Oklahoma State wrestling: No. 8 Cowboys get upset 19-15 at No. 20 Northern Iowa

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — Austin Harris ceded two takedowns in the third period to No. 11 Carter for a 5-2 loss as No. 8-ranked Oklahoma State wrestling team fell 19-15 to No. 20 Northern Iowa on Saturday at McLeod Center.

Harris and Isley each escaped 10 seconds into the second and third periods, respectively, to tie the heavyweight match 1-1. Isley then stuffed Harris’ takedown attempt and circled around to take a 3-1 lead 40 seconds into the third, but the undersized Harris escaped right away to make it 3-2. The Panther grappler then grabbed another takedown late to end OSU’s 18-dual winning streak in the series.

It’s OSU’s (7-2, 3-1 Big 12) first dual loss to UNI (5-3, 4-1) since a 21-16 loss Feb. 10, 1991 in Cedar Falls. The Cowboys are 27-3 in the all-time series against the Panthers with all three losses on the road. The loss ended OSU’s six-dual winning streak this season since its 21-20 loss on criteria at No. 10 Lehigh on Nov. 16.

No. 4 Nick Piccininni avoided a scare at 125 and scored two takedowns and a set of first-period near fall points to rally for a 9-6 win against Jacob Schwarm. Reece Witcraft looked to build OSU’s lead after a first-period takedown against Jack Skudlarczyk, but got turned in the second on a tilt and taken down twice in the third in a 10-5 loss to level the dual 3-3.

UNI took its first lead of the dual, 6-3, when Dusty Hone got caught too high on a tilt attempt and Michael Blockhus slipped out for a reversal with 25 seconds remaining in the third. Hone escaped and OSU head coach John Smith challenged for locked hands, but a review showed Blockhus had his wrist clasped and held on for a 4-3 win.

No. 3 Boo Lewallen tied the dual at 6-6 with a 5-2 win against No. 12 Max Thomsen at 149. Lewallen scored two near fall on a tilt in the second, but was called for stalling twice in the third. The Cowboy responded out of the break with a takedown with 13 seconds remaining to remain undefeated.

At 157, Wyatt Sheets scored a low single takedown and took a 7-6 lead against Keaton Geerts on stall call in the third, then let Geerts loose and was unable to secure a takedown off an ankle pick in a 8-6 loss as UNI took a 9-6 lead into the intermission.

Down 9-6 at the intermission, No. 9 Travis Wittlake put the Cowboys up by one with six takedowns and riding time for a 14-5 major decision against Austin Yant at 165 pounds. No. 12 Joe Smith followed and dropped his season dual debut to No. 5 Bryce Steiert by 13-2 major decision after the Panther wrestler had a six-point swing in the second period for a 13-10 UNI dual lead.

Anthony Montalvo held off a bonus-point win at 184 by No. 4 Taylor Lujan, who had a takedown in the first and escaped in the second then tacked on riding time for 4-0 win.

No. 11 Dakota Geer pulled the Cowboys within 16-15 with a 20-4 technical fall in 5:29 against Nolan Glaser. Geer turned Glaser to his back with a tilt in the second period near the OSU corner, but wasn’t able to secure the fall to tie the dual then Isley won it at heavyweight.

What’s next

The Cowboys make the 96-mile drive southwest to Ames to visit No. 16 Iowa State (5-3, 2-0) at 2 p.m. Sunday at Hilton Coliseum.

No. 20 Northern Iowa 19, No. 8 Oklahoma State 15

125: No. 4 Nick Piccininni (OSU) DEC Jacob Schwarm (UNI), 9-6

133: Jack Skudlarczyk (UNI) DEC Reece Witcraft (OSU), 10-5

141: Michael Blockhus (UNI) DEC Dusty Hone (OSU), 4-3

149: No. 3 Boo Lewallen (OSU) DEC No. 12 Max Thomsen (UNI), 5-2

157: Keaton Geerts (UNI) DEC Wyatt Sheets (OSU), 8-6

165: No. 9 Travis Wittlake (OSU) MD Austin Yant (UNI), 14-5

174: No. 5 Bryce Steiert (UNI) MD No. 12 Joe Smith (OSU), 13-2

184: No. 4 Taylor Lujan (UNI) DEC Anthony Montalvo (OSU), 4-0

197: No. 11 Dakota Geer (OSU) TF Nolan Glaser (UNI), 20-4 in 5:29

285: No. 11 Carter Isley (UNI) DEC Austin Harris (OSU), 5-2