OU Hosts Top Five Big 12 Foes

No. 14 Oklahoma hosts No. 5 Missouri Friday at 7 p.m., and No. 4 Nebraska Sunday a 2.

Feb. 5, 2009

Wrestling vs. Missouri (2/6) and Nebraska (2/8)
Location	Norman, Okla. | Howard McCasland Field House
Opponents	Missouri (2/6, 7 p.m.) and Nebraska (2/8, 2 p.m.)
Fri., Feb. 6	"Student Night" 50-cent hot dogs and cokes, $400 Mid First Bank check card and 250 fans receive wrestling koozies
Sun. Feb. 8	"Senior Night" Danny Hodge book signing and post-match pictures and autographs with OU team and coaches
Tickets	Admission is free to the public
Webcast	All-Access

Redshirt sophomore Jeff James

NORMAN, Okla. – The No. 14 University of Oklahoma wrestling team is set to host two top-five Big 12 opponents this weekend in its final home matches of the season at the McCasland Field House.

The Sooners (15-1, 1-1) take on No. 5 Missouri Friday, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m., and No. 4 Nebraska at 2 p.m., on Sunday, Feb. 8. Doors open one hour prior to the matches and admission is free to the public.

A win Friday over the Tigers would give the 2009 Sooners the best start to a season in program history and would remain in second place in the conference. Currently, Iowa State leads the pack at 3-0, with Oklahoma and Nebraska both tied at 1-1. Mizzou is 0-1 and Oklahoma State sports a 0-2 record.

Winning will be no easy task, as MU has six ranked in this week’s individual rankings, all in the top 10. The Huskers also own six ranked this week.

Oklahoma counters with seven notched in the rankings, led by Joey Fio and Jeff James ranked seventh at 125 and 174 pounds, respectively. Also in the top 10 is Kyle Terry, who owns a 19-match win streak, at 149 pounds. Eric Lapotsky is No. 11 among 197-pounders and Shane Vernon is No. 15 at 157 pounds, although probable to compete for the Sooners at 165 pounds. Heavyweight Nathan Fernandez is No. 16 and Pat Flynn ranks No. 19 at 184 pounds.

OU leads the all-time series over both foes by significant margins. The Sooners lead Missouri 39-7 dating back to 1924 and own a 35-15-1 advantage over the Huskers since 1927. The Tigers and Huskers have had recent success over the Sooners, however. MU has won five of the past six and NU has recorded a victory in four of the last five.

PROMOTIONS

Friday’s match, deemed “Student Night,” will feature 50-cent hot dogs and cokes for fans while supplies last. A $400 Mid First Bank check card will also be awarded to the largest official OU student group in attendance. Additionally, the first 250 fans in the doors will receive an OU wrestling koozie.

On Sunday, the team invites fans to help honor two Sooners, Will Rowe and David Armstrong for “Senior Night.” Wrestling legend Danny Hodge will also be on hand to sign autographs of his newly released book, Oklahoma Shooter: The Dan Hodge Story. The book contains over 60 pictures, some never seen before of Hodge's great wrestling career.

Also on hand after the match will be the Sooner wrestling team and coaches for pictures and autographs. Author of Hodge's book, Mike Chapman, will also be on hand for autographs beginning at 1 p.m. Chapman has written 21 books and been named National Wrestler Writer of the Year five times.

Both weekend matches are free to the public, with doors opening one hour prior to the start of the duals.

Probable Sooner Starters (Weight)	Hometown (Year)	Record
No. 7 Joey Fio (125)	Sandpoint, Idaho (So.)	15-3
Brian Shelton (133)	El Reno, Okla. (Jr.)	11-4
Seth Vernon (141)	Tulsa, Okla. (RFr.)	13-6
No. 8 Kyle Terry (149)	Midwest City, Okla. (RJr.)	21-1
Chad Terry or Will Rowe (157)	Midwest City, Okla. (RJr.) / Arlington, Texas (Sr.)	16-3 / 24-3
Ryan Smith or No. 15 Shane Vernon (165)	Prineville, Ore. (RFr.) / Broken Arrow, Okla. (RJr.)	16-6 / 12-6
No. 7 Jeff James (174)	El Reno, Okla. (RSo.)	20-1
No. 19 Pat Flynn (184)	Quakertown, Pa. (RSo.)	21-3
No. 11 Eric Lapotsky (197)	Mt. Carmel, Pa. (Jr.)	21-3
No. 16 Nathan Fernandez (HWT)	Lawton, Okla. (RSo.)	19-5

MATCH INFO

SOONER STARTER BIOS | SEASON STATS

OKLAHOMA AND MIZZOU HISTORY

Since 1924, the Sooners own an impressive 39-7 series lead over Missouri. It was not until 1978, 54 years after the first matchup between the two, that the Tigers topped the Sooners.

