Sooner Wrestlers Place Sixth at National Duals

Jan. 21, 2001

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The sixth-ranked Oklahoma Wrestling team placed sixth at the Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals today at University Park, Pa. OU fell to Iowa, 23-18, in the consolation semifinals and tied Michigan, 19-19, in the fifth-place match. The Wolverines were awarded fifth place by criteria. The Sooners were forced to wrestle without three-time All-American Michael Lightner who had torn a muscle in his shoulder.

Iowa, which has three wrestlers (Eric Juergens, Doug Schwab and T.J. Wiliams) ranked first in their individual weight classes, won the first five matches in its 23-18 win against the Sooners. Second-ranked Jody Strittmatter decisioned Bo Maynes, 7-2, at 125 pounds and Juergens recorded a 12-4 major decision against Witt Durden at 133. Schwab followed with a pin at 141 pounds against Melvin Lofton, who was wrestling in place of Lightner. Sooner Jared Frayer (149) suffered a narrow 4-3 loss to Mike Zadick in which Frayer had turned Zadick at the end of the match but time expired before he could record any back points. Williams capped the Hawkeyes' win streak with a major decision victory against Brian Burrows at 157. OU would win the next two matches: Robbie Waller and Michael Barger decisions at 165 and 174 pounds, respectively. Iowa forfeited the dual's final two matches after winning the 184 pound-bout to bring the dual to its 23-18 final.

In the fifth-place match, OU jumped to an early 13-3 lead before Michigan won four of the dual's last five bouts in the 19-19 tie. To determine the recipient of the fifth-place trophy, officials had to resort to the ninth tiebreaker, number of reverses, which the Wolverines led 2-1. The Sooners began the dual with a pair of upsets, Maynes 4-0 win against third-ranked A.J. Grant at 125 pounds and Durden's 12-8 decision against Foley Dowd at 133. UM claimed the 141-pound match before Frayer escaped with a narrow 11-10 victory and Brian Burrows posted a 13-4 major decision at 157. Michigan would win four of the next five. Charles Martelli pinned Waller, who had been leading at the time of the fall, at 165 pounds but Barger responded by pinning the Wolverines' Otto Olson in 1:52. Olson had been unbeaten and ranked first at 174 pounds. UM won the final three bouts, including an upset tiebreaker win against Waymon may at 197.

"This was a great but typically grueling competition," said OU Head Coach Jack Spates. "It pitted the nation's best versus the best. In a tournament like this, you're concerned with two things: victory and survival. I think we achieved a little of both. On the whole, we wrestled well. We dominated three good opponents, lost to Iowa State on a coin toss and tied Michigan without Michael Lightner, who was out with injury most of the tournament. Among the highlights was Michael Barger's pin of the top-ranked wrestler in the country at 174 pounds (Olson). Bo Maynes' defeat of the No. 3 wrestler at 125 pounds (Grant) and the reemergence of Witt Durden were others. Overall, we gave a good effort. Now we'll go home to heal and prepare to battle again."

OU hosts NAIA power Missouri Valley, Jan. 24 at the OU Field House. Action begins at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on the official website for OU athletics, www.soonersports.com.

IOWa 23, Oklahoma 18 Running score 125:Jody Strittmatter, Iowa, dec. Bo Maynes (21-5), OU, 7-2Iowa 3, OU 0 133:Eric Juergens, Iowa, maj. dec. Witt Durden (18-9), OU, 12-4Iowa 7, OU 0 141:Doug Schwab, Iowa, fall Melvin Lofton (0-3), OU, 4:09Iowa 13, OU 0 149:Mike Zadick, Iowa, dec. Jared Frayer (23-4), OU, 4-3Iowa 16, OU 0 157:T.J. Williams, Iowa, maj. dec. Brian Burrows (6-4), OU, 13-5Iowa 20, OU 0 165:Robbie Waller (22-3), OU, dec. Matt Anderson, Iowa, 7-4Iowa 20, OU 3 174:Michael Barger (19-5), OU, dec. Tyler Nixt, Iowa, 3-2Iowa 20, OU 6 184:Jessman Smith, Iowa, dec. Josh Lambrecht (8-10), OU, 7-6Iowa 23, OU 6 197:Waymon May, OU (20-7), forfeitIowa 23, OU 12 Hwt:Leonce Crump (19-7), OU, forfeitIowa 23, OU 18

michigan 19, oklahoma 19Running score 125:Bo Maynes (22-5), OU, dec. A.J. Grant, UM, 4-0OU 3, UM 0 133:Witt Durden (19-10), OU, dec. Foley Dowd, UM, 12-8OU 6, UM 0 141:Clark Forward, UM, dec. Melvin Lofton (0-4), OU, 7-2OU 6, UM 3 149:Jared Frayer (23-4), OU, dec. Mike Kulczycki, UM, 11-10OU 9, UM 3 157:Brian Burrows (7-4), OU, maj. dec. Mark Churella, UM, 13-4OU 13, UM 3 165:Charles Martelli, UM, fall Robbie Waller (22-4), OU, 4:38OU 13, UM 9 174:Michael Barger (20-5), OU, fall Otto Olson, UM, 1:52OU 19, UM 9 184:Andy Hrovat, UM, maj. dec. Josh Lambrecht (8-11), OU, 13-3OU 19, UM 13 197:Joe DeGain, UM, dec. Waymon May, OU (20-8), 2-1 (TB)OU 19, UM 16 Hwt:Matt Brink, UM, dec. Leonce Crump (20-7), OU, 3-0UM 19, OU 19

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Sooner Wrestlers Place Sixth at National Duals

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