredith rode out Heil then was able to escape in second period for the win in front of his hometown crowd.

Wyoming opened the dual with three consecutive wins, starting with Sam Turner knocking off No. 8 Geo Martinez in a 4-3 decision at 149 pounds. Turner grabbed third-period takedown with 50 seconds remaining and he rode out Martinez for the victory to send the Wyoming faithful into a frenzy.

At 157, Wyoming doubled its lead after No. 17 Archie Colgan beat Jonce Blaylock 3-1. Wyoming’s No. 15 Branson Ashworth kept the momentum going with a takedown in the final 30 seconds to stun No. 5 Chandler Rogers 5-2 at 165 as the gym reached a fever pitch.

But then No. 12 Jacobe Smith delivered for OSU.

Smith trailed Wyoming’s Kyle Pope 4-3 entering the third period, and escaped early to tie the match. Pope answered with a takedown, but Smith slipped away and grabbed a takedown for a 7-6 advantage. Pope would again find his way to his feet on an escape, but Smith claimed a 8-7 decision with 1 minute, 23 seconds of riding time.

OSU went on to win the next four matches, including three by bonus points.

Keegan Moore bounced back from his loss Monday at Northern Colorado with a 8-7 decision over Chaz Polson at 184. In the next bout, No. 4 Preston Weigel posted the first bonus-point win of the dual with five takedowns and three nearfalls for a 15-0 technical fall over Cody Vigoren. At heavyweight, No. 8 Derek White recorded a 17-2 tech fall over Hunter Mullins and No. 3 Nick Piccininni had a 15-1 major decision against Drake Foster.

OSU’s No. 3 Kaid Brock scored four takedowns against No. 20 Montorie Bridges, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a 6-0 first-period deficit in a 11-10 loss.

Top Cowboys

OSU coach John Smith improved to 11-0 against Wyoming head coach Mark Branch, who won two NCAA titles under Smith’s tutelage. OSU also remains undefeated against Wyoming with a 22-0-1 all-time record.

Up next

OSU is off for winter break until Jan. 5, when they travel to Naples, Italy, for a dual against North Carolina State.

No. 3 Oklahoma State 20, Wyoming 15
Dec. 19 | Storey Gymnasium | Cheyenne, Wyoming

149: Sam Turner (WYO) dec. No. 8 Geo Martinez (OSU), 4-3
157: No. 17 Archie Colgan (WYO) dec. Jonce Blaylock (OSU), 3-1
165: No. 15 Branson Ashworth (WYO) dec. No. 5 Chandler Rogers (OSU), 5-2
174: No. 12 Jacobe Smith (OSU) dec. Kyle Pope (WYO), 8-7
184: Keegan Moore (OSU) dec. Chaz Polson (WYO), 8-7
197: No. 4 Preston Weigel (OSU) tech. fall Cody Vigoren (WYO), 15-0
285: No. 8 Derek White (OSU) tech. fall Hunter Mullins (WYO), 17-2
125: No. 3 Nick Piccininni (OSU) MD Drake Foster (WYO), 15-1
133: No. 20 Montorie Bridges (WYO) dec. No. 3 Kaid Brock (OSU), 11-10
141: No. 4 Bryce Meredith (WYO) dec. No. 1 Dean Heil (OSU), 2-1 OT2