The No. 4-ranked Oklahoma State wrestling team won five matches by bonus points and eight overall to coast to a 30-6 win over Drexel in the Cowboys’ first dual of the season Friday at Dasklakis Athletic Center in Philadelphia.
With the win, OSU coach John Smith moved into a tie with former Arizona State and Iowa State head coach Bobby Douglas for fifth on the all-time NCAA Division I coaching wins list with 428 victories.
Fourth-ranked Nick Piccininni started the dual with a first-period 16-1 technical fall in 2:22 minutes at 125 pounds. Eighth-ranked Boo Lewallen, Wyatt Sheets, Anthony Montalvo and Dakota Geer all won by major decision.
Lewallen, who missed most of last season with shoulder injuries, looked like his old self by firing takedowns from each side and almost collecting near fall points on a far-side cradle attempt and a trap-arm tilt. Tied 3-3 after two periods, Sheets escaped then grabbed a takedown, a four-point nearfall and two more for a major decision. Montalvo was heavy with his hands and used a late surge in the third to pull away in his dual debut as a redshirt freshman. Geer, who was an All-American at 184 last season, bumped up to 197 and scored three third-period takedowns for a big win.
The most notable dual debut came from No. 25 Travis Wittlake, who upset No. 10 Ebed Jarell in a 5-1 decision with riding time at 165. Wittlake used an ankle pick for a first-period takedown and scored two points in the second with a quick escape and a stall call on Jarrell, who escaped in the third for the final score.
Dusty Hone (141) and Andrew Shomers (174) both won their bouts by decision while filling in for Kaden Gfeller and All-American Joe Smith, respectively. Shomers, who wrestled as low as 157 last season, scored a takedown with one second remaining in sudden victory for the win.
OSU’s two losses in the dual came at 133 and heavyweight with Cowboys making their dual debuts. Freshman Reece Witcraft gave up a first-period takedown and was ridden out the rest of the period then escaped in the second. Witcraft locked up with double underhooks in a quest to throw Chandler Olson, but the Broken Arrow product wasn’t able to do so in a 5-1 loss with riding time at 133. Redshirt sophomore heavyweight Austin Harris, who stepped in for Cornelius Putnam, and Drexel’s Sean O’Malley didn’t generate any offense in the first period. O’Malley reversed Harris with about 40 seconds left in the second then Harris escaped in the third, but couldn’t score again in a 2-1 loss.
What’s next?
OSU heads north to face No. 10 Lehigh at noon Saturday in Bethlehem, Penn. The dual will be broadcasted on the Patriot League Network.
No. 4 Oklahoma State 30, Drexel 6
125: No. 4 Nick Piccininni (OSU) def, Dante Mininno (DU), 16-1 TF 2:22
133: Chandler Olson (DU) dec. Reece Witcraft (OSU), 5-1 RT
141: Dusty Hone (OSU) dec. Tyler Williams (DU), 6-0 RT
149: No. 8 Boo Lewallen (OSU) major dec. Vincent Foggia (DU), 10-2 RT
157: Wyatt Sheets (OSU) major dec. Parker Kropman (DU), 13-3 RT
165: No. 25 Travis Wittlake (OSU) dec. No. 12 Ebed Jarell (DU), 5-1 RT
174: Andrew Shomers (OSU) dec. Michael O’Malley (DU), 4-2 SV1
184: Anthony Montalvo (OSU) major dec. Owen Brooks (DU), 14-3 RT
197: Dakota Geer (OSU) major dec. Bryan McLaughlin (DU), 16-7 RT
285: Sean O’Malley (DU) dec. Austin Harris (OSU), 2-1