Bedlam Battle Take II Sunday

Feb. 20, 2009

Wrestling at Oklahoma State
Date	Sunday, Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. CST
Location	Stillwater, Okla.
Venue	Gallagher-Iba Arena
Match Info	$12 General Admission Seating \| Live Scoring
Television	Fox Sports Oklahoma, with Chad McKee and Lee Roy Smith covering

NORMAN, Okla. -- Bedlam wrestling round two hits Stillwater, Okla., this Sunday, Feb. 22, as the 11th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners (16-3, 1-3) take on the 15th-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys (14-7, 0-4) inside Gallagher-Iba Arena at 2 p.m.

Winners of two straight in the series, Oklahoma will attempt to win three consecutive duals against its in-state rival, a feat last accomplished in 1981. The Sooners also look to pick up their first win in Stillwater since 1995.

The battle will be shown live to the state of Oklahoma by Fox Sports Oklahoma. Chad McKee (play-by-play) and Lee Roy Smith (analysis) will provide coverage.

Conference placing is also up for grabs Sunday, as Oklahoma would clinch fourth place with a victory. With a loss, the two Oklahoma programs would both finish with a 1-4 Big 12 record. Currently, Nebraska leads the Big 12 with a perfect 3-0 record, followed by Missouri (3-1) and Iowa State (2-1).

Sunday's dual will mark the 160th meeting between the two prestigious programs and the second this season. Oklahoma took the first matchup on Dec. 7 by an 18-15 final in Norman.

Oklahoma travels to Stillwater with seven wrestlers ranked in this week's NWCA poll. Leading ranked Sooners is No. 6 Kyle Terry at 149 pounds, followed by Joey Fio and Jeff James, both ranked No. 8 at 125 and 174 pounds, respectively. Eric Lapotsky is No. 11 at 197 pounds and 157-pound Chad Terry enters the rankings at No. 15. Heavyweight Nathan Fernandez is No. 16 and Pat Flynn rounds out the group of ranked Sooners at No. 19 among 184-pounders.

The Cowboys counter with eight ranked this week, led by No. 3 Jared Rosholt at heavyweight. Also in the top 10 are Clayton Foster at 197 pounds (No. 8) Brandon Mason at 165 pounds (No. 9) and tenth-ranked Neil Erisman at 157 pounds. Additionally, Chris Notte (133 pounds), Jamal Parks (141) and Newly McSpadden (174) are all ranked 14th. Obe Blanc rounds out the group ranked No. 15 at 125 pounds.

Probable Sooner Starters (Weight)	Hometown (Year)	Record
No. 8 Joey Fio (125)	Sandpoint, Idaho (So.)	18-3
Brian Shelton (133)	El Reno, Okla. (Jr.)	13-4
Seth Vernon (141)	Tulsa, Okla. (RFr.)	15-7
No. 6 Kyle Terry (149)	Midwest City, Okla. (RJr.)	25-1
No. 15 Chad Terry (157)	Midwest City, Okla. (RJr.)	17-4
Ryan Smith (165)	Prineville, Ore. (RFr.)	15-8
No. 8 Jeff James (174)	El Reno, Okla. (RSo.)	21-3
No. 19 Pat Flynn (184)	Quakertown, Pa. (RSo.)	22-5
No. 11 Eric Lapotsky (197)	Mt. Carmel, Pa. (Jr.)	22-5
No. 16 Nathan Fernandez (HWT)	Lawton, Okla. (RSo.)	20-7

THE OKLAHOMA PROGRAM

Dating back to the 1920s, Oklahoma's overall record stands at 824-336-29 (.705). OU had its most successful decade in the 1950's with a 69-10-6 record (.911).

The Sooners own seven national championships (1936, 1951, 1952, 1957, 1960, 1963 and 1974) and have produced 256 All-Americans and 65 individual national champions. The OU program has recorded 23 conference championships, with the most recent in 2002.

SCOUTING OKLAHOMA STATE

The Oklahoma State Cowboys enter Sunday's showdown ranked No. 15 nationally. OSU owns a 14-7 overall record this season and a 0-4 mark in the Big 12. The Cowboys are battle-tested, as they have competed against 12 teams ranked in the top 25 this year. Against the nation's best, OSU has recorded a 5-7 record. Its most impressive win this season came on Jan. 1 against then-No. 7 Minnesota on the road, 23-13.

Five of the Cowboys wins have come in Stillwater inside Gallagher-Iba Arena. They own a 5-2 home record, 2-3 on the road and a 7-2 mark on neutral sites.

Oklahoma State is coming off a sweep of two opponents last Sunday at home, besting Binghamton (40-6) and Wyoming (34-6) on the day.

