OSU Wrestling: No. 3 Cowboys Dominate Arizona State, 28-9

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STILLWATER — Arizona State might’ve brought a losing record into Gallagher-Iba Arena, but it could’ve been a sneaky tough matchup for the No. 3 Cowboys; that was, until Troy Spratley started things off with a bang.

Oklahoma State bested the No. 24 Sun Devils 28-9 on Friday in a dual that started off with a big upset from OSU’s 125-pounder.

No. 20 Spratley beat No. 11 Richard Figueroa 13-5, a major decision. Trailing 3-2 after the first period, Spratley scored six points in the second thanks to a takedown and three nearfall points to bust the match open. The bout was chippy throughout. After securing a takedown in the third period, Spratley leaned up and started pumping up the GIA crowd. Figueroa threw an elbow not long later, which drew a penalty point and pushed Spratley’s decision into a major decision. After taking the elbow, Spratley then hoisted Figueroa in the air for a big mat return.

“I like the fact that Spratley kinda fell into a couple situations and took them,” OSU coach John Smith said. “Not really created them but fell into them and he took it. Took what he had. I’d have loved to see that he went out and actually did everything, but it was a good effort.”

Spratley’s win was one of five bonus-point victories for the Pokes. The next came at 141 pounds, where despite needing injury time for a gimpy leg between the second and third periods, No. 8 Tagen Jamison bested Cody Foote 16-5. Jamison scored two takedowns in the third while favoring his leg.

The Cowboys’ next bonus-point win came at 174, where No. 25 Brayden Thompson beat unranked Cael Valencia 11-2. Thompson, a true freshman, scored a takedown in every period.

At 184 pounds, No. 2 Dustin Plott picked up his seventh fall of the season, pinning No. 25 Tony Negron in 2:33. Plott is now 20-2 on the season, becoming the Cowboys’ first wrestler to 20 wins on the year.

After wrestling just two times since Dec. 1, Luke Surber made his return Friday and mauled Jacob Meissner, who entered the day at 2-9 on the year. Surber won 17-4 in a match he accumulated 3:41 in riding time in.

Daton Fix found himself in something he hasn’t been in pretty much all season: a match. Fix and No. 26 Julian Chlebove were tied at 2 in the third period before Fix scrapped out a takedown to win it 5-3. It was Fix’s closest match of the year thus far and just the second time this season he hasn’t scored bonus points.

“Daton just needs to push through when he finds himself struggling a little bit to score,” Smith said. “You gotta push through it. Not everything is gonna be easy. People aren’t just always gonna lay down for you. You’re gonna have to go punch through those situations.”

A trio of Pokes nearly pulled off upsets against top-five competition.

Jordan Williams got the call at 149 pounds in his continued spot battle with Sammy Alvarez. Williams wrestled No. 4 Kyle Parco. Parco finished fourth at the weight at the NCAA Championships last season and was able to beat Williams 8-5. Williams got a takedown in the third to cut Parco’s lead to 8-5. With time dwindling, Williams rode Parco long enough to negate the would-be riding point and pushed to the finish. Parco sprawled on a shot late and Williams nearly jumped over him for a would-be match-tying takedown, but Parco was nimble enough to avoid it.

Then the next bout saw No. 17 Teague Travis tangle with No. 4 Jacori Teemer, a two-time All-American at 157 pounds. Teemer scored a takedown in the first off a scramble that felt like it could’ve gone either way. Travis escaped and escaped again in the second to make it 3-2 entering the third period, where Teemer then escaped to make it 4-2. Travis was forced to push the pace late, leaving him open for a Teemer takedown to ice things and win it 7-3. Teemer let the GIA crowd know he won the match, which drew a chorus of boos as he exited.

“Jordan Williams did a nice job, but close don’t count,” Smith said. “I was glad he picked up a takedown. Missed three of them in the match — three different takedowns. One at the end of the match, just securing the takedown.

“I thought his effort was there. Close, kinda like at [1]57. Close. We were in it. Close, but we didn’t win. And we’re at home. So where does that leave you? Guys beating you at home?”

Lastly, No. 9 Konner Doucet went to sudden victory with No. 4 Cohlton Schultz, a three-time All-American. Doucet shot in sudden victory, but Schultz was able to turn the tables on him and score a takedown of his own.

The Cowboys are in a good spot, but Smith is striving for greatness with this group.

“They had three guys on that team that we had a chance to improve ourselves, and we didn’t get one of them,” Smith said. “I don’t like that. I’m talking about [1]49, [1]57 and heavyweight. Three chances — opportunity — and we didn’t get any of them. I don’t like that. That’s not good. Gotta be way more motivated than that. Somebody’s gotta show us how to do it. One of you guys needed to win tonight.

“… I guess we did win one of them, at 125. We did one of them, but we should’ve won one of those 49, 57 and heavyweight. We should’ve won one of them. I’m not saying it would’ve been easy. Those guys are good, but you’re at home. Go out and compete.”

Results

John Smith’s Post-Dual News Conference

Up Next

Opponent: No. 5 Missouri
Time: 1 p.m. Sunday
Location: Hearnes Center in Columbia, Missouri
Stream: FloWrestling