Oklahoma State wrestling: Cowboys secure 8th straight Big 12 Championship

The Oklahoma State wrestling team locked up its eighth straight Big 12 Championship after three sessions with 135.5 points and a 27-point lead over Iowa State on Sunday at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

OSU’s run of eight-straight conference tournament titles is the longest streak in Big 12 wrestling history, and matches the program’s longest stretch of consecutive conference tournament titles since 1921-1928.

The Cyclones hold a seven-point lead over Northern Iowa (101.5), and South Dakota State (94) and North Dakota State (86.5) round out the top five.

The Cowboys went 9-0 during the third session with four third-place winners and OSU true freshman Reece Witcraft took seventh with a 22-7 technical fall against West Virginia’s Lucas Seibert at 133.

Fourth-seed Dusty Hone (141), No. 5 Joe Smith (174), No. 2 Anthony Montalvo (184) and No. 5 Dakota Geer (197) all took third.

Smith led 7-0 before No. 3 Samuel Colbray of Iowa State defaulted due to a knee injury from a mat return. Geer scored a 17-0 technical fall in 3:46 against No. 7 Jacob Seeley of Northern Colorado.

Hone and North Dakota State’s Dylan Droegemueller each had a takedown in the first and second periods, and exchanged reversals in the third then Hone escaped for the 6-4 win with riding time. Montalvo had two takedowns late and locked in riding time to pull away with an 11-7 decision against No. 4 Alan Clothier of UNC.

OSU’s four finalists this year include Nick Piccininni (125), Boo Lewallen (149), Wyatt Sheets (157) and Travis Wittlake (165). Piccininni will try to become OSU’s sixth four-time Big 12 champion and Lewallen seeks his second Big 12 title.

The nine Cowboys have earned automatic qualifying bids to the NCAA tournament, which beings March 19-21 at U.S Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Big 12 finals begin at 6 p.m. Sunday on Fox Sports Oklahoma.

Finals

125: No. 1 Nick Piccininni (OSU) vs. No. 3 Alex Mackall (ISU)

133: No. 3 Cameron Sykora (NDSU) vs. No. 8 Mosha Schwartz (UNCO)

141: No. 1 Dom Demas (OU) vs. No. 2 Ian Parker (ISU)

149: No. 1 Boo Lewallen (OSU) vs. No. 2 Henry Pohlmeyer (SDSU)

157: No. 1 David Carr (ISU) vs. No. 3 Wyatt Sheets (OSU)

165: No. 1 Travis Wittlake (OSU) vs. No. 2 Andrew Fogarty (NDSU)

184: No. 1 Taylor Lujan (UNI) vs. No. 3 Zach Carlson (SDSU)

197: No. 1 Noah Adams (WVU) vs. No. 2 Tanner Sloan (SDSU)

285: No. 2 Gannon Gremmel (ISU) vs. No. 5 Brian Andrews (WYO)

OSU results

Third-place matches

141: No. 4 Dusty Hone (OSU) dec. Dylan Droegemueller (NDSU), 6-4

174: No. 5 Joe Smith (OSU) INF No. 3 Samuel Colbray (ISU)

184: No. 2 Anthony Montalvo (OSU) dec. No. 4 Alan Clothier (UNCO), 11-7

197: No. 5 Dakota Geer (OSU) TF No. 7 Jacob Seely (UNCO), 17-0 in 3:46

Seventh-place match

133: No. 6 Reece Witcraft (OSU) TF Lucas Seibert (WVU), 22-7 in 7:00

Consolation semifinals

141: No. 4 Dusty Hone (OSU) dec. No. 7 Clay Carlson (SDSU), 4-2

174: No. 5 Joe Smith (OSU) dec. No. 6 Hayden Hastings (WYO), 5-2

184: No. 2 Anthony Montalvo (OSU) dec. No. 5 Marcus Coleman (ISU), 10-4

197: No. 5 Dakota Geer (OSU) dec. No. 3 Jake Woodley (OU), 8-2