The seven total losses OSU has suffered this season are the most since head coach John Smith's second year (1993), and his teams have never lost more than seven.

Smith is 280-42-4 in his 18th season with the Cowboys (.865). He led Oklahoma State to national titles in 1994, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006. In all, the Cowboys own 34 NCAA team championships, 133 NCAA individual champions and 422 All-Americans. The program has finished in the top-five at nationals every season since 1996.

SOONERS AND COWBOYS HISTORY

Sunday afternoon's dual will mark the 160th meeting between the two prestigious programs. The Cowboys own a 124-26-9 record against OU, including a 70-12-2 record in Stillwater.

This is the second meeting between the two powerhouse programs this season, as Oklahoma took the first matchup by an 18-15 final on Dec. 7. Collectively, OU and OSU have combined to win 55 conference titles dating back to 1929 (OSU 32, OU 23).

RANKINGS RUNDOWN

Oklahoma heads to Stillwater with seven wrestlers ranked in this week's NWCA poll. Leading ranked Sooners is No. 6 Kyle Terry at 149 pounds, followed by Joey Fio and Jeff James, both ranked No. 8 at 125 and 174 pounds, respectively. Eric Lapotsky is No. 11 at 197 pounds and 157-pound Chad Terry enters the rankings at No. 15. Heavyweight Nathan Fernandez is No. 16 and Pat Flynn rounds out the group of ranked Sooners at No. 19 among 184-pounders.

The Cowboys counter with eight ranked this week, led by No. 3 Jared Rosholt at heavyweight. Also in the top 10 are Clayton Foster at 197 pounds (No. 8) Brandon Mason at 165 pounds (No. 9) and tenth-ranked Neil Erisman at 157 pounds. Additionally, Chris Notte, Jamal Parks (141 pounds) and Newly McSpadden (174) are all ranked 14th. Obe Blanc rounds out the group ranked No. 15 at 125 pounds.

LAST BEDLAM MATCHUP

Oklahoma picked up its second straight win over the Cowboys on Dec. 7 in Norman, winning 18-15. The Sooners bested the Cowboys to end the 2008 season by the identical score in Norman on Feb. 21. It marked the first time in 15 years (1993 season) Oklahoma posted back-to-back wins against its arch-rival.

The match was decided at 133 pounds, as both teams posted five individual wins. David Armstrong put six points on the board in the second bout of the afternoon after No. 15 Tyler Shinn was forced to bow out due to an injury default. Then-No. 17 Joey Fio sparked Oklahoma with an upset-win over then-No. 8 Obenson Blanc at 125 pounds.

Also posting an upset for Oklahoma was 184-pound Pat Flynn over then-No. 20 Jared Shelton. Other Sooners posting wins on the afternoon were Jeff James (174 pounds) and Kyle Terry (149).

MISC. NOTES

THE 20 WIN CLUB...
Headed into the final dual of the 2009 season, the Sooners have five wrestlers with at least 20 total wins. Kyle Terry (24), Pat Flynn (22), Eric Lapotsky (22), Jeff James (21) and Nathan Fernandez (20) all reached the mark this season.

Fernandez picked up his 20th last Sunday versus Michigan State.

THEY'LL BE BACK...
All 10 Sooner wrestlers in the lineup Sunday versus Oklahoma State will return to the team next season. OU has only two seniors (Will Rowe and David Armstrong), who were in and out of the starting lineup this season. Six of the 10 suiting up against OSU are underclassmen (freshmen or sophomores). The remaining four -- Kyle and Chad Terry, Brian Shelton and Eric Lapotsky -- are juniors.

TELEVISION EXPOSURE...
The Sooners and Cowboys' match Sunday will be featured to the entire state of Oklahoma on Fox Sports Oklahoma, with Chad McKee and Lee Roy Smith with the call. It marks the second time this season the Sooners have been showcased on television.

Last season, OU appeared on the tube three times (both matches versus OSU and against Wisconsin on ESPNU)

TWICE AS NICE...
Twin brothers from Midwest City, Okla., Kyle (149 pounds) and Chad (157 pounds) Terry are both nationally ranked this week according to Intermat for the first time this season. Sunday marks the sixth time this season the brothers have appeared in the same lineup.

SPATES MILESTONE...
Jack Spates picked up his 200th victory at Oklahoma with the 47-0 win over Oklahoma City on Nov. 20 and now owns a record of 214-91-11.

Averaging 14 wins a season, Spates has led OU to 14 straight campaigns of 10 wins or more and is second in all-time victories by a head coach in OU wrestling history.

He became just the second coach in school history to notch 200 wins, joining Stan Abel (coached from 1973-93, 279 wins). Dating back to Cornell, Spates' career record stands at 288-105-12.

