Sooners Win Bobby Kaufman Memorial Open Behind Four Titles

Sunday, January 8

Edinboro, Pa.

9:30 AM

University of Oklahoma

Bobby Kaufman Memorial Open

Photo by: Matt Durisko

Sooners Win Bobby Kaufman Memorial Open Behind Four Titles

January 08, 2023 | Wrestling

EDINBORO – The 23rd-ranked Oklahoma wrestling team claimed the team title at the Bobby Kaufman Memorial Open on Sunday, with four Sooner wrestlers bringing home the individual title in their weight class.

Oklahoma wrestlers went undefeated in the round of 16, and recorded three pins and one tech fall in the first round.

No. 10 Joey Prata strolled to the 125-pound final after pinning Eamonn Jimenez (Edinboro) in 41 seconds in the semifinal. He claimed the first place title over Andre Gonzalez (Ohio State) by a 6-2 decision. His two wins via fall for the first of his season.

A day after his first collegiate start, Tate Picklo clinched the 174-pound title after toppling Chase Kranitz (Buffalo) 6-2 in the final. In the final vs. Marcus Petite (Buffalo), Picklo maintained a narrow 4-3 lead moving into the third period of the semifinal. The Mustang, Okla., product landed a pair of takedowns in the final frame to wrap up his first weekend as a starter with an individual crown.

From the beginning, No. 26 Jacob Butler controlled the 157-pound bracket after pinning his first two opponents. He escaped a comeback from Dan Segura (Ohio) to win his semifinal bout 8-5 and met sophomore Jared Hill (unattached) in the final, where he claimed the 157-pound title with a 5-3 decision in the championship.

At 285 pounds, No. 19 Josh Heindselman completed his dominant tournament run with a 19-4 technical fall (5:38) in the final. Following Butler's lead, Heindselman also pieced together back-to-back falls, followed by a 15-3 major decision going into the final.

After claiming a 5-2 decision in his first bout of the day, Seth Seago fell short, 3-2, to Eli Sheeren (Buffalo) in the semifinal. Clawing his way back through the consolation bracket, Seago finished in third place after a pin in the consolation semifinal and a 7-0 shutout win in the third-place match of the 197-pound pool.

Alejandro Herrera-Rondon built momentum with a 15-0 TF (3:40) in his first match of the Open, but dropped two matches to finish fourth in the 157-pound bracket.

Also at 197 pounds, Carson Berryhill secured two wins, including a 6-1 decision in the round of 16, but slipped in two consolation matches.

Willie McDougald (149) and Jared Hill (157) competed unattached and both advanced to the final bouts of their respective classes, but both came up short.

The Sooners (3-2) will be back on the road at the Virginia Duals this weekend, Jan. 13-14.