James Hackney
The Tigers stay at home for another conference dual, taking on Wyoming. The Cowboys are a young team with three true freshman starters in the lineup. Last year Mizzou won 28-10 with seven wins.
The three matches they dropped were Noah Surtin then Kade Moore and Ryan Boersma making their dual debuts. I’m projecting all the typical starters, but it could be a chance for some backups or freshmen to start.
The biggest match comes at 125, but Wyoming is also favored at 149. While not the strongest team, Wyoming is consistently well coached and coming off a solid performance at Cliff Keen.
125: #16 Noah Surtin (6-0) vs #15 Jore Volk (5-2)
This should be the premier match of the night between two All-American contenders. Last year these two faced off in the dual with then true freshman Volk getting an 11-1 major decision. That score is a bit deceptive however, as Surtin was put on his back attempting a big move twice.
Volk is coming off a 5th place finish at CKLV where he had some big wins and showcased his talent. He appears very strong and athletic, and sometimes impossible to finish takedowns on. He’s got a great dive roll, and strong hips in scrambles. Earlier this year Surtin specifically said that a point of emphasis for him in the offseason was finishing out the back, a position that he may need to be able to work through here.
Both guys work a lot of underhooks, but I think Surtin has more offense in that position. On the mat could get interesting, as Volk is tough to keep down. This has match of the night written all over it. I’ve been high on Surtin all season, and this will be his biggest test of the season.
I’ll take him getting a decision in a wild one…
