No. 2 Cowboy Wrestling Drops No. 8 Oklahoma, 22-12
STILLWATER, Okla. – Fueled by a pair of upset victories from freshmen Chris Perry and Blake Rosholt and resounding bonus-point victories from returning All-Americans Jordan Oliver and Clayton Foster, the Oklahoma State wrestling team handed Bedlam Series rival Oklahoma a 22-12 defeat in front of 4,449 fans in Gallagher-Iba Arena Sunday.
The win improved the second-ranked Cowboys to 3-0 on the year, with two of those wins coming over teams ranked in the top 10. No. 8 Oklahoma fell to 5-1 in defeat.
“I look at it as a good win, and a good win for several freshmen,” OSU coach John Smith said. “I am not going to be too hard on their performances, but a few of them, it didn’t cut it tonight.”
With the dual starting at 184 pounds, Perry had a chance to avenge his loss earlier in the season to No. 12 Erich Schmidtke, and he did so by a comfortable 6-1 margin. Perry bagged a takedown with 51 seconds left in the first period and rode the Sooner out for the rest of the period. Perry opened the second period with a quick escape to build his advantage to 3-0, then after Schmidtke got on the board with an escape to start the third, Perry added a final takedown and riding time to seal his 6-1 win.
“First time I had ever started a dual off. I’d never had that experience,” Perry said. “I think this time, I talked to some of our coaches just about controlling your emotions before a match. Just relax and don’t hype it up; you can exhaust yourself. I felt like I handled it pretty well. I was calm. I felt like my conditioning was there. My legs were underneath me. It’s fun. It’s still fun. You have to stay focused, but I felt good.”
Foster followed Perry’s upset win with a demoralizing 14-3 major decision win over Keldrick Hall that put the Cowboys up in the dual by a 7-0 score and put the Sooners into a bad situation. Foster took Hall down five times, and Hall was also slapped for stalling twice.
The key moment of the dual came at heavyweight, however, where the unranked Rosholt scored a 4-3 upset win over No. 8 Nathan Fernandez. Rosholt — who weighed in at 214 pounds — was giving up approximately 55 pounds to the highly-favored Fernandez, but controlled the bout from the start. Rosholt bagged the first takedown of the bout in the first period and nearly turned Fernandez to his back twice before getting hit for locking his hands and then yielding an escape. With the score deadlocked at two going into the second period, Fernandez took his first lead with an escape 23 seconds in. The third period started with Rosholt in the down position. The weight differential figured to be an issue in that circumstance, but the Cowboy hit a switch with 25 seconds left to score a reversal. Riding time was no factor, so the reversal proved to be the difference in the freshman’s big win.
“It’s a big win for me, for sure. It’s definitely my best one yet,” Rosholt said. “It’s only my third match to really come out and prove myself in a weight that I am a little bit small for.”
Smith said Rosholt’s win could springboard him into bigger things.
“You look at Blake’s match, and he did a pretty good job,” Smith said. “As far as the first takedown of the match, it was an important takedown. He pretty much out-wrestled him in the first period, but then it ended up 2-2. Obviously, the reversal in the third period is something you don’t see very often out of heavyweights. He’s got a big upside to him and he wrestled a wrestler that has been wrestling well this year and who is hot, coming off wrestling well in Las Vegas. It should give him a real boost.”
Rosholt’s win gave the Pokes a commanding 10-0 lead in the dual, but after No. 6 Jarrod Patterson of Oklahoma nipped No. 7 Jon Morrison at 125 pounds, the OSU advantage was trimmed to 10-3.
That is where Oliver put things out of reach by pinning Jordan Keller in 3:51. Oliver bagged a quick takedown and had Keller on his back for two three-point nearfalls in the first period. Keller elected to start the second period in the neutral position, but Oliver turned him to his back again and eventually scored the pin to put the Cowboys up in the dual, 16-3 and suck the life out of any Sooner comeback.
“I think that after Blake, the only one that was motivated by it was Oliver,” Smith said. “He goes out and gets two first-period cradles and puts the guy to his back. The guy had some serious flexibility to get out of them, but then he hooked him back up and gets the pin in the second period.”
The Pokes and Sooners traded wins by decision for the rest of the way, but the bout was out of reach at that point.
The Cowboys break for final exams, then return to action when they travel to Tempe, Ariz., to face Arizona State at 8 p.m. CST on Jan. 2.
