Sooner Wrestlers Throttle Spartans

Feb. 23, 2001

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The sixth-ranked Oklahoma wrestling team dominated No. 12 Michigan State, 30-6, in East Lansing, Mich., tonight. OU claimed eight of 10 bouts, including an upset win by senior 197-pounder Waymon May. The win brought the Sooners final dual record to 18-5-1 while Michigan State dropped to 8-8.

May, who has won 18 of his last 22 matches, opened the dual with 6-0 upset of ninth-ranked Nik Fekete and was followed by a Leonce Crump decision at heavyweight, 8-2. OU's 125-pound Matt Ridings ran his winning streak to 16-consecutive matches with a 5-4 sudden victory against Chris Williams. Michigan State picked up its first victory at 133 pounds where Pat McNamara avenged last season's upset loss to Witt Durden, 4-2.

OU's Michael Lightner claimed a 14-5 major decision against Mike Castillo at 141 and Oklahoma 149-pounder Jared Frayer blanked Karl Nadolsky, 2-0. The Spartans only other win came at 157 pounds where Tony Moore, filling in for the injured Brian Burrows, suffered a 2-0 loss to Charlie Sageman. The Sooners won the final three bouts of the dual. Robbie Waller won by technical fall at 165 and Michael Barger (174) earned his seventh pin of the season, a new career best. Josh Lambrecht rounded out the scoring by downing John Wechter, 6-4, at 184 pounds.

"We wrestled really well," said OU Head Coach Jack Spates. "Waymon May and Matt Ridings both won hard fought decisions against very good, ranked wrestlers. We wrestled aggressively and dominated a good team. I'm pleased with our performance and feel it's good preparation for the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments."

The Sooners will return to action on March 2-3 for the Big 12 Championships in Stillwater, Okla.


OKLAHOMA 30, MICHIGAN STATE 6

197: #11/#10 Waymon May (28-10), OU, dec. #9/#12 Nik Fekete (20-7), MSU, 6-0

Hwt: #11/11 Leonce Crump (27-9), OU, dec. Mike Keenan (12-10), MSU, 8-2

125: #8/#5 Matt Ridings (24-4), OU, dec. Chris Williams (24-11), MSU, 5-4 (SV)

133: #4/#4 Pat McNamara (27-5), MSU, dec. #18/#12 Witt Durden (25-13), OU, 4-2

141: #2/#2 Michael Lightner (30-0), OU, maj. dec. #16/#14 Mike Castillo (24-10), MSU, 14-5

149: #8/#5 Jared Frayer (33-5), OU, dec. #14/#17 Karl Nadolsky (22-11), MSU, 2-0

157: Charlie Sageman (16-12), MSU, dec. Tony Moore (4-9), OU, 2-0

165: #5/#3 Robbie Waller (28-4), OU, tech. fall Corey Posey (14-13), MSU, 16-0

174: #9/#10 Michael Barger (26-9), OU, fall Nate Mesyn (10-17), MSU, 4:10

184: NR/#19 Josh Lambrecht (14-13), OU, dec. John Wechter (12-15), MSU, 6-4

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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