Five of the Tigers’ seven victories, however, have come in the past six seasons, including three straight. The last time OU defeated Missouri was in 2005 by an 18-14 triumph. Mizzou is outscoring Oklahoma by an average of 21-15 during that seven year span.

Last season, the Sooners traveled to Columbia, Mo., on Feb. 8 and was handed a 23-10 defeat. Jeff James (174 pounds) is the only Sooner in this year’s lineup that recorded a win a year ago (Missouri has five).

WHAT IS AT STAKE

Oklahoma (15-1, 1-1) looks to pick up its second win in the Big 12 Conference for the first time since the 2002-2003 season versus the Missouri Tigers Friday evening, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m., inside the McCasland Field House.

After claiming a win versus then-No. 9 Oklahoma State on Dec. 7, the Sooners suffered their first Big 12 loss on the road to Iowa State on Jan. 23 (23-15).

A win over the Tigers would move OU into a tie for second place in the conference. Currently, Iowa State leads the pack at 3-0, with Oklahoma and Nebraska both tied at 1-1. Mizzou is 0-1 and Oklahoma State sports a 0-2 record.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS

The Tigers sport a 15-3 overall record heading into Friday’s matchup with the Sooners and are 0-1 in the Big 12. Mizzou was handed its first loss in the conference last week by Nebraska, who edged the Tigers 16-15 in Columbia, Mo.

Missouri is 12-2 this season away from home, with its most impressive victory on Jan. 25 over then-No. 2 Cornell, winning 18-14.

MU is coached by Brian Smith, who is in his 11th season at the helm. The 1990 Michigan State graduate has compiled a 134-63-2 record at Missouri and has led his team to seven consecutive winning seasons (dating back to 2001-02 season). Inheriting a struggling program, Smith is now first in MU history in winning percentage and has built the program into a national contender. Last season he sent a record eight wrestlers to the NCAA Championships.

The Tigers and Sooners have competed against five common opponents this season in Old Dominion, Maryland, Cal-Fullerton, Cal-Bakersfield and Cal Poly. Both OU and MU went 5-0 against the foes. Oklahoma outscored them by a 28-9 margin and the Tigers bested the same opponents by a 30-9 margin.

OKLAHOMA AND NEBRASKA HISTORY

The Sooners lead the all-time mark against Nebraska by a 35-15-1 margin. With the series beginning in 1927, The Huskers did not record a victory over Oklahoma until 1949.

Four of Nebraska’s wins have come in past five years. Last season in Lincoln, Oklahoma fell short, losing 21-9 on Feb. 10. Highlighting that match was 125-pound Sooner Joey Fio recording a win over defending national champion Paul Donahoe of Nebraska.

RANKINGS RUNDOWN

The Sooners lead both opponents this weekend in total number ranked in this week’s Intermat poll at seven. Joey Fio (125 pounds) and Jeff James (174) lead the way for Oklahoma, ranked seventh. Kyle Terry also hurdled into the top 10 this week, ranked No. 8 nationally among 149-pounders. Eric Lapotsky is No. 11 at 197 pounds and 157-pound Shane Vernon is ranked 15th. Heavyweight Nathan Fernandez jumped up three spots to No. 16 and Pat Flynn is No. 19 at 184 pounds.

Missouri placed six in this week’s poll, all appearing in the top 10. The Tigers are led by No. 1 Mark Ellis at heavyweight. Max Askren is No. 4 at 197 pounds and Nick Marable (165 pounds) and Raymond Jordan (174) are fifth. Ranked eighth is Michael Chandler at 157 pounds and Marcus Hoehn rounds out the group at No. 10 among 141-pounders.

The Cornhuskers also have six ranked this week. Craig Brester is No. 2 at 197 pounds and Jordan Burroughs and Brandon Browne are No. 3 at 157 and 174 pounds, respectively. Ranked sixth is Stephen Dwyer and Vince Jones is No. 11 at 184 pounds. Heavyweight Tucker Lane rounds out ranked Tigers at No. 19.