No. 2 Oklahoma State 22, No. 8 Oklahoma 12 (Final)
Officials: Kenny Ritchie and Pat Fitzgerald | Attendance: 4,449
Bout Results (Dual Started at 184 pounds)
184: No. 17 Chris Perry (OSU) dec. No. 12 Erich Schmidtke (OU); 6-1
197: No. 5 Clayton Foster (OSU) MD Keldrick Hall (OU); 14-3
285: Blake Rosholt (OSU) dec. No. 8 Nathan Fernandez (OU); 4-3
125: No. 6 Jarrod Patterson (OU) dec. No. 7 Jon Morrison (OSU); 2-1
133: No. 1 Jordan Oliver (OSU) fall Jordan Keller (OU); 3:51
141: No. 6 Zack Bailey (OU) dec. No. 19 Luke Silver (OSU); 8-5
149: No. 9 Jamal Parks (OSU) dec. Nick Lester (OU); 5-2
157: Matt Lester (OU) dec. No. 15 Albert White (OSU); 1-0
165: No. 13 Dallas Bailey (OSU) dec. Chase Nelson (OU); 2-1
174: No. 5 Tyler Caldwell (OU) dec. No. 13 Mike Benefiel (OSU); 3-0
Bout Play-by-Plays
184: No. 17 Chris Perry (OSU) dec. No. 12 Erich Schmidtke (OU); 6-1
First Period
0:51 Perry takedown (2-0)
0:00 End period
Second Period
Perry chose down
1:42 Perry escape (3-0)
0:00 End period
Third Period
Schmidtke chose down
1:40 Schmidtke stall warning
1:18 Schmidtke escape (3-1)
0:06 Perry takedown (5-1)
0:00 End match
— 1:17 riding time added for Perry (6-1)
197: No. 5 Clayton Foster (OSU) MD Keldrick Hall (OU); 14-3
First Period
1:00 Hall stall warning
0:32 Foster takedown (2-0)
0:00 End period
Second Period
Foster chose down
1:54 Foster escape (3-0)
1:44 Foster takedown (5-0)
0:46 Hall cautioned on the start
0:39 Hall escape (5-1)
0:22 Foster takedown (7-1)
0:16 Hall cautioned on the start
0:02 Hall stalling (8-1)
0:00 End period
Third Period
Hall chose down
1:52 Hall escape (8-2)
1:27 Foster takedown (10-2)
0:48 Hall escape (10-3)
0:34 Hall stalling (11-3)
0:16 Foster takedown (13-3)
0:00 End match
— 2:53 riding time added for Foster (14-3)
285: Blake Rosholt dec. No. 8 Nathan Fernandez (OU); 4-3
First Period
2:30 Rosholt takedown (2-0)
1:14 Technical violation: Locked hands on Rosholt, point Fernandez (2-1)
1:06 Fernandez escape (2-2)
0:00 End period
Second Period
Fernandez chose down
1:37 Fernandez escape (2-3)
0:00 End period
Third Period
Rosholt chose down
1:25 Rosholt cautioned on the start
0:25 Rosholt reversal (4-3)
0:00 End match
125: No. 6 Jarrod Patterson (OU) dec. No. 7 Jon Morrison (OSU); 2-1
First Period
Scoreless period
0:00 End period
Second Period
Patterson chose down
1:12 Patterson escape (0-1)
0:01 Patterson stall warning
0:00 End period
Third Period
Morrison chose down
1:12 Technical violation: Locked hands on Patterson, Point Morrison (1-1)
0:55 Patterson cautioned on the start
0:55 Morrison cautioned on the start
0:00 End match
— 1:04 riding time added for Patterson (1-2)
133: No. 1 Jordan Oliver (OSU) fall Jordan Keller (OU); 3:51
First Period
2:15 Oliver takedown (2-0)
1:17 Oliver nearfall 3 (5-0)
0:13 Oliver nearfall 3 (8-0)
0:13 Keller escape (8-1)
Second Period
Keller chose a neutral start
1:45 Oliver takedown (10-1)
1:09 Oliver fall, end match
141: No. 6 Zack Bailey (OU) dec. No. 19 Luke Silver (OSU); 8-5
First Period
2:14 Bailey takedown (0-2)
1:19 Silver escape (1-2)
0:00 End period
Second Period
Bailey chose down
1:42 Bailey escape (1-3)
0:35 Silver stall warning
0:33 Bailey takedown (1-5)
0:01 Silver reversal (3-5)
0:00 End period
Third Period
Silver chose down
0:53 Silver escape (4-5)
0:24 Bailey takedown (4-7)
0:21 Silver escape (5-7)
0:00 End match
— 2:20 riding time added for Bailey (5-8)
149: No. 9 Jamal Parks (OSU) dec. Nick Lester (OU); 5-2
First Period
2:23 Parks takedown (2-0)
0:00 End period
Second Period
Lester chose down
1:23 Lester escape (2-1)
0:00 End period
Third Period
Parks chose a neutral start
1:51 Parks takedown (4-1)
1:40 Lester escape (4-2)
0:32 Parks stall warning
0:00 End match
— 3:11 riding time added for Parks (5-2)
157: Matt Lester (OU) dec. No. 15 Albert White (OSU); 1-0
First Period
Scoreless period
0:00 End period
Second Period
Lester chose down
1:05 Lester escape (0-1)
0:00 End period
Third Period
White chose a neutral start
Scoreless period
0:00 End match
165: No. 13 Dallas Bailey (OSU) dec. Chase Nelson (OU); 2-1
First Period
Scoreless period
0:00 End period
Second Period
Bailey chose down
1:33 Bailey reversal (2-0)
0:07 Nelson escape (2-1)
0:00 End period
Third Period
Nelson chose a neutral start
Scoreless period
0:00 End match
174: No. 5 Tyler Caldwell (OU) dec. No. 13 Mike Benefiel (OSU); 3-0
First Period
Scoreless period
0:00 End period
