Pin by rookie Witcraft helps No. 7 Oklahoma State beat No. 12 Minnesota, 21-12
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by Roger Moore, Special to TheMat.com
Graphic courtesy of Oklahoma State athletics.
STILLWATER, Okla. – A rally from rookie Reece Witcraft and some strong third periods helped No. 7 Oklahoma State get by No. 12 Minnesota, 21-12, on Sunday afternoon at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
The Cowboys (2-1), coming off a road loss at Lehigh last weekend, got a tough 3-2 win by All-American Nick Piccininni (6-0) over Gopher rookie Pat McKee to start the dual. The visitors looked like they would take the lead moments later when 133-pounder Brent Jones caught Witcraft with a headlock and nearly scored a fall. But the true freshman weathered the storm and turned an ankle pick into a cradle and the hosts raced to a 9-0 lead after a pin at the 3:56 mark.
It was the home debut for a wrestler who anticipated a redshirt but was called into duty with 2019 NCAA finalist and World Team member Daton Fix taking an Olympic redshirt and an injury to All-American Kaid Brock.
“I didn’t expect the pin, just wanted to wrestle hard,” said Witcraft (5-1), who won two Oklahoma state titles for Broken Arrow High School. “Been training my whole life for this. It’s a dream come true. I never felt so happy in my life.
“Just keep on wrestling. I put myself in a bad situation but I still have to keep wrestling.”
A bout later, at 141 pounds, All-American Mitch McKee (11-0) nearly returned the favor when he put Dusty Hone on his back in the third period of a 10-5 win. Hone kept his shoulders off the mat and UM (1-2) continued a day of near misses.
“You like to see scoring points in the third,” said OSU boss John Smith, who moved into fourth on the Division I wins list with 428 (J Robinson sits in third at 440, only 176 behind Oregon State legend Dale Thomas. “We did a good job today. I think we had a few who were a bit surprising. For the most part, the battles, the matches we thought would be battles, we finished the match and got our hand raised.
“When you look (at 133) we go down 8-1 after you are getting ready to score a takedown, all of a sudden you get thrown to your back and give up six points. That can take a lot out of you. He came back quick and the momentum changed late in that first period. You have to create those opportunities and he found himself in a familiar position and scored a big fall. That’s a great way to start in front of a home crowd.”
O-State won six of the 10 bouts, three of them thanks to big final periods. Senior Boo Lewallen used a four-point turn in the final period to beat talented UM rookie Brayton Lee, 8-3, at 149 pounds; Wyatt Sheets (4-1) scored a takedown and added a four-point turn in beating Carson Brolsma, 8-1, at 157 pounds; and redshirt-freshman Travis Wittlake, who trailed 3-1 entering the final frame, rallied with a takedown and solid ride to beat Bailee O’Reilly, 5-3, at 165 pounds.
“Coach preaches pressure, pressure no matter what the score is,” said Wittlake, now 6-0. “Our best defense is when we are on offense. I knew I needed to keep moving forward, had to score. It was a big takedown for sure.
“It was awesome; I’ve waited a long time to be here. And to get a win the first time out was big.”
“I’ve got to get to work,” admitted Lewallen, back from an injury last season. “Tough kid, but I’d like to see myself open up more in that second period. It’s a good match for the first time back home. It’s always good to wrestle in Gallagher-Iba Arena.”
Pat McKee flirted with an early-season surprise and UM head coach Brandon Eggum liked his team’s effort top-to-bottom.
“The 133-pound match really hurt because (Brent Jones) was wrestling well and had the lead; but that’s the way wrestling is,” Eggum said. “I was really proud of the way Pat McKee competed. He was right in that match against a great wrestler. He’s a talented kid and that match has to give him some confidence moving forward. You look up at the match score halfway through and it seemed a lot closer because it was. We probably made a tactical error at 149, probably should not have taken bottom against (Lewallen). We could have won 125, 133, 149, 165 … we were right in there in a lot of matches against a good team at their place.