WRESTLERS HONORED BY BIG 12...
Oklahoma's Joey Fio and Nathan Fernandez have both been honored this season as Big 12 Wrestlers of the Week after impressive wins to begin the season.

Fernandez was awarded on Dec. 15 after a dominant performance at the Big 12/Pac-10 Challenge in San Luis Obispo, Calif. The Lawton, Okla., native recorded a three-match sweep at the California tournament, pinning two of three opponents, including No. 4-ranked Mitch Monteiro of Cal-Bakersfield early in the second period (3:19). The redshirt sophomore also recorded a fall versus Kelan Bragg (6:55) of Cal Poly and won by a 14-6 major decision over Kurt Klimek of Cal-Fullerton.

The Big 12 selected Fio on Jan. 19, after helping guide the then-11th-ranked Sooners to two victories over Maryland (22-15) and Arizona State (36-7). Highlighting his two victories was a pin over eighth-ranked and 2008 NCAA qualifier Anthony Robles of Arizona State. The sophomore needed only the first period to record the fall, posting his second this season with a time of 2:08.

SPATES NOW THIRD IN WINNING PERCENTAGE...
Head Coach Jack Spates has climbed to third all-time in winning percentage at Oklahoma with the successful start to the season. He now owns a .697 percentage, overtaking Stan Abel (.690). Spates trails the legendary OU coaches Tommy Evans (.775) and Port Robertson (.750).

FOLLOW THE SOONERS TO NATIONALS...
College wrestling fans still have the opportunity to secure excellent seats when the NCAA® Division I Wrestling Championships arrive in St. Louis in March. Don't miss your chance to take in all the action at the Scottrade Center.

All-session tickets to the 2009 championships are on sale now. To order your tickets, call (800) 745-3000 (toll free) or log on to www.ticketmaster.com.

STOUT 2008 RECRUITING CLASS... Oklahoma wrestling head coach Jack Spates signed five top-70 recruits in the early signing period to wrap up one of the most impressive recruiting classes at OU in recent years. Additionally, the Sooners will welcome a talented Kansas senior and a transfer from Old Dominion in January.

Headlining the class is Jake Kemerer from Hempfield Area, Pa., ranked No. 16 overall according to Intermat and rated No. 4 in the 171-pound class by Amateur Wrestling News. Also inked for next season is Alex Ekstrom from Palmyra-Macedonia, N.Y., ranked No. 31 overall and rated the third-best among 140-pounders.

Joining them are the Lester twins, Matt and Nick, ranked No. 33 and No. 38 overall, respectively. The two hail from Eureka, Mo., and each own Missouri state titles. Matt is ranked No. 2 overall among 152-pounders and is Nick No. 5 at 140 pounds.

Jarrod Patterson from Cushing, Okla., is a three-time Oklahoma state champion entering his senior year and ranked No. 6 in the 125 pound weight class nationally. Kyle Detmer rounds out the group of seniors, garnering a 135-5 record in high school, including posting pins in 31 of 35 matches for Bishop Caroll High School in Wichita Kan., last season.

Also joining the Sooner program in January was Derek Peperas, a transfer from Old Dominion. The redshirt freshman became immediately eligible for OU upon arrival and has provided depth at 165 at 174 pounds. Winner of two New Mexico state championships, Peperas also was a two-time state runner-up.

2009 OKLAHOMA INDIVIDUAL STATS

TAKEDOWN LEADERS IN DUALS
WRESTLER (WEIGHT) TAKEDOWNS
1. Kyle Terry (149)..............63
2. Nathan Fernandez (HWT).48
3. Jeff James (175).............36
4. Joey Fio (125).................32
5. David Armstrong (133).....23

INDIVIDUAL FALL LEADERS
WRESTLER (WEIGHT) FALLS
1. Eric Lapotsky (197)..........10
2. Pat Flynn (184)................8
3. Kyle Terry (149)...............6
4. Ryan Smith (165)............5
5. Nathan Fernandez (HWT)..4

TOTAL WIN LEADERS IN 2009
1. Kyle Terry (149).................25
2. Will Rowe (149/157)...........24
T3. Pat Flynn (184)................22
T3. Eric Lapotsky (197)...........22
5. Jeff James (174)...............21
6. Nathan Fernandez (HWT).....20

MOST DUAL WINS IN 2009
1. Kyle Terry (149).................17
2. Jeff James (174)...............16
T3. Joey Fio (125).................15
T3. Nathan Fernandez (HWT)..15
5. Pat Flynn (184).................14

DUAL POINTS LEADERS
1. Kyle Terry (149)...............152
2. Jeff James (174)..............127
3. Nathan Fernandez (HWT)...122
4. Joey Fio (125)..................107
5. Pat Flynn (184).................86

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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