Second Period
Caldwell chose down
1:50 Caldwell escape (0-1)
0:57 Caldwell takedown (0-3)
0:00 End period
Third Period
Benefiel chose a neutral start
Scoreless period
0:00 End match
Bedlam Wrestling OSU Post-Game Quotes
John Smith, OSU Head Coach
On Blake Rosholt’s match
“You look at Blake’s match, and he did a pretty good job. As far as the first takedown of the match, it was an important takedown. He pretty much out-wrestled him in the first period, but then it ended up 2-2. Obviously, the reversal in the third period is something you don’t see very often out of heavyweights. He’s got a big upside to him and he wrestled a wrestler that has been wrestling well this year and who is hot, coming off wrestling well in Las Vegas. It should give him a real boost. It should encourage him to do everything right now and make sure that he maintains his weight. So there is a great bit of discipline in keeping your weight up, believe it or not. It is not easy when you are training. So a good win for him.”
On the mistakes that were made
“The only disappointment I had was that in five weights we didn’t score any takedowns. From 141 to 174, outside of the one takedown from Jamal Parks, it is just not enough. It tells me that we have a lot of work ahead of us and we need to make sure that we continue to have the challenges that we need in the room.”
On Chris Perry’s work ethic
“I did a lot of work with him prior to the match. Chris has got a little bit of a habit and he is just kind of all over the place. He is getting ready two hours before the meet, warming up, and so he is burning calories and burning weight constantly. So I just sat him down, slowed him up a little bit, and I worked with him a little bit on his preparation. I think it helped tonight. It was a tough, tough match.”
On Rosholt’s win swinging momentum
“I think that after Blake, the only one that was motivated by it was Oliver. He goes out and gets two first-period cradles and puts the guy to his back. The guy had some serious flexibility to get out of them, but then he hooked him back up and gets the pin in the second period. In the end, I look at it as a good win, and a good win for several freshmen. I am not going to be too hard on their performances, but a few of them, it didn’t cut it tonight.”
Chris Perry
On the importance of starting the dual off with a win
“I felt like it was real important. Last week, I felt like my preparation for the match was not as good as it needed to be, mentally before the match. I felt, this time being the first out, I was excited again. I was also excited last week. It’s huge and you’ve got to lead the team off, especially in a big rivalry dual like that, starting out with a win is huge. It gets momentum moving and everything ends up flowing in the right direction.”
On wrestling smarter against Erich Schmidtke than he did in his previous loss to him
“I worked on a lot of things. Not necessarily smarter, but I changed a lot of habits, bad habits I was creating for myself after I lost to him and I lost last week in Minnesota. I made some huge changes and even making them in one week has helped me. I feel like, defensively, for me to improve, I feel like I have to make those strides every day or every week.”
On how excited was before the Bedlam match started
“To be honest with you, it was the same way it was in Minnesota too, because I got excited. I was like, ‘Wow, I’m going to start it off.’ First time I had ever started a dual off. I’d never had that experience. I think this time, I talked to some of our coaches just about controlling your emotions before a match. Just relax and don’t hype it up; you can exhaust yourself. I felt like I handled it pretty well. I was calm. I felt like my conditioning was there. My legs were underneath me. It’s fun. It’s still fun. You have to stay focused, but I felt good.”
Blake Rosholt
On his win
“It’s a big win for me, for sure. It’s definitely my best one yet. It’s only my third match to really come out and prove myself in a weight that I am a little bit small for.”
On if he felt he could get the deciding reversal
“I got to my feet a few times and he put me back down. It got to the point where it felt like I could make my move and I did.”
On what it felt like to hear the crowd after he won
“It was great. It was fun.”
Updated 12-13-2010
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