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Pokes Win Wyoming Dual 20-15, Meredith snaps Heil’s 55-Match Win Streak

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6 years ago

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It was not the best showing for the orange-colored Cowboys in Cheyenne, Wyoming on Tuesday as 2 NCAA title contenders Dean Heil and Kaid Brock both dropped their matches, but the Pokes held on to win 20-15 over the (other Cowboys).

OSU got away with a win but were dangerously close to letting this one slip away. The theme of the night was John Smith’s guys gassing out late. It happened in a lot of matches. I don’t know if it was the elevation in Wyoming, the travel, the back-to-back weigh-ins, just not conditioning right, or what. But they just didn’t have it late in most of the matches.

The dual started at 149 to set up the premier match between Heil and Bryce Meredith at 141 as the final match of the night.

At 149 Geo Martinez got the first TD and went into the 3rd with a 3-1 lead. Sam Turner got a TD in the 3rd and rode Martinez out to win 4-3. That got a lot of momentum going for Wyoming. Martinez really tired late. Boo Lewallen wrestled Turner this weekend in Reno and got a tech-fall. Boo became eligible to start last weekend.

157 was the only weight where Wyoming was a true favorite. It was pretty even except for a TD in the 2nd where Archie Colgan powered through to finish a shot on Jonce Blaylock that ended up being the difference in the match.

The Pokes took another upset on the chin at 165 with No. 5 Chandler Rogers dropping one to No. 15 Brandon Ashworth. Rogers went for a shot in the middle of the second that opened himself up a bit and allowed Ashworth to get a TD. In the 3rd Rogers pushed for a throw to take the lead late and ended up giving up another TD and a rideout to lose 6-2.

Jacobe Smith got the Cowboys back on track at 174. He ended up taking a back and forth match 7-6, winning on his riding time point. This was the first match where OSU looked like they really had more in the tank than Wyoming late.

At 184, Moore really stepped up. If he hadn’t, OSU would’ve lost the dual. He was down early, but made an incredible comeback hitting a throw that seemed to shake up the other guy a bit then getting a late takedown on the edge to win in the last few seconds.

From 197-125 OSU wrestled like you hope to see. Preston Weigel had his usual dominant performance on top racking up a ton of back points. He got a late takedown and ride out to get a tech-fall at the end of regulation. Derek White dominated to get a tech and Nick Piccinnini stretched out a major and nearly had a Tech-fall also. All three looked really solid here.

The final two matches were incredibly exciting but were definitely not the result you want as OSU fans.

At 133 Kaid Brock wrestled Altus, OK product Montorie Bridges. Early in the match Bridges got in on a shot and as Brock was defending he tried to hit an inside trip and wound up on his back going down 6-0.

After that Brock put a takedown clinic to get back in it but was unable to fully close the gap and really just didn’t have the stamina to get the last takedown and win. Brock lost 11-10.

At 141 Heil dropped the first match he’s ever lost to Meredith and snapped a 55-match win streak. Heil and Meredith wrestled for an NCAA title in the finals of the tournament in 2016 with Heil coming out on top. They’ve had a pretty great rivalry but Heil’s always had the edge until now.

The entire match was pretty even. Heil even looked a bit closer to getting takedowns in a few scrambles but it ended up in OT with Heil going down first and Meredith getting the rideout. Heil looked completely gassed and Meredith got the escape to win. Though it definitely wasn’t the result OSU wanted, the match lived up to the hype.

The close wins by Moore/Smith along with the bonus from Weigel, White, and Piccinnini really saved this one. Would have been a loss without them. Not what John Smith wanted, I’m sure, but an exciting Big 12 dual nonetheless.

Announced Attendance 2,580

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