Wrestling Wins Fifth Consecutive Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic

The 10th ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team captured its fifth consecutive team title at the Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic with a score of 178.5 on Saturday. Sam Hazewinkel (125) and Brandon Hardy (133) won individual championships in their respective weights classes. In addition to the two individual titles and four runner-ups, Oklahoma also placed 11 wrestlers in nine different weight classes.

"I am ecstatic about the teams performance," Head coach Jack Spates said. "We have won this tournament every year we have competed."

Oklahoma placed both wrestlers in the 125 pound class. Red-Shirt Freshman Sam Hazewinkel beat Freshman Mimi Miller by a 3-2 decision for the title. Miller wrestled unattached in the meet.

The Sooners claimed the 133 pound title when freshman Brandon Hardy won by decision, 5-2, over Bernard Gardner of Army.

Freshman Jeff Ecklof placed third in the 149 pound weight class, after losing to eventual champion Jeff Ratliff of Ohio, by a 1-3 decision.

Senior Rafael Maturino placed second in the 157 pound weight class after Phillip Simpson of Army won by a major decision in a hard fought championship match.

"Rafael really came of age," Spates said.

Oklahoma placed wrestlers in the next four weight classes. Junior Randy Sulaver placed fifth in the 165 pound weight class, junior E.K. Waldhaus placed second to Andy Roy of Rutgers (Dec. 2-3), red-shirt freshman Justin Dyer placed fourth in the 184 pound weight class and junior Joel Tapler placed third (dec. 3-4) in the 197 pound weight class.

The Sooners had two Heavyweights place. Sophomore Jake Hager placed fourth, while senior Leonce Crump lost a tough championship match to defending national champion Tommy Rowlands of Ohio State in the last eight seconds (dec. 3-2).

Oklahoma will hit the mat again Thursday, Nov. 20, when they host Missouri Valley in the Howard McCasland Field House at 7 p.m.

FINAL TEAM SCORES
1. University of Oklahoma Sooners - 178.5
2. Ohio State University Buckeyes - 143.0
3. Army Black Knights - 121.0
4. Cleveland State Vikings - 111.5
5. University of Buffalo Bulls - 102.5
6. Rutgers Scarlet Knights - 96.5
7. SUNY Brockport Golden Eagles - 84.5
8. Bloomsburg University Huskies - 81.0
9. Wagner College Seahawks - 2.0