SOONERS STREAKING

Three Sooners own impressive win streaks heading into this weekend’s matches, led by Kyle Terry at 149 pounds. The Midwest City, Okla., native is a winner of 19 straight, dating back to Nov. 13. In that span, he has recorded five falls and recorded a win over No. 3 Darrion Caldwell of North Carolina State.

Jeff James, ranked No. 7 nationally at 174 pounds, has been victorious in his last 18 matches dating back to Nov. 8, the first tournament of the season. Included in those wins are four major decisions and two technical falls. His top victory during the streak came against No. 8 Duke Burk of Iowa State.

Lastly, Joey Fio is a winner of 10 straight, dating back to Dec. 13. The Sandpoint, Idaho, native owns a team-high two victories over top 10 opponents during that winning span. Fio defeated then-No. 8 Anthony Robles of Arizona State and then-No. 6 Tyler Shinn of Iowa State, back-to-back.

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES...

LAST TIME OUT...
The Oklahoma Sooners reached 15 wins on the season (15-1, 1-1) with a dominant performance over the North Carolina State Wolfpack on Jan. 30. In front of 1,540 fans on hand to witness the second annual “Beauty and the Beast” spectacular, the wrestling squad shared the floor with the OU women’s gymnastics team, who defeated Minnesota, 196.500-195.675.

OU won eight of 10 total bouts, including pins recorded by Joey Fio (125 pounds) and Pat Flynn (184). Highlighting the night was No. 13 Kyle Terry’s upset of No. 3 Darrion Caldwell. Leading the match 5-0 in the first, Caldwell was forced to end the match due to injury after his injury time expired. The win was Terry’s 19th-straight this season.

Also posting an upset was unranked Seth Vernon over No. 15 Joe Caramanica. With the win, Oklahoma improved to a perfect 14-0 against out of conference foes this season.

OPPONENT CONNECTIONS...
Oklahoma assistant coach Jeremy Spates will face his alma-mater Friday evening against Missouri. Spates attended the University of Missouri from 1999-04 and graduated with a bachelor's in business.

Now in his fifth season as an assistant at OU, Spates was an All-American for the Tigers his senior year in 2004. Mizzou head coach Brian Smith also has a connection with Oklahoma. He was an assistant for a brief time under current OU head coach Jack Spates at Cornell.

SOONERS STREAK BROKEN...
Before last Friday versus Iowa State, the Sooners were on a 16 match winning streak dating back to last season. Oklahoma defeated Cal Poly and then-No. 3 Oklahoma State to end last season, and were 14-0 to begin this season. The loss also marked Oklahoma’s first Big 12 defeat of the season.

SPATES TOUGH AT HOME...
Now in his 16th season, OU Head Coach Jack Spates owns an 84-24-2 overall record (.771). During the 2001-02 year, he posted the most wins at home (10) in his tenure.

Last season, the Sooners boasted a 7-2 mark, including the win over OSU. Oklahoma is 6-0 so far this season, with wins over Central Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, then-No. 20 Old Dominion, then-No. 9 Oklahoma State, Maryland and North Carolina State.

SPATES MILESTONE...
Jack Spates picked up his 200th victory at Oklahoma with the 47-0 win over Oklahoma City on Nov. 20 and now owns a record of 213-88-11.

Averaging 14 wins a season, Spates has led OU to 14 straight campaigns of 10 wins or more and is second in all-time victories by a head coach in OU wrestling history. He became just the second coach in school history to notch 200 wins, joining Stan Abel (coached from 1973-93, 279 wins). Dating back to Cornell, Spates’ career record stands at 286-103-12.

FOLLOW THE SOONERS TO NATIONALS...
College wrestling fans still have the opportunity to secure excellent seats when the NCAA® Division I Wrestling Championships arrive in St. Louis in March. Don't miss your chance to take in all the action at the Scottrade Center.

All-session tickets to the 2009 championships are on sale now. To order your tickets, call (800) 745-3000 (toll free).

WRESTLERS HONORED BY BIG 12...
Oklahoma's Joey Fio and Nathan Fernandez have both been honored this season as Big 12 Wrestlers of the Week after impressive wins to begin the season.

