Oklahoma claimed the team title in Vegas (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) LAS VEGAS -- The fourth-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team took home three individual titles and placed first over a talented field of 33 teams at the 32nd annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Collegiate Invitational, held inside the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The Sooners earned 154.5 team points to claim the title. Nebraska (130.5), Ohio State (119.5), Cornell (115.5) and Michigan (104.5) rounded out the top five.
Redshirt seniors Kendric Maple, Andrew Howe and Travis Rutt all finished first in their respective weight classes.
Maple topped Cornell’s Christopher Villalonga by a 6-1 decision in the semifinals and Jake Sueflohn of Nebraska by an 8-3 decision in the finals en route to the 149-pound title.
At 174 pounds, Howe defeated Robert Kokesh of Nebraska by decision, 3-2. In the semifinals, Howe downed Citadel’s Turtogtokh Luvsa by a 16-4 technical fall.
With a 6-4 decision over Daniel Mitchell of American, Rutt topped first place at 197 pounds. Rutt entered the finals after a medical forfeit.
Claiming second place medals for OU were redshirt senior Jarrod Patterson (125) and redshirt sophomore Cody Brewer (133).
Patterson defeated Wyoming’s Tyler Cox in the semifinals by a 9-2 decision before falling to Cornell’s Nahshon Garrett by decision, 6-1. Brewer posted a 5-2 decision over Mark Grey of Cornell in semifinals and fell to Johnni DiJulius of Ohio State by fall in the finals.
Redshirt senior Nick Lester finished third with a 4-0 decision of Hofstra’s Luke Vaith. Redshirt freshman Ross Larson placed fifth in the 285-pound weight class and also took home the award for most falls in the tournament.
Up next for the Sooners is a trip to Ames, Iowa, on Thursday, Jan. 9 to face conference foe Iowa State.
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