Weigel returns to Oklahoma State lineup, Cowboys defeat Northern Colorado 33-4

GREELEY, Colo. – 2017 All-American Preston Weigel is back on the mat for Oklahoma State and looking solid, helping the No. 3 Cowboys to a 33-4 win over Northern Colorado on Monday night at Bank of Colorado Arena in Greeley, Colo. The Cowboys won nine of the night’s 10 bouts.

Monday marked the first time this season that Weigel has wrestled after suffering an injury that forced him to sit out the first half of the year.

“It was nice to see him in the lineup because it was an injury that scared us all,” Oklahoma State head coach John Smith said. “It was good to see him bounce back so quickly. We really like having another All-American in the lineup.”

Wiegel, wrestling at 197 pounds, took on No. 19 Jacob Seely, a two-time U.S. Junior National Team member.

After a scoreless first period, Seely chose to start the second period in the neutral position. It was Weigel, who was first on the board with a takedown to hold a 2-0 lead heading into the third period, where he picked top.

Weigel put up a full-period rideout, coupled with a four-point nearfall for a 7-0 victory.

“I’m feeling really good coming back from this injury,” Weigel said. “It sucks sitting out and I don’t think anyone wants to do it. I trained hard through it and I don’t feel like I lost anything. I feel like I picked up where I left off from last year.”

At 149 pounds, it was a battle between Colorado natives to close out the dual as No. 10 Geo Martinez of Oklahoma State and Northern Colorado’s Jimmy Fate went head-to-head.

Martinez, a 2016 All-American for Boise State and OSU transfer, is a product of Colorado Springs, while Fate hails from Berthoud.

In his return home, Martinez went on to tally a win in front of friends and family with a 13-1 major decision.

“I’m from here and I’ve wrestled in this gym many times since I was a freshman in high school, so it was cool,” Martinez said. “It’s nice to be in a familiar place and I’ve got my family here watching, so it was really good.”

Oklahoma State picked up four other wins by bonus points, including pins from Dean Heil and Chandler Rogers, a technical fall from Nick Piccininni and a major decision from Derek White.

Two-time NCAA champion Heil and 2017 All-American Rogers spent a combined 2:08 on the mat on Monday. Heil pinned Ben Polkowske with a cradle at 141, and Roger snaked Keilan Torres to his back for the pin at 165.

Tomorrow, top-ranked Heil will take on No. 4 Bryce Meredith in a dual against Wyoming.

Ranked No. 3 in the country, Piccininni racked up 16 points in the first period for the tech fall at 125 pounds, thanks to an early takedown and four sets of back points.

At heavyweight, No. 8 White breezed past Robert Winters with a 12-4 victory.

Decisions for the Cowboys came from Kaid Brock at 133, Jonce Blaylock at 157 and Jacobe Smith at 174.

At 133 pounds, 2017 All-American and third-ranked Brock escaped Rico Montoya in a 9-8 match that was decided on riding time.

Northern Colorado earned its lone win of the night at 184 pounds as Dylan Gabel scored 10 points on OSU’s Keegan Moore in a major decision victory.

Oklahoma State returns to action tomorrow night in Cheyenne, Wyo., taking on the Wyoming Cowboys at 7 p.m. MT.

No. 3 Oklahoma State 33, Northern Colorado 4

at Greeley, Colo. (Bank of Colorado Arena)

*Dual started at 157 pounds
157: Jonce Blaylock (OSU) dec. Tyler Kinn (UNC), 9-3
165: No. 6 Chandler Rogers (OSU) win by fall Keilan Torres (UNC), 0:54
174: No. 10 Jacobe Smith (OSU) dec. Seth Boguski (UNC), 6-4
184: Dylan Gabel (UNC) MD Keegan Moore (OSU), 10-1
197: No. 4 Preston Weigel (OSU) dec. No. 19 Jacob Seeley (UNC), 7-0
285: No. 8 Derek White (OSU) MD Robert Winters (UNC), 12-4
125: No. 3 Nick Piccininni (OSU) TF Sean Cannon (UNC), 16-0; 2:22
133: No. 3 Kaid Brock (OSU) dec. Rico Montoya (UNC), 9-8
141: No. 1 Dean Heil (OSU) fall Ben Polkowske (UNC), 1:14
149: No. 10 Geo Martinez (OSU) MD Jimmy Fate (UNC), 13-1