“It’s already been a crazy year. It’s early and a lot of teams maybe don’t have all their starters in there. I think we are going to see a lot of competitive duals; we already have and it’s only November. There are a lot of good teams out there.”
The Cowboys, who host Princeton Dec. 6, did not suit up Kaden Gfeller at 141 or Joe Smith, who weighed in at 184 pounds, but did to wrestle. UM’s lineup continues to miss 285-pounder Gable Steveson.
Wittlake’s victory at 165 gave OSU an 18-3 lead after six bouts on Sunday. UM mounted a comeback, winning three of the last four and still had life entering 197 pounds. Owen Webster (9-1) held off OSU rookie Anthony Montalvo, 4-3, at 184 pounds and the visitors still had a fighting chance, down 18-9 with two bouts remaining.
Dakota Geer (6-0), an All-American at 184 pounds last March, put things away with a 7-2 decision over Garrett Joles at 197. Devin Skatzka (10-1) started the rally when he edged Andrew Shomers, 5-2, at 174 pounds.
Bobby Steveson (4-1) controlled Austin Harris, 11-5, at 285 pounds, but it was too little too late as OSU beat UM for a fifth consecutive time dating back to a November 2014 meeting.
No. 7 Oklahoma State 21, No. 12 Minnesota 12
125-Nick Piccininni (OS) dec Pat McKee, 3-2
133-Reece Witcraft (OS) pin Brent Jones, 3:56
141-Mitch McKee (M) dec Dusty Hone, 10-5
149-Boo Lewallen (OS) dec Brayton Lee, 8-3
157-Wyatt Sheets (OS) dec Carson Brolsma, 8-1
165-Travis Wittlake (OS) dec Bailee O’Reilly, 5-3
174-Devin Skatzka (M) dec Andrew Shomers, 5-2
184-Owen Webster (M) dec Anthony Montalvo, 4-3
197-Dakota Geer (OS) dec Garrett Joles, 7-2
285-Bobby Steveson (M) dec Austin Harris, 11-5
STILLWATER, Okla. – A rally from rookie Reece Witcraft and some strong third periods helped No. 7 Oklahoma State get by No. 12 Minnesota, 21-12, on Sunday afternoon at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
The Cowboys (2-1), coming off a road loss at Lehigh last weekend, got a tough 3-2 win by All-American Nick Piccininni (6-0) over Gopher rookie Pat McKee to start the dual. The visitors looked like they would take the lead moments later when 133-pounder Brent Jones caught Witcraft with a headlock and nearly scored a fall. But the true freshman weathered the storm and turned an ankle pick into a cradle and the hosts raced to a 9-0 lead after a pin at the 3:56 mark.
It was the home debut for a wrestler who anticipated a redshirt but was called into duty with 2019 NCAA finalist and World Team member Daton Fix taking an Olympic redshirt and an injury to All-American Kaid Brock.
“I didn’t expect the pin, just wanted to wrestle hard,” said Witcraft (5-1), who won two Oklahoma state titles for Broken Arrow High School. “Been training my whole life for this. It’s a dream come true. I never felt so happy in my life.
“Just keep on wrestling. I put myself in a bad situation but I still have to keep wrestling.”
A bout later, at 141 pounds, All-American Mitch McKee (11-0) nearly returned the favor when he put Dusty Hone on his back in the third period of a 10-5 win. Hone kept his shoulders off the mat and UM (1-2) continued a day of near misses.
“You like to see scoring points in the third,” said OSU boss John Smith, who moved into fourth on the Division I wins list with 428 (J Robinson sits in third at 440, only 176 behind Oregon State legend Dale Thomas. “We did a good job today. I think we had a few who were a bit surprising. For the most part, the battles, the matches we thought would be battles, we finished the match and got our hand raised.
