No. 5 Oklahoma State beats OU in Bedlam dual, 31-6, with Dean Heil winning final home match
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by Roger Moore, Special to TheMat.com
STILLWATER, Okla. – Oklahoma State continued its dominance of a series that includes 177 meetings with a 31-6 win over Oklahoma inside Gallagher-Iba Arena on Sunday. The fifth-ranked Cowboys won 8 of 10 bouts and held their Bedlam rivals to single digits for the eighth time in the last 11 meetings.
Sunday’s dual also marked the final dual on home mats for two-time NCAA champion Dean Heil, who improved to 20-4 with a 15-6 major decision of Mike Longo at 141 pounds.
“I like to see (seniors) go out with a win, great memories and no regrets,” said OSU head coach John Smith, whose squad improved to 12-2. “We’ve had some fortune with our seniors as they’ve exited Gallagher.”
Heil’s final match at home gave him career victory No. 111 and tied him with Kendall Cross and Mark Munoz for 29th all-time on the program’s list.
“Yeah, on Friday it hadn’t hit me that these were my last two matches in Gallagher,” said Heil, a four-time Ohio state champion. “After the match Friday, it started to sink in a little bit. It really sank in before today’s dual.
“There was a lot of emotion. I’m done. That’s it.”
The Bedlam rivals have traditionally wrestled twice in a season dating back to World War II, but this year’s schedule included just one dual between the Oklahoma schools that have combined to win 41 NCAA titles – OSU 34, OU 7. OSU has won the last five meetings by a combined 164-26.
“We are not in a position to challenge at a few weight classes,” said second-year Sooner boss Lou Rosselli, who guided his squad to a win over his alma mater (Edinboro) on Saturday. “There were some good matches, and then there were some ugly matches. We’ve gotten better at a few weight classes, but the thing with us is that on days we’ve had guys perform well others have performed poorly; the whole group hasn’t wrestled together.
“It’s that time of the season where you better perform well or your season will be over.”
OSU, at Fresno State next Sunday, picked up a 40-second pin from Keegan Moore (14-7) at 184 pounds, a technical fall from heavyweight Derek White (19-2), and major decisions from Kaid Brock (22-2) at 133 pounds, Boo Lewallen (22-5) at 149 pounds, and Heil. It was Moore and Lewallen’s first appearance in Bedlam.
“It was awesome,” said Lewallen, a native of Yukon, just over an hour from Stillwater. “I’ve been coming to these duals since, I don’t know, maybe a third grade? It felt good to get out there as opposed to watching.”
Lewallen, a sophomore, dominated fellow Oklahoman Davion Jeffries, 13-4. The two had met a few times prior to Sunday.
“We’ve both worked hard to get to this point. Pretty special to get to wrestle a Bedlam match against each other,” Lewallen said. “(Jeffries) has always been a little funky so you have to stay focused with your attacks, can’t get caught with some of that loosy-goosy stuff.
“I’m feeling good right now, ready to open up and let loose.”
Moore, a native of Minnesota, opened his Bedlam career in style with a quick takedown and old-fashioned cross-face cradle.
“I looked over to Coach (Chris) Perry and said ‘were’d that come from? I didn’t know he had that cradle,” said Smith of his first-year 184-pounder. “When you are excited and ready to wrestle sometimes things come back to you.”
“I know about the history of Bedlam,” Moore said. “I had an uncle that played at OU and my dad grew up around here so it was really cool, my first experience.”
All-American Nick Piccininni (17-3) used a second-period turn to separate from Christian Moody in the opener won by the New Yorker, 8-2, at 125 pounds. Brock, Heil, and Lewallen’s wins made it 15-0.
Justin Thomas put the Sooners (8-10) on the board with a 7-2 decision of Jonce Blaylock at 157 pounds. The Cowboy 157-pounder never recovered from a first period leg injury and Thomas (21-14) controlled throughout.
John Smith’s squad is trying to get healthy with Jacobe Smith (174) and Preston Weigel (197) each on the mend; both are expected back for the Big 12 Championships in Tulsa March 3-4.
OU picked up its other victory at 174 pounds where Yoanse Mejias (26-6) beat Cowboy senior Hestin Lamons, 9-3.
At 197 pounds, Andrew Marsden (15-7), filling in for Weigel, bested Andrew Dixon, 9-6, rallying from a second period deficit with a late takedown and riding time. Marsden has been at 197 and 184 pounds this season and could be in a battle with Moore down the stretch for the starting nod at 184.
“I think so, it’s something that guys have to fight for,” Smith said of the ongoing battle at 184. “Andrew (Marsden) has been an important guy for us this year. Here he is trying to make the team at 184 and he’s back at 197 again with some more matches. It’s good to see guys not being selfish and doing what needs to be done for the team.
“(Jacobe Smith and Weigel) are out because they need to be out right now. We can’t take chances with the injuries they have. We expect them back on the mat for us.”
No. 5 Oklahoma State 31, Oklahoma 6
125-Nick Piccininni (OS) dec Christian Moody, 8-2
133-Kaid Brock (OS) maj dec Jake Rubio, 15-5
141-Dean Heil (OS) maj dec Mike Longo, 15-6
149-Boo Lewallen (OS) maj dec Davion Jeffries, 13-4
157-Justin Thomas (O) dec Jonce Blaylock, 7-2
165-Chandler Rogers (OS) dec Dewaylon Barnes, 8-2*
174-Yoanse Mejias (O) dec Hestin Lamons, 9-3
184-Keegan Moore (OS) pin Matthew Waddell, :40
197-Andrew Marsden (OS) dec Andrew Dixon, 9-6
285-Derek White (OS) tech fall Connor Webb, 21-6
*OSU deducted a team point after 165-pound match
Sunday’s dual also marked the final dual on home mats for two-time NCAA champion Dean Heil, who improved to 20-4 with a 15-6 major decision of Mike Longo at 141 pounds.
