Four Wrestlers Post Opening Wins

March 19, 2009

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The 2009 NCAA Wrestling Championships are underway in St. Louis, Mo., as the 13th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners advanced four wrestlers to the championship bracket in the morning session inside the Scottrade Center. In front of 15,226 fans, Joey Fio (seven seed), Kyle Terry (nine seed), Pat Flynn and Eric Lapotsky all recorded opening round victories to advance and keep their national title and All-America hopes alive.

After session one, Oklahoma is tied for 14th place with Oklahoma State and Northern Iowa with 10 team points. Iowa State leads all squads with 25 points.

"This morning was bitter-sweet, but we had four great wins," head coach Jack Spates said. "We wrestled tough and we fell into some tough draws, losing to a No. 6 and No. 7 seed. Our spirits are high and our team is ready to come back and battle tonight."

Joey Fio recorded Oklahoma's first win of the day at 125 pounds with a 9-3 decision over Demetrius Johnson of Chattanooga. The sophomore from Sandpoint, Idaho, posted three takedowns and two escapes and accumulated 2:04 of riding time in the victory. The seventh-seeded Big 12 champion improved his season record to 22-3, including 15 straight wins. Fio advances to face Scotti Sentes from Central Michigan Thursday evening.

Ninth seeded Kyle Terry (ranked fifth by Intermat) picked up a first round win over Trevor Kittleson of Northern Iowa, 8-3. Terry recorded two takedowns in the opening period to take a 4-1 lead and picked up two more in the second and third periods to extend his winning streak to 27 (29-1 overall). The Midwest City, Okla., native advances to meet Matthew Kyler of Army for the second time this season Thursday evening. Kyler handed Terry his only defeat this year at the Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic on Nov. 8.

Purdue's Colton Salazar then dropped Sooner Chad Terry in the opening round at 157 pounds by a 5-2 decision. Terry was only able to post two escapes, and with the loss fell to the wrestleback bracket.

Ryan Smith faced a tough draw at 165 pounds, competing versus second-seeded Andrew Howe of Wisconsin. Howe scored a takedown in the final seconds of the first period and added an escape and riding time in the third to blank the Sooner, 4-0.

No. 12 Jeff James was then defeated by No. 6 Steve Anceravage of Cornell by an 8-6 decision. Anceravage broke a 3-3 tie in the first period by scoring a takedown to lead, 5-3. Trailing by only one point in the third, 6-5, James gave up a two-point nearfall and was unable to rally.

Pat Flynn picked up Oklahoma's third win of the morning session with a pin of Kenneth Caldwell of Navy in 37 seconds. Dating back to the Big 12 Championships on March 7, Flynn has posted three straight pins over opponents and improved to 26-6 this season. Flynn meets the No. 2 seed Phillip Keddy of Iowa Thursday evening.

"Very proud of Pat," Spates said. "He came out strong and ready to wrestle and picked up an important and dominating win."

Keeping the momentum rolling for OU was Eric Lapotsky at 197 pounds, overcoming a 3-1 deficit in the second stanza to win, 4-3. With less than one minute to go in the final stanza, Lapotsky posted a takedown and was able to ride Bradshaw the remainder of the period.

To conclude the opening round for OU, Nathan Fernandez lost by fall to seventh-seeded Daniel Erekson of Iowa in 1:48.

All Sooners return to action in the evening-cap of the championship Thursday beginning at 6:30 p.m. CDT.

OU OPENING ROUND RESULTS

125: No. 7 Joey Fio (OU) dec. Demetrius Johnson (UTC), 9-3
149: No. 5 Kyle Terry (OU) dec. Trevor Kittleson (UNI), 8-3
157: Colton Salazar (PU) dec. No. 17 Chad Terry (OU), 5-2
165: No. 2 Andrew Howe (UW) dec. Ryan Smith (OU), 4-0
174: No. 6 Steve Anceravage (CU) dec. No. 12 Jeff James (OU), 8-6
184: No. 19 Pat Flynn (OU) fall Kenneth Caldwell (NU), 0:37
197: No. 11 Eric Lapotsky (OU) dec. Patrick Bradshaw (EU), 4-3
HWT: No. 7 Daniel Erekson (UI) fall No. 18 Nathan Fernandez (OU), 1:48

FIRST ROUND LEADERS

1. Iowa State (25 points)
2. Iowa (22)
3. Ohio State (17.5)
T4. Boise State (15)
T4. Nebraska (15)

T14. Oklahoma (10)
T14. Northern Iowa (10)
T14. Oklahoma State (10)