South Dakota State won some key battles, but the top-ranked Oklahoma State wrestling team proved to be too much in a 31-9 dual victory Sunday afternoon at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
The 19th-ranked Jackrabbits, who had their seven-match winning streak snapped, dropped to 8-3 overall and 4-1 against Big 12 Conference opponents. Oklahoma State, whose entire 10-man lineup in Sunday’s dual featured a ranked wrestler, stayed unbeaten in duals at 8-0 overall and 3-0 in the Big 12.
“It was good to win the three matches we did, but we still lost the dual and it was a Big 12 dual,” SDSU head coach Chris Bono. “We’ve got to get home and get better.”
All three of SDSU’s wins came against a Cowboy wrestler in the top five of their respective weight classes in the most recent Intermat rankings. Seventh-ranked Seth Gross recorded only one takedown in his match against second-ranked Kaid Brock, but came away with a 6-4 decision. Gross led 3-2 after the first period and rode out the entire second period before scoring on a pair of escapes and a riding-time advantage. With the win, Gross improved to 19-1 overall and 9-0 in duals.
David Kocer, the 20th ranked wrestler at 174 pounds, pulled off the biggest upset of the day with a 7-2 decision over fifth-ranked Kyle Crutchmer. Kocer recorded an early takedown and four-point near-fall to build a 6-0 lead in the first period and never allowed Crutchmer to mount any sort of offensive attack. A returning NCAA qualifier, Kocer improved to 14-5 overall and 9-2 in duals this season.
Also victorious in a matchup between highly ranked wrestlers was Jackrabbit 197-pounder Nate Rotert, who notched a 3-1, sudden-victory decision over fourth-ranked Preston Weigel. Rotert, ranked eighth, was awarded a point for stalling near the end of the second period and gave up an escape to open the third period. With time winding down in the overtime period, Rotert recorded a takedown to up his season mark to 13-3 and 7-2 in dual action.