No. 2 Oklahoma State wrestling shuts out Air Force, 39-0

The No. 2-ranked Oklahoma State wrestling team improve to 13-0 with a 39-0 shut out of Air Force on Friday night at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater.

OSU racked up six bonus-point victories, including a fall by No. 2-ranked heavyweight Derek White. Daton Fix, ranked No. 2 at 133 pounds, and 157-pounder Wyatt Sheets scored technical fall wins, while No. 8 Jacobe Smith (184), No. 14 Kaid Brock (141) and No. 5 Kaden Gfeller (149) each had wins by major decision.

Returns

Redshirt seniors Chandler Rogers and Preston Weigel both made their returns after being sidelined with injuries.

Rogers, who has been out since the Southern Scuffle in January with an ankle injury, started the dual at 165. He threw Jacoby Ward to the mat for a first-period takedown then allowed an escape for a 2-1 lead after one. Ward turned the two-time All-American for a two-point nearfall midway through the second before Rogers escaped to tie it 3-3. Ward scored an escape with 40 seconds left in the match, but Rogers took him down and gained a riding time point for a 6-4 decision.

Weigel, who was sporting a black sleeve on his right leg, made his return to the mat for the first time since Dec. 8 against Bedlam rival, Oklahoma. The 2017 All-American escaped less than 10 seconds into the second period against Anthony McLaughlin for a 1-0 lead. Weigel then rode out McLaughlin the entire third period for a 2-0 decision with riding time.

Dual debut

Redshirt freshman Christian Bahl substituted into the lineup for No. 7 Joe Smith, who lost back-to-back matches against top-10 opponents last weekend, at 174 pounds.

Bahl had a back-and-forth match with Randy Meneweather II that saw the Stillwater High product score a takedown in the final minute for a 4-3 win.

Dominating Derek

White scored nine takedowns and 19 points overall against Kayne Hutchinson before locking up a cradle for the fall at 6:20 in the third period. It was White’s seventh fall this season and fourth in dual action.

Piccininni gets pushed

Nick Piccinni found himself in an unfamiliar spot — trailing. The No. 4-ranked wrestler at 125 gave up a takedown to start the first and third periods, but pushed the action and scored three takedowns of his own in the final minute of the match for a 13-6 decision to push his undefeated record to 25-0.

Up next

The Cowboys face No. 5 Missouri, a former Big 12 foe that now wrestles as an affiliate member in the Mid-American Conference, on Feb. 16 in Columbia, Missouri.

No. 2 Oklahoma State 39, Air Force 0

165: No. 10 Chandler Rogers (OSU) dec. Jacoby Ward (AF), 6-4
174: Christian Bahl (OSU) dec. Randy Meneweather II (AF), 4-3
184: No. 8 Jacobe Smith (OSU) MD Jacob Thompson (AF), 14-3
197: Preston Weigel (OSU) dec. Anthony McLaughlin (AF), 2-0
285: No. 2 Derek White (OSU) fall Kayne Hutchison (AF), 6:20
125: No. 4 Nick Piccininni (OSU) dec. Sidney Flores (AF), 13-6
133: No. 2 Daton Fix (OSU) TF Anthony DeCesare (AF), 18-2, 3:47
141: No. 14 Kaid Brock (OSU) MD Garrett O`Shea (AF), 15-2
149: No. 5 Kaden Gfeller (OSU) MD Alec Opsal (AF), 12-3
157: Wyatt Sheets (OSU) TF Alex Mossing (AF), 18-3, 7:00
*OSU deducted one team point for bench penalty