Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy Wrestlers Knock Off the Fourth-Ranked Cyclones
January 20, 2001 | Cowboy Wrestling
Jan. 20, 2001
University Park, Pa. -- Oklahoma State's top-ranked wrestling team beat its third top-five team of the season, as the Cowboys disposed of fourth-ranked Iowa State, 25-13, to advance to the finals of the Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals.
The 11-0 Cowboys advance to tomorrow's final with second-ranked Minnesota at 1 p.m.
"The close matches that we won today was obviously a big difference in the score," said head coach John Smith. "It was good to see us win battles. We lost a few of them as well today, throughout the day, but overall a good performance. We've put ourselves into position to win the title."
The showdown at 184 pounds between ISU's top-ranked two-time defending national champion, Cael Sanderson, who had won 102 consecutive matches, and Daniel Cormier, didn't materialize.
Sanderson dominated from the outset as the second-ranked Cormier lost a 14-3 major decision. The Cyclones' bonus points closed the OSU lead to 20-10. However, the loss also cost the Pokes another team point as Cormier was hit with unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Sanderson improves to 103-0 in his career, while Cormier falls to 17-1 on the season.
At 197 pounds, OSU's Mark Mu?oz faced his nemesis: Zach Thompson. As usual the two grapplers went scoreless through the first period. Thompson scored his escape in the second period while Mu?oz got his in the third. Once again, the two headed into a tiebreaker, and Thompson escaped for a 2-1 win.
The Cowboys got things started on the right note as ninth-ranked Matt Brown destroyed Iowa State's Jacob Moore. Brown took Moore down 10 times in a 22-7 four-point technical fall. Brown was only awarded four points because he never scored back point to earn the five-point technical fall.
OSU won two thrillers at 133 and 141 pounds. Both Johnny Thompson and Jerrod Sanders escaped in a tiebreaker to score wins. Thompson escaped with five seconds left at 133 pounds, while Sanders was up and out in only seconds.
At 149 pounds, second-ranked 149-pounder, Reggie Wright, showed ISU's Benjie Winegarden the lights in 2:16. The pin extended the Pokes lead to 16-0 four matches into the dual.
Tyrone Lewis got the Pokes back in the win column at 174 pounds. Lewis scored bonus points against the Cyclones' eighth-ranked Perry Parks with a 13-4 win.
The Cyclones Cole Sanderson used a late third period takedown to escape OSU's Shane Roller, 4-3. The Cowboys lost their second-straight match at 165 pounds where ISU's top-ranked Joe Heskett beat Ty Wilcox, 4-3.
OSU 25, ISU 13
125: Matt Brown (OSU) t.f. Jacob Moore, 22-7 (4 pt.)
133: Johnny Thompson (OSU) dec. Matt Azevedo, 4-3, tb
141: Jerrod Sanders (OSU) dec. Zach Roberson, 2-1, tb
149: Reggie Wright (OSU) pins Benjie Winegarden, 2:16
157: Cole Sanderson (ISU) dec. Shane Roller, 4-3
165: Joe Heskett (ISU) dec. Ty Wilcox, 4-0
174: Tyrone Lewis (OSU) m. dec. Perry Parks, 13-4
184: Cael Sanderson (OSU) m. dec. Daniel Cormier, 14-3
197: Zach Thompson (ISU) dec. Mark Mu?oz, 2-1, tb
285: James Huml (OSU) pins Mark Kanuer, 6:25
