Big 12 Weekly Recap (1/6/2025)

This week saw a big return to duals highlighted by Northern Iowa taking out Nebraska in a great dual. Missouri continued their struggles this season with a loss to Cornell. Utah Valley and California Baptist have both had excellent success this season and squared off in an entertaining dual. The Southern Scuffle took place and while not as strong as it once was, a handful of Big 12 teams had solid performances. 

Notable Results:

Friday (1/03): Full Results

Oklahoma State over Air Force (43-6)

Cornell over Missouri (26-12)

141: #32 Josh Saunders (CORN) Maj. #14 Josh Edmond (MIZ) (12-4)

184: #8 Chris Foca (CORN) Maj. #9 Colton Hawks (MIZ) (9-1)

Neither squad was 100% coming in but Cornell came out on top with seven of ten wins. Two big upsets went against the Tigers, with both Edmond and Hawks giving up late majors in one score matches. Saunders countered an Edmond big throw while Foca hit a takedown to an assassin in a late scramble for nearfall. Aeoden Sinclair was spotted warming up but after the Hawks loss, the team sent out Jesse Cassatt instead, seeming to confirm the plan to keep Sinclair’s redshirt this season. 

Saturday (1/4): Full Results

West Virginia over Princeton (27-12)

141: Eligh Rivera (PRIN) Dec. #25 Jordan Titus (WVU) (7-2)

Utah Valley over California Baptist (26-14)

133: Hunter Leake (CBU) Dec. #32 Kase Mauger (UVU) (5-2)

Sunday (1/5): Full Results

Northern Iowa over Nebraska (24-9)

125: Trever Anderson (UNI) Dec. #5 Caleb Smith (NEB) (5-2)

141: #8 Cael Happel (UNI) Dec. #5 Brock Hardy (NEB) (7-5)

157: #5 Ryder Downey (UNI) Dec. #3 Antrell Taylor (NEB) (SV-1 5-2)

174: #17 Lenny Pinto (NEB) Dec. #16 Jared Simma (UNI) (6-5)

184: #2 Parker Keckeisen (UNI) Fall #5 Silas Allred (NEB) (3:38)

This was one of the better duals this season, filled with nail-biters that went mostly to Northern Iowa. Trever Anderson appeared to have lost his starting spot from last season but reclaimed it here with a statement win over Caleb Smith. Cael Happel was in a hole early but a cradle for nearfall brought him back and earned him the win. Ryder Downey avenged the controversial CKLV finals match to Antrell Taylor, getting the takedown in overtime. 

Lenny Pinto and Jared Simma had an excellent back-and-forth, with Pinto able to break through. Parker Keckeisen made a statement and nearly locked up the dual with a quick first-period cradle to pin Silas Allred. The matches at 133, 149, 197, and 285 were all entertaining as well but without upsets. 

Southern Scuffle: Brackets

Oklahoma: 2nd Place (126.5 Points)

125 3rd: Anthony Molton (CAMP) Dec. #23 Antonio Lorenzo (OU) (4-2)

133 Round of 32: George Rojas (CIT) Maj. #19 Cleveland Belton (OU) (14-4)

133 Consi of 4: #25 Blake Boarman (UTC) Dec. #19 Cleveland Belton (OU) (6-1)

141 QF: Jayden Scott (UNC) Dec. #9 Mosha Schwartz (OU) (SV-1 3-2)

141 BR: Tyson Sherlock (DAV) Dec. #9 Mosha Schwartz (OU) (9-3) 

149 Semis: Connor Pierce (PSU) Dec. #13 Willie McDougald (OU) (4-3)

165 Semis: Aidan Wallace (DUKE) Dec. #32 Tate Picklo (OU) (10-6) 

174 Finals: #33 Sergio Desiante (UTC) Dec. #8 Gaven Sax (OU) (3-2)

184 QF: Zack Ryder (PSU) Dec. #22 DJ Parker (OU) (9-2)

The Sooners were just six points behind first place but were in the driver’s seat to win here. Mosha Schwartz was a surprising non-placer with some significant upsets. Cleveland Belton (133-7th), Willie McDougald (149-3rd), Tate Picklo (165-3rd), Gaven Sax (174-2nd), and DJ Parker (184-3rd) were all seeded to place higher than they finished as well. The Sooners also had placers with Mannix Morgan (165-8th), Beric Jordan (125-7th), and Bradley Hill (7th-197). 

North Dakota State: 5th Place (90.5 Points)

133 QF: Kyle Burwick (NDSU) Dec. #25 Blake Boarman (UTC) (7-4)

133 Consi-Semis: Kyle Burwick (NDSU) Fall #26 TK Davis (GW) (1:46)

157 Finals: Blake Saito (BRWN) Dec. Maxwell Petersen (NDSU) (6-3)

165 Consi of 4: Boeden Greenley (NDSU) Dec. #28 Dom Baker (CAMP) (4-3)

184 BR: Aiden Brenoit (NSDU) Dec. #16 Gavin Kane (UNC) (4-2)

184 Consi-Semis: Aiden Brenoit Maj. #25 TJ Stewart (VT) (9-1)

The Bison had a solid tournament overall, finishing with six placers and one finalist. Kyle Burwick had multiple ranked wins to finish fourth. Maxwell Petersen made the move up to 157 in early December and it appears to be paying off with a runner-up finish. Boeden Greenley (165-4th) and Aiden Brenoit (184-4th) both had upsets to make the podium as well. Gabriel Schumm (157-6th) and Devin Wasley (174-7th) rounded out the teams' tournament. 

Northern Colorado: 8th Place (73.5 Points)

125 Finals: #10 Stevo Poulin (UNCO) Dec. #21 Spencer Moore (UNC) (5-0)

133 Semis: #15 Dom Serrano (UNCO) Dec. #13 Ethan Oakley (UNC) (4-1)

133 Finals: #6 Nasir Bailey (LR) Dec. #15 Dom Serrano (UNCO) (SV-1 4-1)

184 QF: AJ Heeg (UNCO) Maj. #16 Gavin Kane (UNC) (14-6)

184 Finals: Zack Ryder (PSU) Dec. AJ Heeg (UNCO) (SV-1 6-1)

Despite missing Andrew Alirez, Northern Colorado had a top-eight finish with a champ, two other finalists, and four on the podium altogether. Stevo Poulin took out ranked Antonio Lorenzo and Spencer Moore consecutively on his way to a title. Dom Serrano came close to a title of his own with some upsets but came up just short in overtime to Nasir Bailey. Serrano had beaten Bailey here last season in the semis. AJ Heeg had a breakout tournament to make the finals, taking out 2023 All-American Gavin Kane in dominant fashion for a statement win. He didn’t get ranked wins but Benji Alanis also finished 8th at 149. 

Upcoming Competitions: 

Air Force: F&M Open (Jan. 10)

Arizona State: AT California Baptist (Jan. 12)

California Baptist: Arizona State (Jan. 12)

Iowa State: AT West Virginia (Jan. 8th)

Missouri: Stanford (Jan. 12)

Northern Colorado: AT Arizona State (Feb. 2)

North Dakota State: AT Northern Colorado (Jan. 17)

Northern Iowa: NWCA Multi-Division National Dual Meet Championships (Jan.10-11)

Oklahoma: West Virginia (Jan. 17)

Oklahoma State: NC State (Jan. 12)

South Dakota State: NWCA Multi-Division National Dual Meet Championships (Jan.10-11)

Utah Valley: AT Missouri (Jan. 17)

West Virgina: Iowa State (Jan. 8th)

Wyoming:  NWCA Multi-Division National Dual Meet Championships (Jan.10-11)