Missouri Wrestling
In its return to the Big 12 Conference as an affiliate member, Missouri scored 131.5 points to win the 2022 Big 12 Wrestling Championship Sunday night at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Missouri wrestling team left the Big 12 Conference after the 2011-12 season when the rest of the Missouri athletic teams jumped to the SEC. In doing so, Missouri ended Oklahoma State’s nine-year reign as Big 12 wrestling champions. And as the saying goes, “one dynasty ends, and another one continues.” Ironically, it was Missouri who was the last Big 12 team to win the conference tournament before Oklahoma State, with taking the title in 2012, before leaving the conference and joining the Mid America Conference for wrestling. The Tigers went on to claim the MAC championship every year since, making this their 11th consecutive conference title. The OSU Cowboys ended up finishing a disappointing fourth on Sunday at the BOK Center, despite crowning three individual champs.
The Oklahoma Sooners who shared the championship with OSU last year, finished in second place with 113 points followed by Iowa State in third with 110. Oklahoma State with finishing in fourth with 107.5 points, entered the tournament as the highest ranked team of all Big 12 Schools. For certainty, no one likes to use excuses, but there’s no question that Oklahoma State’s bid for a 10th straight Big 12 title was at least partially derailed by injuries. Besides 197 lb sophomore A.J. Ferrari’s absence from the lineup due to the injuries he sustained in a car accident back in January, the Cowboys had several other wrestlers attempting to battle through injuries in the tournament. Nevertheless, kudos and congratulations goes out to the Tigers for winning the Big 12, and Missouri head coach Brian Smith capturing Coach of the Year honors, as voted on by league coaches.
Oklahoma with finishing as runner-ups in the team race, found Saturday’s early going to be a little difficult. The Sooners advanced only three wrestlers to the semifinals and needed a couple of upsets to pull that off. With a strong effort in the consolation rounds, OU surged into second place in the team standings, but had only one wrestler (Willie McDougald) reach the championship round at 149 pounds. Oklahoma placed second primarily on the strength of its excellence in the consolation brackets, mostly on Saturday. The Sooners as a result, qualified nine wrestlers for the NCAA tournament in two weeks.
Missouri had the team title clinched before the final-round session Sunday night, while Oklahoma was second with 113 points, Iowa State third with 106 and OSU fourth at 96.5. The Sooners didn’t gain any more points in the final session when McDougald lost a close 2-1 decision to Oklahoma State’s Kaden Gfeller. However, the Cowboys moved up quite a bit in the team race with four finalists. Oklahoma State went 3-1 in the championship round with Gfeller, winning his second Big 12 title after winning as a freshman in 2019, along with Daton Fix at 133 pounds winning his third individual Big 12 title in three years, and Dustin Plott at 174 pounds winning his first.
Championship Finals
West Virginia’s top-seeded Killian Cardinale took the crown at 125 pounds, defeating UNI’s Brody Teske, the 2021 Big 12 champion, via an 8-3 decision. After a scoreless first period, the Mountaineer pulled off an escape seven seconds into the second period, followed by a four-point combination of a takedown and near fall to cruise into the third up 5-1. Cardinale scored another takedown and locked up some riding time to seal the five-point victory. As a result, Cardinale in his senior year, claimed the Mountaineers’ third individual Big 12 Championship in WVU wrestling history.
Oklahoma State’s Daton Fix, nationally-ranked No. 2 in the 133-pound weight class, collected his third Big 12 title, and second-consecutive, after posting a 6-2 decision victory over Panther Kyle Biscoglia. Fix started out fast with scoring two take downs in the first period but saw the tempo of the match slow down quite considerably. While the outcome was never in doubt, it wasn’t the performance the Cowboy wrestler is used to with overpowering his opponents. Nevertheless, for Fix, the focus now shifts to the NCAA Tournament in two weeks, when he will seek his first national title after finishing as a runner-up in each of his first two attempts.
Northern Colorado’s number three-seeded Andrew Alirez spoiled the Tiger’s Allan Hart’s debut in a Big 12 final with earning the 141-pound title with a 6-4 decision, giving the Bears their first individual conference title in the Big 12. Alirez looks to continue his historic season on the national level. This is his third trip to the NCAAs, though he withdrew last year for medical reasons.
