Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy Wrestling Goes Three-for-Three in Big 12 Third-Place Matches
March 04, 2018 | Cowboy Wrestling
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TULSA, Okla. – Three Cowboys entered the consolation semifinal of the Big 12 Wrestling Championship Sunday and all three went 2-0 to finish in third place of their respective weight class, with Jacobe Smith winning at 174 pounds, Keegan Moore winning at 184 pounds and Preston Weigel winning at 197 pounds.
With those wins and barring the loss of team points, OSU has mathematically secured the 2018 Big 12 Wrestling Championship. The title would mark the sixth consecutive Big 12 tournament title for the Cowboys and coach John Smith's 20th career conference championship. It would also mark OSU's 52nd overall conference title in wrestling.
"The only thing you can get better than that is maybe some more bonus points, but in the end these are kind of blood rounds and you've got to be ready to fight," head coach John Smith said. "You've got to recognize these are tough matches and I think we saw our guys fight for tough wins."
Smith and Weigel both cruised through their consolation semifinal matches, with Smith earning a first period fall in 1:59 over West Virginia's Parker VonEgidy and Weigel earning a 13-0 major decision over Oklahoma's Andrew Dixon. Moore edged out Iowa State's Dane Pestano in a hard fought 3-2 decision to earn his berth in the third-place match.
It was a similar story for all three wrestlers in the third-place bouts, with Smith winning 6-4 over No. 2 Yoanse Mejias of Oklahoma, Moore earning a 13-5 major decision over No. 2 Martin Mueller of South Dakota State and Weigel defeating No. 3 Jacob Holschlag of Northern Iowa, 8-4.
"I (lost a match yesterday) that I could have won, after talking to Coach Smith," Moore said. "I had some fire in me going. I just wanted to go out there and compete today because it was my first Big 12's and I was super excited. I knew I just had to live in the moment and enjoy the opportunity."
It marked the third straight top-three finish for Weigel at the Big 12 Championship, as well as a top-three finish for Smith and Moore in each of their first appearances at the event.
OSU wraps up the 2018 Big 12 Championship tonight at 6 p.m. with six wrestlers competing in the finals. Cowboy finalists include Nick Piccininni (125 pounds), Kaid Brock (133 pounds), Dean Heil (141 pounds), Boo Lewallen (149 pounds), Chandler Rogers (165 pounds) and Derek White (heavyweight). The final session will be televised live on Fox Sports regional networks.
2018 Big 12 Wrestling Championship | Session II
Consolation Semifinals
174: No. 4 Jacobe Smith (Oklahoma State) fall No. 8 Parker VonEgidy (West Virginia), 1:59
184: No. 4 Keegan Moore (Oklahoma State) dec. No. 7 Dane Pestano (Iowa State), 3-2
197: No. 1 Preston Weigel (Oklahoma State) MD No. 9 Andrew Dixon (Oklahoma), 13-0
Third-Place Bouts
174: No. 4 Jacobe Smith (Oklahoma State) dec. No. 2 Yoanse Mejias (Oklahoma), 6-4
184: No. 4 Keegan Moore (Oklahoma State) MD No. 2 Martin Mueller (South Dakota State), 13-5
197: No. 1 Preston Weigel (Oklahoma State) dec. No. 3 Jacob Holschlag (Northern Iowa), 8-4
Team Standings Entering Session IV
1. Oklahoma State - 127
2. Northern Iowa - 92.5
3. South Dakota State - 90
4. Wyoming - 78.5
5. North Dakota State - 57
6. Oklahoma - 52
7. Iowa State - 51
8. Utah Valley - 50.5
9. West Virginia - 50
10. Northern Colorado - 30.5
11. Fresno State - 26.5
12. Air Force - 22.5
Big 12 Finals Schedule (6 p.m. Sunday)
125: No. 1 Nick Piccininni (Oklahoma State) vs. No. 3 Zeke Moisey (West Virginia)
133: No. 3 Kaid Brock (Oklahoma State) vs. No. 1 Seth Gross (South Dakota State)
141: No. 2 Dean Heil (Oklahoma State) vs. No. 1 Bryce Meredith (Wyoming)
149: No. 2 Boo Lewallen (Oklahoma State) vs. No. 1 Max Thomsen (Northern Iowa)
165: No. 2 Chandler Rogers (Oklahoma State) vs. No. 4 Andrew Fogarty (North Dakota State)
285: No. 1 Derek White (Oklahoma State) vs. No. 3 AJ Nevills (Fresno State)
TULSA, Okla. – Three Cowboys entered the consolation semifinal of the Big 12 Wrestling Championship Sunday and all three went 2-0 to finish in third place of their respective weight class, with Jacobe Smith winning at 174 pounds, Keegan Moore winning at 184 pounds and Preston Weigel winning at 197 pounds.