Fernandez was awarded on Dec. 15 after a dominant performance at the Big 12/Pac-10 Challenge in San Luis Obispo, Calif. The Lawton, Okla., native recorded a three-match sweep at the California tournament, pinning two of three opponents, including No. 4-ranked Mitch Monteiro of Cal-Bakersfield early in the second period (3:19). The redshirt sophomore also recorded a fall versus Kelan Bragg (6:55) of Cal Poly and won by a 14-6 major decision over Kurt Klimek of Cal-Fullerton.

The Big 12 selected Fio on Jan. 19, after helping guide the then-11th-ranked Sooners to two victories over Maryland (22-15) and Arizona State (36-7). Highlighting his two victories was a pin over eighth-ranked and 2008 NCAA qualifier Anthony Robles of Arizona State. The sophomore needed only the first period to record the fall, posting his second this season with a time of 2:08.

STOUT 2008 RECRUITING CLASS...
Oklahoma wrestling head coach Jack Spates signed five top-70 recruits in the early signing period to wrap up one of the most impressive recruiting classes at OU in recent years. Additionally, the Sooners will welcome a talented Kansas senior and a transfer from Old Dominion in January.

Headlining the class is Jake Kemerer from Hempfield Area, Pa., ranked No. 16 overall according to Intermat and rated No. 4 in the 171-pound class by Amateur Wrestling News. Also inked for next season is Alex Ekstrom from Palmyra-Macedonia, N.Y., ranked No. 31 overall and rated the third-best among 140-pounders.

Joining them are the Lester twins, Matt and Nick, ranked No. 33 and No. 38 overall, respectively. The two hail from Eureka, Mo., and each own Missouri state titles. Matt is ranked No. 2 overall among 152-pounders and is Nick No. 5 at 140 pounds.

Jarrod Patterson from Cushing, Okla., is a three-time Oklahoma state champion entering his senior year and ranked No. 6 in the 125 pound weight class nationally.

Kyle Detmer rounds out the group of seniors, garnering a 135-5 record in high school, including posting pins in 31 of 35 matches for Bishop Caroll High School in Wichita Kan., last season.

Derek Peperas, a transfer from Old Dominion, joined the Sooner program in January. The redshirt freshman is immediately eligible for OU upon arrival and will provide depth at 165 pounds. Winner of two New Mexico state championships, Peperas also was a two-time state runner-up.

FORMER SOONER CHAMPION JOINS STAFF...
Former Sooner wrestler Michael Lightner joined the staff this season as the volunteer assistant coach. The Marlow, Okla., native claimed the national title in 2001 and was crowned Big 12 champion four times at 141 pounds.

Lightner can be found in various OU records, including second in career wins with a 144-16 record. His 37-0 record during his senior campaign led him to the national title and he became the 13th Sooner in school history to go undefeated in a season.

Oklahoma scene: State players honored by leagues

Published: January 20, 2009

Oklahoma’s Joey Fio was named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week.

It is the second time he has won the award. The 125-pounder went 2-0 in duals against Maryland and Arizona State. Fio pinned No. 8-ranked Anthony Robles of Arizona State on Sunday. He won a 2-1 decision over Maryland’s Brendan Byrne on Friday.

Robles had pinned Fio in two previous meetings. ...

Sooners upset No. 9 O-State

Christopher Shelton 12/8/08
Stillwater NewsPress

NORMAN — Oklahoma State’s quest to reclaim the Bedlam crown went awry Sunday on the Norman mat.

Each team claimed five matches, but with an extra six points from an injury forfeit at 133 pounds, Oklahoma won 18-15 for the second year in a row — a first since 1993.

No. 15 Tyler Shinn injured what appeared to be his collarbone in the first period of his match against OU’s David Armstrong. After grimacing through a couple of injury timeouts, the junior gave up the match, boosting the 20th-ranked Sooners (4-0) to an early 9-0 lead.

“If you’re going to wrestle, you’ve got to stay focused,” OSU coach John Smith said. “It’s going to hurt. ... I think he’s a tough kid. I don’t think he’d lay down by any means, so obviously it’s something pretty serious.

“If it’s a broken collarbone or if he did something like that, it’s going to be tough to compete.”

Smith said the details of Shinn’s injury are unknown at that point.