At the 149 weight class, saw the only Bedlam battle in the championship round, featuring OSU’s Kaden Gfeller defeating OU’s Willie McDougald in a close 2-1 decision victory. With the win, Gfeller picked up his second Big 12 title and improved his season record to 18-2. Gfeller, has been through a lot since his last championship as a freshman in 2019. He didn’t compete at all in the 2020 tournament and didn’t place last year after dropping down to 141 pounds.
Iowa State’s David Carr, reigning NCAA champion at 157 pounds, performed a three-peat with picking up his third-straight Big 12 crown with an 8-2 decision over North Dakota State’s Jared Franek. Funny thing is, Carr beat Franek in last year’s Big 12 final by the same identical 8-2 score. The match unfolded similarly as well in both matches. Carr scored two takedowns in the first period, scored a third takedown in the third, and added another point for riding-time. He becomes the Cyclones 16th Three-Time Conference Champion in Iowa State history. Carr is now 21-0 this season and 59-1 for his career, which includes a still-active 54-match winning streak.
Taking the victory at 165 pounds, Keegan O’Toole gave Missouri its first individual Big 12 title, posting a 13-7 decision against WVU’s Peyton Hall. O’Toole won the 165-pound bracket, defeating West Virginia’s Peyton Hall by a 13-7 decision in the final. O’Toole led 5-3 after the first period behind two takedowns and an escape. He put more points up on the board in the second with an additional two takedowns before finishing the match with a strong third.
In the only Missouri vs. Oklahoma State matchup of the night, OSU’s Dustin Plott, the No. 1 seed in the 174-pound weight class, defeated Mizzou’s Peyton Mocco in a close 4-3 decision to garner the title. Plott, who placed fourth at the Big 12 tournament last year, was trailing 3-1 entering the third period. The Cowboy wrestler needed a two-point takedown with 16 seconds left to claim the title.
At 184 pounds, Northern Iowa’s Parker Keckeisen claimed his second-straight Big 12 championship with a 14-3 major decision victory over Tiger Jeremiah Kent. Kent however, scored a couple of upsets to reach the finals with knocking off a second and third place seeded wrestlers. Kecheisen, meanwhile for the Panthers, was a scoring machine with outscoring his four opponents by a combined 58-19 score.
Wyoming’s Stephen Buchanan won the 197-pound championship with a 3-2 decision against South Dakota State’s Tanner Sloan. After a scoreless first period, Buchanan scored three straight points to take control of the match and fended off all of Sloan’s shots to secure the 3-2 win. Buchanan, an All-American last year, won his 10th consecutive match and improved to 23-2 on the season. He became the fifth Cowboy in program history to win a Big 12 title.
In a heavily anticipated heavyweight bout, Wyatt Hendrickson, a Newton, Kansas native, came back from a 0-4 deficit after being taken down to his back within the first minute of the first period to defeat Oklahoma State’s Luke Surber with a 16-6 major decision. The bout for the remaining six minutes was like waking up a sleeping giant once Hendrickson got off his back with totally dominating Surber who just five years ago was cutting weight to 113 pounds where he won a state title. The victory propelled Hendrickson to earn the Air Force Academy’s first Big 12 individual title in program history, and was promptly named the 2022 Big 12 Championship Most Outstanding Wrestler.
Individual Results
125: 1st Place – Killian Cardinale of West Virginia
2nd Place – Brody Teske of N. Iowa
3rd Place – Trevor Mastrogiovanni of OK State
4th Place – Joey Prata of Oklahoma
5th Place – Taylor LaMont of Utah Valley
6th Place – Jace Koelzer of N. Colorado
7th Place – Noah Surtin of Missouri
8th Place – Kysen Terukina of Iowa St.
1st Place Match: Killian Cardinale (West Virginia) 3-0, Dec 8-3 over Brody Teske (N. Iowa) 3-1
3rd Place Match: Trevor Mastrogiovanni (OK State) 4-1, Dec 4-1 over Joey Prata (Oklahoma) 16-6
5th Place Match: Taylor LaMont (Utah Valley) 10-4, MD 19-6 over Jace Koelzer (N. Colorado) 3-3
7th Place Match: Noah Surtin (Missouri) 2-2, SV-1 5-3 over Kysen Terukina (Iowa St.) 15-6
133: 1st Place – Daton Fix of OK State
2nd Place – Kyle Biscoglia of N. Iowa
3rd Place – Ramazan Attasauov of Iowa St.
