OSU goes 8-2 in First Session of NCAAs as Dakota Geer Scores Upset

The Cowboys opened up the 2018 NCAA tournament with Joe Smith getting a 10-5 decision over Tyler Morland. This set up the most anticipated match of the first round between Smith and No. 1 seed Alex Marinelli of Iowa.

In the match with Marinelli, Joe looked great early, He picked up two first period takedowns against Marinelli, something that hasn’t happened all season to Marinelli. In fact he’s never been taken down twice in a match all season. Joe took bottom in the second period and simply couldn’t get away. This completely shifted the match back to Marinelli, who picked up a takedown in the third which, along with riding time, gave him a 7-4 win over Smith.

At 149 the Cowboys took an upset as Kaden Gfeller was knocked off by former Cowboy Ryan Blees. The match went to sudden victory tied 1-1 and Blees picked up the takedown to win 3-1.

Dakota Geer flipped the upset cart back in the favor of the Cowboys as he took out 7-seed Nick Reenan. Reenan’s been hurt and wore a large knee brace in the match, but Geer looked great and dominated from start to finish to win 6-0. He now has the seven seed’s patch on the championship side which puts him in a great position going forward.

Dakota Geer opens up and advances for @CowboyWrestling! #NCAAWrestling pic.twitter.com/7e4648OxIO

— NCAA Wrestling (@ncaawrestling) March 21, 2019

Everything else went the Pokes’ way as they went chalk and in the other seven matches for an 8-2 overall record in the first round.

Pigtail Round

165-Joe Smith DEC Tyler Morland (Northwestern) 10-5

First Round

125-Nick Piccininni WBF Korbin Mink (Campbell) 1:43
133-Daton Fix MAJ DEC Zach Trampe (Binghamton) 21-7
141-Kaid Brock MAJ DEC Bryan Lantry (Buffalo) 12-3
149-Ryan Blees (Virginia Tech) DEC Kaden Gfeller 3-1 Sudden Victory
165-Alex Marinelli (Iowa) DEC Joe Smith 7-4
174-Jacobe Smith DEC Drew Hughes (Michigan State) 6-4 Sudden Victory
184-Dakota Geer DEC Nick Reenan (NC State) 6-0
197-Preston Weigel Tech Fall Jacob Seely (Northern Colorado) 16-0
285-Derek White MAJ DEC Brandon Ngati (WVU) 10-2

Second Session Matchups

Championships

125-Nick Piccininni vs. Elijah Oliver (Indiana)
133-Daton Fix vs. Matthew Schmitt (WVU)
141-Kaid Brock vs. Joey Mckenna (Ohio State)
174-Jacobe Smith vs. Mikey Labriola (Nebraska)
184-Dakota Geer vs. Sammy Colbray (Iowa State)
197-Preston Weigel vs. Eric Schultz (Nebraska)
285-Derek White vs. Chase Singletary (Ohio State)

Consolations

149-Kaden Gfeller vs. Joshua Maruca (Arizona State)
165-Joe Smith vs. Jonathan Viruet (Brown)

Here are the current team standings

Team standings at the end of Session I #d1wrestle pic.twitter.com/TffwBursrk

— Andy Hamilton (@Andy_Hamilton) March 21, 2019