Back in February, the Sooners defeated OSU — by the same score they did so Sunday — to break a 19-dual streak for the Cowboys. Not only did OU keep O-State from reclaiming the Bedlam bragging rights, but also started a streak of their own.

“It is what it is,” Smith said. “Our season isn’t based on duals, but we take pride in winning duals. It never has been based on duals. They’re a means to get to another level of competition, but we can’t have too many more of these.

“This is no good for anyone, especially when you have a better team — that didn’t show up today, obviously.”

The No. 9 Cowboys (5-2) claimed two unexpected victories at 141 and 197 pounds. At 141, unranked redshirt freshman Jamal Parks toppled No. 12 Zack Bailey, 10-7, to break OSU’s two-match losing streak.

Parks attacked with ferocity, gaining four takedowns and riding time advantage over Bailey’s four escapes and single takedown.

At 197, 15th-ranked Cowboy Clayton Foster upset the Sooners’ star wrestler, No. 8 Eric Lapotsky, by a 12-9 advantage. From a 9-4 deficit, Lapotsky struck with a takedown and three-point nearfall to close the gap with 30 seconds left in the match.

At the seven-second mark, Foster spun a reversal, and his riding time put him up 12-9. However, the efforts at those weights weren’t enough to offset OU’s early advantage.

“With this team, you can’t afford to give up six points at ’33,” Smith said. “Ultimately, from that point forward, we picked up two upsets really — ’41 and ’97 — but we can’t afford to give up six. That’s where we’re at.

“I didn’t care for the way we competed (Sunday), very disgusting in how we lost, the way we lost. It looked like we were dragging at key moments, especially in the third period. Just unacceptable.”

Just how unacceptable was the Cowboys’ performance? Enough so that Smith promised that no one will see the same lineup that wrestled Sunday for the rest of this season. He’s seen some things he doesn’t like becoming consistent and wants to give some other wrestlers opportunities.

The Sooners still trail, 26-124-9, in the Bedlam series. Sooners coach Jack Spates improved his Bedlam record to 3-29-2 in 16 seasons at OU.

“We’re certainly not proud of our Bedlam record, but we are proud of two wins in a row over a great program like that, and I’m proud of our guys,” Spates said. “Bedlam is a funny meet. It’s a very emotional experience, and it does things to people that sometimes you sit back as a coach and you’re just shaking your head.

“I know John would echo that sentiment. But the bottom line is that you got to win tough, and that’s what these guys did.”

Bedlam wrestling: Sooners knock off OSU again
OU secures second straight upset over Cowboys with Flynn’s win at 184

BY MATT PATTERSON
Published: December 8, 2008

NORMAN — Early in Sunday afternoon’s Bedlam dual, there was a moment or two when Oklahoma coach Jack Spates looked at Pat Flynn and wondered if the 184-pound sophomore was awake.

"I was kind of worried about him,” Spates joked. "I was thinking, ‘Is he in this or not?’”

Turns out Flynn was wide awake, and it was his 7-2 decision over No. 20-ranked Jared Shelton that went a long way in securing the Sooners’ second straight 18-15 Bedlam win over Oklahoma State at McCasland Field House.

The unranked Flynn was wrestling in his first Bedlam, but he stunned Shelton with a first- period takedown and a reversal and near fall in the second period en route to an easy win. Flynn’s victory came just after Jeff James (174) beat OSU’s Kyle Griffin with a takedown with 18 seconds left. That shook Flynn from his quiet place.

"As much I try not to listen to anything, it’s hard to ignore the stands when they go crazy when Jeff wins,” Flynn said. "I knew it was a good position for me to give the team a boost.”

The 10 matches were split down the middle, but OSU lost six points when Tyler Shinn had an injury default at 133. OU’s Joey Fio (125) won in a 2-1 decision over No. 8 Obe Blanc with an escape in OT.

Nearly all the matches went to the third period, and six were decided by three points or less, including a win by OSU’s Clayton Foster at 197. He beat Eric Lapotsky, who tied the match with a near fall late in the third.

OSU found itself on the wrong side of too many of them.

"I didn’t care for the way we competed today,” OSU coach John Smith said. "It was very disgusting in terms of how we lost and the way we lost. It looked like we were dragging at key moments in the match especially at the third period.”

James’ match was another example of the down-to-the-wire theme. All but heavyweight and Flynn’s match could have gone to either team. The No. 9-ranked James knew he couldn’t afford to lose, especially to an unranked opponent.

