OSU Wrestling Opens New Year With Win At Wyoming

LARAMIE, Wyo. – The No. 2 Oklahoma State wrestling team celebrated New Year’s Day with a 24-17 win over 20th-ranked Wyoming inside UW’s Arena-Auditorium, highlighted by key falls from Alan Gelogaev and Jordan Oliver.

Although OSU (5-0-0) won six of 10 bouts against Wyoming (0-2-0), the dual was still in doubt through the final match.

“It was a good, tough match,” coach John Smith said. “This was a match we needed. I was glad to see ‘Z’ (Gelogaev) go out and get a pin, and then Jon (Morrison) backing it up with another win. Of course Jordan does what he does best and puts points on the board and picks up a pin at the end. I’m glad to get out of here with a win.”

Oklahoma State led 9-0 after picking up decisions in the first three bouts from Josh Kindig (141), Jamal Parks (149) and Albert White (157). Each nearly picked up bonus points, but won, 8-2, 8-2 and 8-3, respectively, over their UW counterparts.

Wyoming responded with 17 unanswered dual points in the next four bouts to take a 17-9 lead with three weight classes left to wrestle. Their run included a 9-3 decision from No. 3 Shane Onufer over No. 18 Dallas Bailey (165), a No. 15 Pat Martinez fall over Zach White (174), a five-point technical fall from No. 3 Joe LeBlanc over Chris McNeil (184) and an upset decision from No. 11 Alfonso Hernandez over No. 4 Cayle Byers (197).

Trailing by eight with three bouts remaining, OSU would need to either pick up two falls and give up no more than a decision, or win all three matches to get the dual win.

Gelogaev, Jon Morrison and Oliver answered the call.

Gelogaev built up a 6-1 lead before pinning UW’s L.J. Helbig in 3:23 at heavyweight, and Jon Morrison rode out his final period to seal a 4-1 over Kasey Garnhart at 125 pounds. With OSU leading 18-17, the winner of the 133-poud match between the No. 1-ranked Oliver and No. 16 Zach Zehner would win the dual for his team.

Oliver left no hope for the Wyoming Cowboys, dominating Zehner to the score of 21-7 before ending the match with a pin in 5:44 to make the final score, 24-17, OSU. Oliver is now 10-0 and has pinned every opponent thus far.

Oklahoma State returns to the mat on Jan. 7, facing the No. 1-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes at 7 p.m. in Iowa City, Iowa.

No. 2 Oklahoma State 24, No. 20 Wyoming 17
Dual started at 141 pounds

141: No. 14 Josh Kindig (OSU) dec. McCade Ford (WYO); 8-2

149: No. 2 Jamal Parks (OSU) dec. Brandon Richardson (WYO); 8-2

157: No. 16 Albert White (OSU) dec. Dakota Friesth (WYO); 8-3

165: No. 3 Shane Onufer (WYO) dec. No. 18 Dallas Bailey (OSU); 9-3
174: No. 15 Pat Martinez (WYO) fall Zach White (OSU); 2:54

184: No. 3 Joe LeBlanc (WYO) TF5 Chris McNeil (OSU); 16-1

197: No. 11 Alfonso Hernandez (WYO) dec. No. 4 Cayle Byers (OSU), 8-4

285: No. 3 Alan Gelogaev (OSU) fall L.J. Helbig (WYO); 3:23

125: No. 9 Jon Morrison (OSU) dec. Kasey Garnhart (WYO); 4-1