The No. 7-ranked Oklahoma State wrestling team won six of 10 bouts, including a fall by freshman 133-pounder Reece Witcraft in a 21-12 win over No. 12 Minnesota on Sunday at Gallagher-Iba Arena. With the win, OSU’s John Smith became the fifth all-time winningest Division 1 coach at 428 victories.
Trailing Brent Jones 8-1 in the first period, Witcraft received a point for locked hands violation and 38 seconds back on the clock after an official review. Witcraft trimmed the deficit to 8-5 with an escape and takedown to enter the second period. He escaped from bottom then locked up a cradle off a single-leg takedown for the fall at 3:56 to send 5,324 of the OSU (2-1) faithful into a frenzy.
#OKState freshman Reece Witcraft with a pin in his first match at Gallagher-Iba Arena. You love to see it. pic.twitter.com/8UZmLPBorj
— Brandon (@brandonmcain) November 24, 2019
Fourth-ranked Mitch McKee of Minnesota put the Golden Gophers (1-2) on the scoreboard with a 10-5 decision over Dusty Hone, who made his third straight start in place of Kaden Gfeller. With the match tied 4-4 to start the third, McKee scored a takedown then Hone fought off the pin to avoid the Gopher getting bonus points.
The top-10 undefeated showdown between No. 6 Boo Lewallan and No. 10 Brayton Lee at 149 pounds lived up to its billing. Lee scored a late takedown with less than 30 seconds remaining in the second period to tie it 3-3. Lee choose bottom to start the third, and Lewallen turned him for a four-point near fall and rode out the period for a 8-3 win.
Wyatt Sheets and redshirt freshman Travis Wittlake followed suit with big third-period efforts. Sheets scored a double leg takedown and four-point turn for an 8-1 decision over Carson Brolsma for OSU to take a 15-3 intermission lead. Wittlake, ranked No. 15 at 165, escaped five seconds into the third then scored on a single leg takedown for a 5-3 win over Bailee O’Reilly in his GIA dual debut.
Holy Sheets! #OKState Wyatt Sheets with a powerful double leg takedown. pic.twitter.com/NHhQ2DRsLr
— Brandon (@brandonmcain) November 24, 2019
OSU dropped back-to-back matches at 174 and 184 for the Gophers to trim the deficit to 18-9. Andrew Shomers, who is up a weight for two-time All-American Joe Smith, fell 5-2 to No. 10 Devin Skatzka in a match the Gopher rode out Shomers for nearly two entire periods. At 184, No. 18 Anthony Montalvo dropped a 4-3 decision to Owen Webster. A takedown by Webster with 12 seconds in the second was the key moment in the match.
UPSET! Owen secures a huge second period takedown to knock off No.18 Anthony Montalvo! pic.twitter.com/9fE41dWhGn
— Minnesota Wrestling (@GopherWrestling) November 24, 2019
Returning All-American No. 10 Dakota Geer locked up the dual with a dominate 7-2 decision with two takedowns and riding time against Garrett Jones at 197. Austin Harris dropped the final bout 11-5 to Bobby Stevenson, who was in the lineup for his younger brother, Gable.
What’s next?
OSU has the week off for Thanksgiving break before hosting No. 14 Princeton at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7 at Gallagher-Iba Arena. The Tigers upset No. 7 Lehigh 18-14 on Saturday.
No. 7 Oklahoma State 21, No. 12 Minnesota 12
125: No. 4 Nick Piccininni (OSU) def. Pat McKee (UM), 3-2 DEC
133: Reece Witcraft (OSU) def. Brent Jones (UM), FALL 3:56
141: No. 4 Mitch McKee (UM) def. Dusty Hone (OSU), 10-5 DEC
149: No. 7 Boo Lewallen (OSU) def. No. 10 Brayton Lee (UM), 8-3 DEC
157: Wyatt Sheets (OSU) def. Carson Brolsma (UM), 8-1 DEC
165: No. 15 Travis Wittlake (OSU) def. Bailee O’Reilly (UM), 5-3 DEC
174: No. 10 Devin Skatzka (UM) def. Andrew Shomers (OSU), 5-2 DEC
184: Owen Webster (UM) def. No. 25 Anthony Montalvo (OSU), 4-3 DEC
197: No. 10 Dakota Geer (OSU) def. Garrett Joles (UM), 7-2 DEC
285: Bobby Steveson (UM) def. Austin Harris (OSU), 11-5 DEC