“I like to see (seniors) go out with a win, great memories and no regrets,” said OSU head coach John Smith, whose squad improved to 12-2. “We’ve had some fortune with our seniors as they’ve exited Gallagher.”
Heil’s final match at home gave him career victory No. 111 and tied him with Kendall Cross and Mark Munoz for 29th all-time on the program’s list.
“Yeah, on Friday it hadn’t hit me that these were my last two matches in Gallagher,” said Heil, a four-time Ohio state champion. “After the match Friday, it started to sink in a little bit. It really sank in before today’s dual.
“There was a lot of emotion. I’m done. That’s it.”
The Bedlam rivals have traditionally wrestled twice in a season dating back to World War II, but this year’s schedule included just one dual between the Oklahoma schools that have combined to win 41 NCAA titles – OSU 34, OU 7. OSU has won the last five meetings by a combined 164-26.
“We are not in a position to challenge at a few weight classes,” said second-year Sooner boss Lou Rosselli, who guided his squad to a win over his alma mater (Edinboro) on Saturday. “There were some good matches, and then there were some ugly matches. We’ve gotten better at a few weight classes, but the thing with us is that on days we’ve had guys perform well others have performed poorly; the whole group hasn’t wrestled together.
“It’s that time of the season where you better perform well or your season will be over.”
OSU, at Fresno State next Sunday, picked up a 40-second pin from Keegan Moore (14-7) at 184 pounds, a technical fall from heavyweight Derek White (19-2), and major decisions from Kaid Brock (22-2) at 133 pounds, Boo Lewallen (22-5) at 149 pounds, and Heil. It was Moore and Lewallen’s first appearance in Bedlam.
“It was awesome,” said Lewallen, a native of Yukon, just over an hour from Stillwater. “I’ve been coming to these duals since, I don’t know, maybe a third grade? It felt good to get out there as opposed to watching.”
Lewallen, a sophomore, dominated fellow Oklahoman Davion Jeffries, 13-4. The two had met a few times prior to Sunday.
“We’ve both worked hard to get to this point. Pretty special to get to wrestle a Bedlam match against each other,” Lewallen said. “(Jeffries) has always been a little funky so you have to stay focused with your attacks, can’t get caught with some of that loosy-goosy stuff.
“I’m feeling good right now, ready to open up and let loose.”
Moore, a native of Minnesota, opened his Bedlam career in style with a quick takedown and old-fashioned cross-face cradle.
“I looked over to Coach (Chris) Perry and said ‘were’d that come from? I didn’t know he had that cradle,” said Smith of his first-year 184-pounder. “When you are excited and ready to wrestle sometimes things come back to you.”
“I know about the history of Bedlam,” Moore said. “I had an uncle that played at OU and my dad grew up around here so it was really cool, my first experience.”
All-American Nick Piccininni (17-3) used a second-period turn to separate from Christian Moody in the opener won by the New Yorker, 8-2, at 125 pounds. Brock, Heil, and Lewallen’s wins made it 15-0.
Justin Thomas put the Sooners (8-10) on the board with a 7-2 decision of Jonce Blaylock at 157 pounds. The Cowboy 157-pounder never recovered from a first period leg injury and Thomas (21-14) controlled throughout.
John Smith’s squad is trying to get healthy with Jacobe Smith (174) and Preston Weigel (197) each on the mend; both are expected back for the Big 12 Championships in Tulsa March 3-4.
OU picked up its other victory at 174 pounds where Yoanse Mejias (26-6) beat Cowboy senior Hestin Lamons, 9-3.
At 197 pounds, Andrew Marsden (15-7), filling in for Weigel, bested Andrew Dixon, 9-6, rallying from a second period deficit with a late takedown and riding time. Marsden has been at 197 and 184 pounds this season and could be in a battle with Moore down the stretch for the starting nod at 184.
“I think so, it’s something that guys have to fight for,” Smith said of the ongoing battle at 184. “Andrew (Marsden) has been an important guy for us this year. Here he is trying to make the team at 184 and he’s back at 197 again with some more matches. It’s good to see guys not being selfish and doing what needs to be done for the team.
“(Jacobe Smith and Weigel) are out because they need to be out right now. We can’t take chances with the injuries they have. We expect them back on the mat for us.”
No. 5 Oklahoma State 31, Oklahoma 6
125-Nick Piccininni (OS) dec Christian Moody, 8-2
133-Kaid Brock (OS) maj dec Jake Rubio, 15-5
141-Dean Heil (OS) maj dec Mike Longo, 15-6
149-Boo Lewallen (OS) maj dec Davion Jeffries, 13-4
157-Justin Thomas (O) dec Jonce Blaylock, 7-2
165-Chandler Rogers (OS) dec Dewaylon Barnes, 8-2*
174-Yoanse Mejias (O) dec Hestin Lamons, 9-3
184-Keegan Moore (OS) pin Matthew Waddell, :40
197-Andrew Marsden (OS) dec Andrew Dixon, 9-6
285-Derek White (OS) tech fall Connor Webb, 21-6
*OSU deducted a team point after 165-pound match
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