4th Place – Sidney Flores of Air Force
5th Place – Haiden Drury of Utah Valley
6th Place – Anthony Madrigal of Oklahoma
7th Place – Connor Brown of Missouri
8th Place – Gabriel Tagg of South Dakota State
1st Place Match: Daton Fix (OK State) 4-0, Dec 6-2 over Kyle Biscoglia (N. Iowa) 2-1
3rd Place Match: Ramazan Attasauov (Iowa St.) 16-7, Dec 8-5 over Sidney Flores (Air Force) 8-2
5th Place Match: Haiden Drury (Utah Valley) 19-6, Dec 2-1 over Anthony Madrigal (Oklahoma) 12-10
7th Place Match: Connor Brown (Missouri) 3-2, Fall over Gabriel Tagg (South Dakota State) 1-3
141: 1st Place – Andrew Alirez of N. Colorado
2nd Place – Allan Hart of Missouri
3rd Place – Clay Carlson of South Dakota State
4th Place – Dylan Droegemueller of North Dakota State
5th Place – Ian Parker of Iowa St.
6th Place – Jacob Butler of Oklahoma
7th Place – Carter Young of OK State
8th Place – Ty Smith of Utah Valley
1st Place Match: Andrew Alirez (N. Colorado) 4-0, Dec 6-4 over Allan Hart (Missouri) 2-1
3rd Place Match: Clay Carlson (South Dakota St) Dec 7-5 over Dylan Droegemueller (North Dakota St
5th Place Match: Ian Parker (Iowa St.) 12-3, Dec 8-7 over Jacob Butler (Oklahoma) 9-13
7th Place Match: Carter Young (OK State) 2-2, Dec 7-4 over Ty Smith (Utah Valley) 5-10
149: 1st Place – Kaden Gfeller of OK State
2nd Place – Willie McDougald of Oklahoma
3rd Place – Colin Realbuto of N. Iowa
4th Place – Jarrett Degen of Iowa St.
5th Place – Josh Edmond of Missouri
6th Place – Dylan Martinez of Air Force
7th Place – Gaven Sax of North Dakota State
8th Place – Jeff Boyd of West Virginia
1st Place Match: Kaden Gfeller (OK State) 4-0, Dec 2-1 over Willie McDougald (Oklahoma) 12-5
3rd Place Match: Colin Realbuto (N. Iowa) 3-1, Dec 8-6 over Jarrett Degen (Iowa St.) 18-5
5th Place Match: Josh Edmond (Missouri) 4-2, MD 17-8 over Dylan Martinez (Air Force) 8-4
7th Place Match: Gaven Sax (North Dakota St) 2-2, Dec 12-5 over Jeff Boyd (West Virginia) 2-3
157: 1st Place – David Carr of Iowa St.
2nd Place – Jared Franek of North Dakota State
3rd Place – Jacob Wright of Wyoming
4th Place – Justin Thomas of Oklahoma
5th Place – Jarrett Jacques of Missouri
6th Place – Derek Holschlag of N. Iowa
7th Place – Alex Hornfeck of West Virginia
8th Place – Kenny ONeil of South Dakota State 1st Place Match: David Carr (Iowa St.) 21-0, Dec 8-2 over Jared Franek (North Dakota State) 2-1 3rd Place Match: Jacob Wright (Wyoming) 19-6, TB-1 6-5 over Justin Thomas (Oklahoma) 18-7 5th Place Match: Jarrett Jacques (Missouri) 3-2, SV-1 3-1 over Derek Holschlag (N. Iowa) 3-3 7th Place Match Alex Hornfeck (West Virginia) 2-2, Dec 8-2 over Kenny ONeil (South Dakota St) 1-3
165: 1st Place – Keegan OToole of Missouri 2nd Place - Peyton Hall of West Virginia 3rd Place - Austin Yant of N. Iowa 4th Place - Luke Weber of North Dakota State 5th Place - Joe Grello of Oklahoma 6th Place - Isaac Judge of Iowa St. 7th Place - Tanner Cook of South Dakota State 8th Place - Nick Knutson of N. Colorado 1st Place Match: Keegan OToole (Missouri) 3-0, Dec 13-7 over Peyton Hall (West Virginia) 3-1
3rd Place Match: Austin Yant (N. Iowa) 3-1, Dec 5-4 over Luke Weber (North Dakota State) 3-2
5th Place Match: Joe Grello (Oklahoma) 9-8, Dec 6-2 over Isaac Judge (Iowa St.) 15-14
7th Place Match: Tanner Cook (South Dakota State) 2-2, Fall over Nick Knutson (N. Colorado) 1-3
174: 1st Place – Dustin Plott of OK State
2nd Place – Peyton Mocco of Missouri
3rd Place – Anthony Mantanona of Oklahoma
4th Place – Cade DeVos of South Dakota State
5th Place – Hayden Hastings of Wyoming
6th Place – Lance Runyon of N. Iowa
7th Place – Joel Devine of Iowa St.