"I had to win for us to win,” he said.

The Sooners now own a two-dual win streak over the Cowboys for the first time since 1993. James called it a "huge deal,” and Spates said it was a "proud moment.”

Flynn was as mellow about it as he was on the bench waiting for his turn on the mat.

"It’s all a pyramid we’re just climbing until March,” Flynn said, referring to the NCAA Tournament in St. Louis.

Sooner head coach Jack Spates to appear tonight, Dec. 2, on Wrestling 411 Radio
Kyle Klingman Wrestling 411 12/02/2008
University of Oklahoma head wrestling coach Jack Spates will be the featured guest on Wrestling 411 Radio on Tuesday, December 2. Augsburg College’s KAUG radio serves as the online host of Wrestling 411 Radio. The hour-long show can be heard live this Tuesday from 7 – 8 p.m. Central Standard Time by visiting www.wrestling411.tv. Archives of each broadcast, along with a video from each show, will be available on the website as well. Spates is in his 16th season as the head wrestling coach at the University of Oklahoma. He has led the Sooners to Big 12 titles (1999 and 2006) and six top-four finishes at the NCAA tournament. Spates was also named National Coach of the Year in 2006. This season, the Sooners are 3-0 in dual meets and will face in-state rival Oklahoma State in Norman on December 7. Wrestling 411 Radio can be heard live Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 – 8 p.m. CST by visiting www.wrestling411.tv.

Spates Wins 200th, Sooners Roll

Jack Spates picked up his 200th win at OU and the Sooners blanked OCU, 47-0.

Nov. 20, 2008

No. 19 Oklahoma 47, Oklahoma City 0  | Photo Gallery QUICK STATS Oklahoma Statistic Oklahoma City 3 Pins 0 28 Takedowns 2 8 Escapes 13 11 Near falls 0 47 Final Score 0 Sooner Wrestling Central Wrestling Main Page | Ticket Information | Field House 2008-09 Oklahoma Wrestling Guide | 2008-09 Match Notes Oklahoma Season Statistics | Big 12 Conferen

NORMAN, Okla. – The University of Oklahoma wrestling squad improved to 2-0 on the season after a dominant performance Thursday evening in Norman, defeating Oklahoma City University (4-2) by a 47-0 final. With the victory, Oklahoma coach Jack Spates picked up his 200th win at OU.

“There are a lot of great memories and certainly a lot of great kids that are responsible for the wins,” Spates said. “I was proud of the way we wrestled tonight. It doesn’t matter who the opponent is, you have to come out with the same focus and intensity each night.”

The No. 19th-ranked Sooners (2-0) began with a 6-0 team lead after Oklahoma City forfeited the opening weight, with sophomore Joey Fio picking up the win. Senior David Armstrong then recorded an 8-3 decision over Justin Blumer at 133 pounds to put the Sooners up 9-0. The Cleveland, Ohio, native recorded two takedowns and a reversal to pick up his third win of the season.

A decisive 19-2 technical fall by redshirt sophomore Zack Bailey followed at 141 pounds over Jeremy Garner. After scoring three takedowns and four nearfalls on the evening, the Kansas City, Mo., native improved to 5-0 on the season.

Kyle Terry quickly took control of the 149-pound match, scoring four nearfalls and a takedown in the first period to lead 15-1. Just 39 seconds into the second, Terry posted a fall, his third of the season, and gave OU a 20-0 team lead. Shane Vernon continued OU’s dominance by recording three takedowns, three nearfalls and a reversal to post an 18-5 major decision at 157 pounds over Mark Meyer.

Sooner Ryan Smith pushed the lead to 27-0 by recording a 10-2 major decision over Nik Turner at 165 pounds. Jeff James then put six more on the board, recording a pin versus Andrew Pontikes. The redshirt sophomore now has two pins this season and three in his career.

Redshirt sophomore Pat Flynn then recorded a 10-1 major decision over Dillon Blackmon at 184 pounds before teammate Eric Lapotsky scored his fourth fall in only six matches this season at 197 pounds. The Mt. Carmel, Pa., native now owns 12 pins in only 22 matches as a Sooner.

Redshirt Freshman Nathan Fernandez sealed the OU shutout with a 9-4 decision at heavyweight over Corey Johnson, scoring three takedowns for his fourth victory of the season.

