11 Wrestlers Win OCU Open Titles

Oklahoma State's Austin Marsden wrestles Collin Jensen of Nebraska in the 285-pound championship bracket during the first round of the NCAA Wrestling Championships in Oklahoma City, March 20, 2014.

November 01, 2015 | Cowboy Wrestling

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma State's wrestling team took home 11 champions from Oklahoma City University Open in the open division and freshman/sophomore division.

The open division included several Cowboy starters and six Cowboy champions.

At 125 pounds, senior All-American Eddie Klimara started his tournament with a 21-6 technical fall and kept the strong performance going as he defeated teammate Eli Hale in the finals, 8-4. Cowboy Zac Gentzler finished fourth at the tourney.

Brian Crutchmer, a junior for the Pokes, won the 133-pound title with dominant wins in his first and second match. He faced junior Kyle Garcia in the finals and took a 4-2 win. Gary Wayne Harding, a 2015 NCAA qualifier for OSU, finished third at the event.

Junior Anthony Collica has made the move down to 149 pounds and was successful in his debut, defeating Davey Dolan in the 149-pound finals with an 11-2 major decision.

Three Cowboys competed at 157 pounds. Dalton Moran and Ryan Blees went head-to-head in the third-place bout of the bracket with Blees emerging victorious. Chance Marsteller was knocked out of the championship bracket in the semifinals and medical forfeited the rest of the tournament.

Chandler Rogers was the lone wrestler representing OSU at 174 pounds. The redshirt freshman tallied two falls to earn his way to the finals, but the Cowboy fell in the finals to Jacobe Smith of Northeastern Oklahoma, 3-1.

Three Cowboys placed at 184 pounds as Jordan Rogers took the title, defeating teammate Nolan Boyd in the finals, 8-3, and Luke Bean finished third over Oklahoma City University's Derek Silversten.

Junior Austin Schafer won the 197-pound bracket, winning three of his four matches with bonus points, including a fall over UCO's Caleb Cotter in 3:25.

At heavyweight, senior All-American Austin Marsden cruised to the tournament win, giving up only one point the entire day, which was in his finals match against Blake Andrews of NEO.

Also competing in the open division was Lincoln Lemon (141), Joe Schumacher (141) and Landry Chappell (184).

In the freshman/sophomore division, every OSU wrestler placed and the squad took home five champions.

In his first collegiate competition, New York native Nick Piccininni defeated redshirt freshman Donald Cannon in the finals, 4-2, to win the 125-pound title. On the day, Piccininni surrendered only four points to his opponents.

At 133 pounds, another fresh-faced Cowboy took the title as Stillwater native Kaid Brock put up a solid performance, and newcomer Lincoln Olson finished third at the weight.

Two Cowboys were pitted against each other in the 141-pound finals. Stillwater high school product Tristan Moran defeated redshirt freshman Dusty Hone, 5-3, in a second tiebreaker period.

Redshirt freshman Jonce Blaylock competed at 149 pounds as the only Cowboy and produced a third-place finish, winning his final match 12-7.

Joe Smith, a freshman and son of head coach John Smith, put up a huge day, winning all five of his matches by fall, with four of them coming in the first period. In the finals, Smith stuck Kellen Pelzel of New Mexico Highlands in 1:36. Redshirt freshman Hestin Lamons finished fourth at the weight.

Tyler Mann competed at 165 pounds, where he finished third. Mann earned three wins with bonus points on the day.

The 197-pound bracket featured another Cowboy versus Cowboy finals match as redshirt freshman Preston Weigel and true freshman Andrew Marsden battled it out for the title. Weigel came away with a 7-0 victory.

In the heavyweight bracket of the freshman/sophomore division, newcomer Garrett Beier was edged in the finals by OCU's Korey Walker, 5-3. Blackwell, Oklahoma native Tanner Allen finished third.

Oklahoma State results

Open division
125: Eddie Klimara (1^st), Eli Hale (2^nd), Zac Gentzler (4^th)
133: Brian Crutchmer (1^st), Kyle Garcia (2^nd), Gary Wayne Harding (3^rd)
141: Lincoln Lemon (did not place), Joe Schumacher (did not place)
149: Anthony Collica (1^st), Davey Dolan (2^nd)
157: Ryan Blees (3^rd), Dalton Moran (4^th), Chance Marsteller (did not place)
174: Chandler Rogers (2^nd)
184: Jordan Rogers (1^st), Nolan Boyd (2^nd), Luke Bean (3^rd), Landry Chappell (did not place)
197: Austin Schafer (1^st)
285: Austin Marsden (1^st)

Freshman/sophomore division
125: Nick Piccininni (1^st), Donald Cannon (2^nd)
133: Kaid Brock (1^st), Lincoln Olson (3^rd)
141: Tristan Moran (1^st), Dusty Hone (2^nd)
149: Jonce Blaylock (3^rd)
157: Joe Smith (1^st), Hestin Lamons (4^th)
165: Tyler Mann (3^rd)
197: Preston Weigel (1^st), Andrew Marsden (2^nd)
285: Garrett Beier (2^nd), Tanner Allen (3^rd)