8th Place – Dennis Robin of West Virginia
1st Place Match: Dustin Plott (OK State) 4-0, Dec 4-3 over Peyton Mocco (Missouri) 3-1
3rd Place Match: Anthony Mantanona (Oklahoma) 20-7, Dec 6-3 over Cade DeVos (South Dakota St)
5th Place Match: Hayden Hastings (Wyoming) 23-7, M For over Lance Runyon (N. Iowa) 2-3
7th Place Match: Joel Devine (Iowa St.) 11-9, Dec 6-0 over Dennis Robin (West Virginia) 1-3
184: 1st Place – Parker Keckeisen of N. Iowa
2nd Place – Jeremiah Kent of Missouri
3rd Place – Marcus Coleman of Iowa St.
4th Place – Keegan Moore of Oklahoma
5th Place – Dakota Geer of OK State
6th Place – Deanthony Parker Jr of North Dakota State
7th Place – Tate Samuelson of Wyoming
8th Place – Anthony Carman of West Virginia
1st Place Match: Parker Keckeisen (N. Iowa) 4-0, MD 13-3 over Jeremiah Kent (Missouri) 2-1
3rd Place Match: Marcus Coleman (Iowa St.) 17-4, MD 19-6 over Keegan Moore (Oklahoma) 8-4
5th Place Match: Dakota Geer (OK State) 2-2, Dec 13-10 over Deanthony Parker Jr (North Dakota St)
7th Place Match: Tate Samuelson (Wyoming) 20-7, Fall over Anthony Carman (West Virginia) 2-3
197: 1st Place – Stephen Buchanan of Wyoming
2nd Place – Tanner Sloan of South Dakota State
3rd Place – Rocky Elam of Missouri
4th Place – Jake Woodley of Oklahoma
5th Place – Yonger Bastida of Iowa St.
6th Place – Owen Pentz of North Dakota State
7th Place – Evan Bockman of Utah Valley
8th Place – Alan Clothier of N. Colorado
1st Place Match Stephen Buchanan (Wyoming) 24-2, Dec 3-2 over Tanner Sloan (South Dakota St) 3-1
3rd Place Match: Rocky Elam (Missouri) 5-1, Dec 6-1 over Jake Woodley (Oklahoma) 24-7
5th Place Match: Yonger Bastida (Iowa St.) 19-5, M For Owen Pentz (North Dakota State) 1-3
7th Place Match: Evan Bockman (Utah Valley) 14-9, Dec 7-4 over Alan Clothier (N. Colorado) 1-3
285: 1st Place – Wyatt Hendrickson of Air Force
2nd Place – Luke Surber of OK State
3rd Place – Zach Elam of Missouri
4th Place – Sam Schuyler of Iowa St.
5th Place – AJ Nevills of South Dakota State
6th Place – Josh Heindselman of Oklahoma
7th Place – Michael Wolfgram of West Virginia
8th Place – Brandon Metz of North Dakota State
1st Place Match: Wyatt Hendrickson (Air Force) 6-0, MD 16-6 over Luke Surber (OK State) 3-1
3rd Place Match: Zach Elam (Missouri) 4-1, Dec 6-1 over Sam Schuyler (Iowa St.) 17-6
5th Place Match: AJ Nevills (South Dakota St) TB-1 5-4 over Josh Heindselman (Oklahoma)
7th Place Match: Michael Wolfgram (West Virginia) Dec 3-1 over Brandon Metz (North Dakota St)
