Three Pins Propel Sooners to Win on Final Day of Virginia Duals

¹⁸ Oklahoma

Maryland

Results

¹⁸ Oklahoma

Virginia

No Team Score

Maryland vs. OU
Wt.	Result	Team
125	No. 23 Joey Prata (OU) won by forfeit	OU 6-0
133	King Sandoval (UMD) def. Gabe Vidlak (OU) (Fall 0:32)	TIE 6-6
141	Jacob Butler (OU) def. Danny Bertoni (UMD) (Fall 0:57)	OU 12-6
149	No. 16(141) Dom Demas (OU) def. Michael North (UMD) (Ma.j 16-7)	OU 16-6
157	No. 16 Justin Thomas (OU) def. Conner Decker (UMD) (Dec. 11-4)	OU 19-6
165	No. 28 Joe Grello (OU) def. Gaven Bell (UMD) (Maj. 13-2)	OU 23-6
174	Anthony Mantanona (OU) def. Dominic Solis (UMD) (Fall 0:43)	OU 29-6
184	Keegan Moore (OU) def. Chase Mielnik (UMD) (Fall 5:19)	OU 35-6
197	No. 11 Jake Woodley (OU) def. No. 31 Jaron Smith (UMD) (Dec. 3-1)	OU 38-6
285	No. 27 Josh Heindselman (OU) def. No. 26 Zach Schrader (UMD) (Dec. 3-2)	OU 41-6

Virginia vs. OU
Wt.	Result
133	No. 14 Brian Courtney (UVA) def. Gabe Vidlak (OU) (Dec. 12-5)
125	Patrick McCormick (UVA) def. No. 23 Joey Prata (OU) (Dec. 2-1)
149	Jarod Verkleeren (UVA) def. No. 16 (141) Dom Demas (OU) (TB-2 3-2)
157	No. 16 Justin Thomas (OU) def. Jake Keating (UVA) (Dec. 12-5)
184	Michael Battista (UVA) def. No. 21 Darrien Roberts (OU) (Dec. 3-1)
197	No. 14 Jay Aiello (UVA) def. No. 11 Jake Woodley (OU) (Dec. 6-1)
133	No. 14 Brian Courtney (UVA) def. Caleb Tanner (OU) (Dec. 9-7)

HAMPTON, Va. – Oklahoma wrestling picked up a lopsided win in their only dual on the final day of the Virginia Duals in a 41-6 victory over Maryland. The team was originally scheduled to face Virginia as well, but Covid-19 protocols prevented the Cavaliers from fielding a full squad. The Sooners and Cavaliers wrestled seven individual matches but did not keep a team score.

"Overall we did a good job but we still need to improve in some areas," said head coach Lou Rosselli. "Against Maryland we were ready to compete, but we started off slow in our matches against Virginia. We didn't get after those guys. We lost a couple close bouts and we need to be wining those. We need to get more excited about each and every opportunity we get."

The Sooners (5-2, 2-1 Big 12) won nine of their ten bouts against the Terrapins to eclipse 40 points in dual action for the first time since November 2017. Pins from Jacob Butler, Anthony Mantanona and Keegan Moore along with bonus point wins from Dom Demas and Joe Grello gave the program its largest margin of victory in four seasons and the most lopsided score against a power five opponent in the Rosselli era.

A few of the guys who took advantage of their opportunities were Justin Thomas, Anthony Mantanona and Keegan Moore. The trio combined for a 9-0 record including six wins for bonus points in their matches across the weekend.

No. 16 Justin Thomas (11-4) went a perfect 4-0 in Virginia and picked up two of those wins on Saturday by defeating Jake Keating of Virginia and Conner Decker of Maryland by a combined fourteen points. Both contests came one point shy of being major decisions for the sixth-year senior.

Redshirt senior Anthony Mantanona (9-4) followed up his two pins on Friday with another one in his only bout on Saturday. His first period fall (0:43) is the 23rd of his career and moves him into a tie for 13th on the Oklahoma wrestling career pin leaders list.

In only his second appearance for the Sooners, Keegan Moore (2-0) picked up a third period pin (5:19) while already holding on to a 10-2 lead thanks to four takedowns.

At 141, Jacob Butler (4-5) secured his first career pin with an emphatic throw that started the Oklahoma's run of eight straight matches won in the dual with Maryland. Joe Grello (3-4) had a first of his own, earning his first bonus points in the Crimson and Cream when he took a 13-2 major decision win over the Terrapin's Gaven Bell.

No. 11 Jake Woodley (14-4) split his matches on Saturday, both against ranked opponents. He started the day with a 6-1 decision loss to Virginia's No. 14 Jay Aiello, but finished strong defeating No. 31 Jaron Smith of Maryland in a 3-1 decision thanks to a reversal when starting in the bottom position in the second period.

No. 27 heavyweight Josh Heindselman (8-6) also picked up a win against a ranked opponent when he overcame No. 26 Zach Scrader of Maryland in the tiebreaker periods to assure that the weekend eneded on a high note for OU. He was able to ride Schrader tough in the extra periods to swing the riding time in his favor to take the bout.

Wrestling at 149-pounds, No. 16(141) Dom Demas (3-2) used eight point periods in the first and third to secure a 16-5 major decision victory in his match with Maryland's Michael North. Two four-point near falls for the redshirt senior from Columbus, Ohio, gave him his second bonus point win of the tournament and second of the season.

The Sooners are back home on Thursday, Jan. 15, in a Big 12 bout with No. 9 Missouri at McCasland Field House with the first match scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. CT.

For updates, follow @OU_Wrestling on Twitter, or like Oklahoma Wrestling on Facebook.

Three Pins Propel Sooners to Win on Final Day of Virginia Duals

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Players Mentioned

Jacob Butler

Dom Demas

Joe Grello

Josh Heindselman

Anthony Mantanona

Keegan Moore

Joey Prata

Darrien Roberts

Caleb Tanner

Justin Thomas

Gabe Vidlak

Jake Woodley

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Three Pins Propel Sooners to Win on Final Day of Virginia Duals

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Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jacob Butler

Dom Demas

Joe Grello

Josh Heindselman

Anthony Mantanona

Keegan Moore

Joey Prata

Darrien Roberts

Caleb Tanner

Justin Thomas

Gabe Vidlak

Jake Woodley

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