Rosholt Named National Wrestler of the Week
STILLWATER, Okla. – Oklahoma State wrestler Blake Rosholt was honored as the national wrestler of the week by themat.com, it was announced today.
Rosholt provided the key spark in Oklahoma State’s 22-12 dual victory over No. 8 Oklahoma when he 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 action 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.
“You look at Blake’s match, and he did a pretty good job,” coach John 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 entered the season as a hybrid 197-pounder or heavyweight, but was not expected to see much varsity action with returning All-Americans at both weight classes. When Cowboy 285-pounder Alan Gelogaev succumbed to injury in the first open tournament of the year, Rosholt was thrust into the starting spot and delivered his first career victory over a top-10 wrestler when he got the best of Fernandez on Sunday.
Updated 12-13-2010
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