With those wins and barring the loss of team points, OSU has mathematically secured the 2018 Big 12 Wrestling Championship. The title would mark the sixth consecutive Big 12 tournament title for the Cowboys and coach John Smith's 20th career conference championship. It would also mark OSU's 52nd overall conference title in wrestling.
"The only thing you can get better than that is maybe some more bonus points, but in the end these are kind of blood rounds and you've got to be ready to fight," head coach John Smith said. "You've got to recognize these are tough matches and I think we saw our guys fight for tough wins."
Smith and Weigel both cruised through their consolation semifinal matches, with Smith earning a first period fall in 1:59 over West Virginia's Parker VonEgidy and Weigel earning a 13-0 major decision over Oklahoma's Andrew Dixon. Moore edged out Iowa State's Dane Pestano in a hard fought 3-2 decision to earn his berth in the third-place match.
It was a similar story for all three wrestlers in the third-place bouts, with Smith winning 6-4 over No. 2 Yoanse Mejias of Oklahoma, Moore earning a 13-5 major decision over No. 2 Martin Mueller of South Dakota State and Weigel defeating No. 3 Jacob Holschlag of Northern Iowa, 8-4.
"I (lost a match yesterday) that I could have won, after talking to Coach Smith," Moore said. "I had some fire in me going. I just wanted to go out there and compete today because it was my first Big 12's and I was super excited. I knew I just had to live in the moment and enjoy the opportunity."
It marked the third straight top-three finish for Weigel at the Big 12 Championship, as well as a top-three finish for Smith and Moore in each of their first appearances at the event.
OSU wraps up the 2018 Big 12 Championship tonight at 6 p.m. with six wrestlers competing in the finals. Cowboy finalists include Nick Piccininni (125 pounds), Kaid Brock (133 pounds), Dean Heil (141 pounds), Boo Lewallen (149 pounds), Chandler Rogers (165 pounds) and Derek White (heavyweight). The final session will be televised live on Fox Sports regional networks.
2018 Big 12 Wrestling Championship | Session II
Consolation Semifinals
174: No. 4 Jacobe Smith (Oklahoma State) fall No. 8 Parker VonEgidy (West Virginia), 1:59
184: No. 4 Keegan Moore (Oklahoma State) dec. No. 7 Dane Pestano (Iowa State), 3-2
197: No. 1 Preston Weigel (Oklahoma State) MD No. 9 Andrew Dixon (Oklahoma), 13-0
Third-Place Bouts
174: No. 4 Jacobe Smith (Oklahoma State) dec. No. 2 Yoanse Mejias (Oklahoma), 6-4
184: No. 4 Keegan Moore (Oklahoma State) MD No. 2 Martin Mueller (South Dakota State), 13-5
197: No. 1 Preston Weigel (Oklahoma State) dec. No. 3 Jacob Holschlag (Northern Iowa), 8-4
Team Standings Entering Session IV
1. Oklahoma State - 127
2. Northern Iowa - 92.5
3. South Dakota State - 90
4. Wyoming - 78.5
5. North Dakota State - 57
6. Oklahoma - 52
7. Iowa State - 51
8. Utah Valley - 50.5
9. West Virginia - 50
10. Northern Colorado - 30.5
11. Fresno State - 26.5
12. Air Force - 22.5
Big 12 Finals Schedule (6 p.m. Sunday)
125: No. 1 Nick Piccininni (Oklahoma State) vs. No. 3 Zeke Moisey (West Virginia)
133: No. 3 Kaid Brock (Oklahoma State) vs. No. 1 Seth Gross (South Dakota State)
141: No. 2 Dean Heil (Oklahoma State) vs. No. 1 Bryce Meredith (Wyoming)
149: No. 2 Boo Lewallen (Oklahoma State) vs. No. 1 Max Thomsen (Northern Iowa)
165: No. 2 Chandler Rogers (Oklahoma State) vs. No. 4 Andrew Fogarty (North Dakota State)
285: No. 1 Derek White (Oklahoma State) vs. No. 3 AJ Nevills (Fresno State)
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