OSU Wrestling: Oklahoma State Beats Wyoming in David Taylor’s GIA Debut

PHOTOS

STILLWATER — Gallagher-Iba Arena’s David Taylor era started with some fireworks and ended with a large man doing a backflip.

Oklahoma State beat Wyoming 32-6 on Friday night in the first dual in GIA since Taylor took over as OSU’s coach.

“That was pretty fun,” Taylor said. “It was fun. It was a good start. It was nice getting going in Gallagher. The crowd was pretty good tonight, and it’s still obviously early in the season but really good to see some good stuff from the guys.”

The dual’s premier match opened the show. At 125 pounds, No. 6 Troy Spratley beat No. 2 Jore Volk in sudden victory.

Volk scored a first-period takedown. He had more than a minute in riding time when Spratley escaped in the second, and the match went into the third period with Volk leading 3-1 with that riding-time point in his back pocket. But Spratley nullified the riding time to start the third before releasing Volk and scoring a clutch takedown to tie the bout at 4. It went into sudden victory, where Spratley scored another clutch takedown to win it. It was the third time Spratley and Volk have met, and it was the first time Spratley got the better of Volk.

THREEEEEE 💥

Troy Spratley takes the Big 12 finals rematch against No. 2 Jore Volk in sudden victory!#GoPokes l @troyspratley125 pic.twitter.com/KdWT9d89Xf

— OSU Cowboy Wrestling (@CowboyWrestling) November 23, 2024

Spratley appears to have a clutch gene, as any time he has needed a takedown this season, he’s gotten it. He beat Utah Valley’s Bridger Ricks thanks to a third-period takedown in OSU’s season-opening dual before winning via a sudden-victory takedown against Oregon State’s Maximo Renteria a few days later. Spratley will likely see the No. 1 wrestler at the weight on Sunday in Arizona State’s Richie Figueroa.

“He’s had a hard time with (Volk) in the past,” Taylor said. “That’s three matches in a row with Troy where it should continue to give him confidence. He’s doing a good job building in matches, and he’s fresh in the end and those guys are not as fresh. And he’s finding ways to get it done. Again, third hard match. It wasn’t like game scripted probably the way he envisioned it in his mind, but he’s finding a way to get those matches, which is good. It’s a very tough weight class. That kid’s very tough, so it’s a good one for Troy.”

The Cowboys won another sudden-victory bout at 141 pounds, and it was almost the same match. Tagen Jamison beat Cole Brooks 7-4 after giving up a first-period takedown — like Spratley. Jamison was down 4-0 going into the third period when he escaped and scored his own takedown to tie the match at 4. And like Spratley, Jamison tacked on another takedown in sudden victory to win it.

The Cowboys picked up bonus points at 133, 165, 174 and heavyweight.

The heavyweight bout was the most explosive, as Air Force transfer Wyatt Hendrickson took down Kevin Zimmer five times before flipping him on his back and pinning him. There’s a new tradition in GIA where confetti falls from the rafters after OSU pins. As the confetti was falling, Hendrickson blew on his finger guns before holstering them and doing a standing backflip. The wrestling was impressive, but watching a heavyweight wrestler do a backflip was perhaps more impressive.

“Hope he lands on his feet,” said Taylor of what he was thinking when Hendrickson was flipping. “I think in wrestling there is an element of showmanship. He likes it, kind of embraces it. It’s good, and his wrestling backs it up.”

Reece Witcraft got the start at 133 after he and Cael Hughes split duals during the season-opening weekend. Witcraft beat Stockton O’Brien with an 11-3 major decision after Witcraft scored a takedown in the second period and two in the third.

Cam Amine’s match against Cooper Vorhees at 165 pounds nearly mirrored that 133-pound bout. It was scoreless after the first period. Amine got a takedown in the second and two in the third to win with a 12-2 major decision.

Dean Hamiti Jr.’s Gallagher-Iba Arena debut was short-lived, as he pinned Wyoming 174-pounder Quayin Short in just 1:48. That came after Hamiti took short down twice and added four nearfall points.

How ’bout that for your GIA debut 😤#GoPokes l @HamitiDean pic.twitter.com/IguZ0s0BoQ

— OSU Cowboy Wrestling (@CowboyWrestling) November 23, 2024

“Great environment,” said Hamiti of his first dual in GIA. “The fans are screaming if you get a takedown, back points right away. I think it’s just really fun to go out there and fans right on top of you with the stage. It’s a fun time.”

Results

David Taylor’s Post-Dual News Conference