Missouri Wrestling
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Two falls from redshirt senior 174-pounder Blaise Butler (Belvidere, Ill.) and redshirt sophomore 184-pounder Willie Miklus (Altoona, Iowa) gave No. 9 Mizzou Wrestling the lead it needed to defeat No. 25 Northern Iowa on Saturday by a score of 24-19. Heading into the 174-pound match, the Tigers trailed the Panthers 14-9, but the two pins gave Mizzou a 21-14 lead, one it would not relinquish again. The win marked the 30th consecutive dual victory for the Tigers.
Redshirt junior 133-pounder Zach Synon (Cary, Ill.) picked up the first win of the night for Mizzou, besting Josh Alber by a score a 2-1. The match was 1-1 as time expired, but Synon was awarded a second point from riding time. The 2-1 decision tied the match score at 3-3. The win started a run for Mizzou, who took the next two matches by way of decision. First, redshirt junior 141-pounder Matt Manley (Perry, Okla.), defeated Trevor Jauch, 4-3. Then, redshirt junior 149-pounder Lavion Mayes (Mascoutah, Ill.) beat Gunnar Wolfensperger by a score of 9-3 to give Mizzou a 9-3 lead in the dual.
After Northern Iowa tied the score, 9-9, with a fall in the 157-pound matchup and grabbed the lead with a technical fall in the 165-pound matchup, 14-9, Butler regained the lead for the Tigers with his pin in the third period (6:37) over Kyle Lux. In his first match as a Tiger after transferring from Virginia, Butler came away with a massive debut win for #Tigerstyle. Butler led 14-4 in the third period when he put both of Lux’s shoulders on the mat for six points.
Miklus followed up the Butler pin with one of his own, pinning Cody Caldwell in the first period (1:22). Wrestling in front of family and friends, Miklus looked up into the stands following the win to acknowledge those who made the short drive to support him.
Junior 197-pounder J’den Cox (Columbia, Mo.) picked up the final win of the night for #Tigerstyle when he beat Jared Bartel by way of decision, 8-3. The win gave Mizzou three points and clinched the victory.
Mizzou will next send wrestlers to Las Vegas, Nev. to compete in the Las Vegas Invitational Dec. 4. The next dual competition for #Tigerstyle will be the home-opener contest against Ohio State on Friday, Dec. 12.
For all the latest on Mizzou Wrestling, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (MizzouWrestling).
Match-By-Match Results
125: Dylan Peters [UNI] def. Barlow McGhee [MIZ] by 7-5 decision
133: Zach Synon [MIZ] def. Josh Alber [UNI] by 2-1 decision
141: Matt Manley [MIZ] def. Trevor Jauch [UNI] by 4-3 decision
149: Lavion Mayes [MIZ] def. Gunnar Wolfensperger [UNI] by 9-3 decision
157: Bryce Steiert [UNI] def. Luke Fortuna [MIZ] by fall (3:32)
165: Cooper Moore [UNI] def. Nick DeLoach [MIZ] by 15-0 technical fall
174: Blaise Butler [MIZ] def. Kyle Lux [UNI] by fall (6:37)
184: Willie Miklus [MIZ] def. Cody Caldwell [UNI] by fall (1:22)
197: J’den Cox [MIZ] def. Jared Bartel [UNI] by 8-3 decision
HWT: Blaize Cabell [UNI] def. James Romero [MIZ] by 25-10 technical fall