“When you look (at 133) we go down 8-1 after you are getting ready to score a takedown, all of a sudden you get thrown to your back and give up six points. That can take a lot out of you. He came back quick and the momentum changed late in that first period. You have to create those opportunities and he found himself in a familiar position and scored a big fall. That’s a great way to start in front of a home crowd.”
O-State won six of the 10 bouts, three of them thanks to big final periods. Senior Boo Lewallen used a four-point turn in the final period to beat talented UM rookie Brayton Lee, 8-3, at 149 pounds; Wyatt Sheets (4-1) scored a takedown and added a four-point turn in beating Carson Brolsma, 8-1, at 157 pounds; and redshirt-freshman Travis Wittlake, who trailed 3-1 entering the final frame, rallied with a takedown and solid ride to beat Bailee O’Reilly, 5-3, at 165 pounds.
“Coach preaches pressure, pressure no matter what the score is,” said Wittlake, now 6-0. “Our best defense is when we are on offense. I knew I needed to keep moving forward, had to score. It was a big takedown for sure.
“It was awesome; I’ve waited a long time to be here. And to get a win the first time out was big.”
“I’ve got to get to work,” admitted Lewallen, back from an injury last season. “Tough kid, but I’d like to see myself open up more in that second period. It’s a good match for the first time back home. It’s always good to wrestle in Gallagher-Iba Arena.”
Pat McKee flirted with an early-season surprise and UM head coach Brandon Eggum liked his team’s effort top-to-bottom.
“The 133-pound match really hurt because (Brent Jones) was wrestling well and had the lead; but that’s the way wrestling is,” Eggum said. “I was really proud of the way Pat McKee competed. He was right in that match against a great wrestler. He’s a talented kid and that match has to give him some confidence moving forward. You look up at the match score halfway through and it seemed a lot closer because it was. We probably made a tactical error at 149, probably should not have taken bottom against (Lewallen). We could have won 125, 133, 149, 165 … we were right in there in a lot of matches against a good team at their place.
“It’s already been a crazy year. It’s early and a lot of teams maybe don’t have all their starters in there. I think we are going to see a lot of competitive duals; we already have and it’s only November. There are a lot of good teams out there.”
The Cowboys, who host Princeton Dec. 6, did not suit up Kaden Gfeller at 141 or Joe Smith, who weighed in at 184 pounds, but did to wrestle. UM’s lineup continues to miss 285-pounder Gable Steveson.
Wittlake’s victory at 165 gave OSU an 18-3 lead after six bouts on Sunday. UM mounted a comeback, winning three of the last four and still had life entering 197 pounds. Owen Webster (9-1) held off OSU rookie Anthony Montalvo, 4-3, at 184 pounds and the visitors still had a fighting chance, down 18-9 with two bouts remaining.
Dakota Geer (6-0), an All-American at 184 pounds last March, put things away with a 7-2 decision over Garrett Joles at 197. Devin Skatzka (10-1) started the rally when he edged Andrew Shomers, 5-2, at 174 pounds.
Bobby Steveson (4-1) controlled Austin Harris, 11-5, at 285 pounds, but it was too little too late as OSU beat UM for a fifth consecutive time dating back to a November 2014 meeting.
No. 7 Oklahoma State 21, No. 12 Minnesota 12
125-Nick Piccininni (OS) dec Pat McKee, 3-2
133-Reece Witcraft (OS) pin Brent Jones, 3:56
141-Mitch McKee (M) dec Dusty Hone, 10-5
149-Boo Lewallen (OS) dec Brayton Lee, 8-3
157-Wyatt Sheets (OS) dec Carson Brolsma, 8-1
165-Travis Wittlake (OS) dec Bailee O’Reilly, 5-3
174-Devin Skatzka (M) dec Andrew Shomers, 5-2
184-Owen Webster (M) dec Anthony Montalvo, 4-3
197-Dakota Geer (OS) dec Garrett Joles, 7-2
285-Bobby Steveson (M) dec Austin Harris, 11-5
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