The Sooners will return to action this Sunday, Nov. 23, when they host No. 20th-ranked Old Dominion at 4 p.m., at the McCasland Field House in Norman. 

Match-by-Match Results

125: Joey Fio (OU) forfeit Kolton Barnett (OCU)
133: David Armstrong (OU) dec. Justin Blumer (OCU), 8-3
141: Zack Bailey (OU) tech fall Jeremy Garner (OCU), 19-2
149: Kyle Terry (OU) fall Will Shelton (OCU), 3:39
157: Shane Vernon (OU) maj. dec. Mark Meyer (OCU), 18-5
165: Ryan Smith (OU) maj. dec. Nik Turner (OCU), 10-2
174: Jeff James (OU) fall Andrew Pontikes (OCU), 4:18
184: Pat Flynn (OU) maj. dec. Dillon Blackmon (OCU), 10-1
197: Eric Lapotsky (OU) fall Jake Mabry (OCU), 1:07
HWT: Nathan Fernandez (OU) dec. Corey Johnson (OCU), 9-4

Published: November 12, 2008 12:50 am     

Easing into the mat season

By Scott Moore
The Norman Transcript

Like most teams, Oklahoma likes to ease into the dual portion of its wrestling schedule. No sense in knocking heads with some top 10 team this early in the season. And usually the Sooners come out on top and grab some momentum before facing that early season challenge against Oklahoma State in December.

So when the No. 18 Sooners host Division II Central Oklahoma at 7 p.m. Thursday, the Sooners should roll.

“Yeah, tell that to Michigan football,” Sooner coach Jack Spates joked.

Spates was referring to Appalachian State’s win at Michigan last football season. On paper it looked like a mismatch as Appalachian State was a Division 1-AA team.

UCO is no pushover squad. Coach David James has been the Broncos’ head coach for 26 years and has led UCO to 12 national titles.

“UCO can be very dangerous, so we don’t presume anything,” Spates said.

It’s been a tradition for these two schools to face each other near the beginning of the season. Thursday will be the 50th time the two teams have wrestled, with OU owning a 40-8-1 record. Last year, OU won 27-6.

Realistically, the Sooners should win handily. But it’s not just the victory OU is looking for. OU uses these pre-December contests to fine-tune its game and to solidify the lineup, although there is always competition throughout the season.

“What I want to see most is more technical improvement,” Spates said. “I want to see guys controlling tie-ups, I want to see more setups. I want to see good shape. I was real impressed with our shape at Brockport.”

The Sooners were at the Brockport/Oklahoma Classic over the weekend at Brockport, New York, and won the team title for the 10th straight year. It was an encouraging start to the season for OU, which finished ahead of two higher-ranked programs.

The Sooners, then No. 20, finished with 140 points and crowned two champions. No. 15 Edinboro was second with 123 points, and No. 18 Central Michigan was third with 108.

Kent State was fourth (108), Hofstra fifth (104), Army sixth (77), Rutgers seventh (56.5) and Brockport rounded out the field in eighth (8).

It was a stronger field than what the Sooners normally see at this event.

“It was a significantly up-scale competition,” Spates said. “And I thought it was a good performance by us. The key was that we got a lot of pins and that is something that we have really worked on.

“I liked the strength of the competition and we had determined that if we could not make it a little more competitive, than we would not go back.”

The Sooners’ two champions were Zack Bailey at 141 pounds and Eric Lapotsky at 197, who each went 4-0. Shane Vernon at 157 and Jeff James at 174 each finished second. On his way to a silver medal, James ended up scoring a victory over Mike Miller of Central Michigan, an All-American last year.

Thursday against UCO, the probable lineup will be Joey Fio at 125, David Armstrong at 133, Bailey at 141, Vernon at 157, Ryan Smith at 165, James at 174, Pat Flynn at 184, Lapotsky at 197 and Nathan Fernandez at heavyweight. That group features four newcomers in Armstrong, Smith, Flynn and Lapotsky.

Still, Spates feels there’s enough experience and enough talent among the newcomers for the Sooners to compete on the national scale if they keep improving.

“My gut feeling right now is that we’re a pretty good dual meet team that has the opportunity to be a real good dual meet team,” Spates said. “And we have to go a long way to be a good national team.”

Scott Moore