OSU's Rosholt Takes 3rd At NCAA Wrestling Meet

NewsOn6.com

ST. LOUIS, MO -- With a 3-1 win over No. 3 Jermail Porter of Kent State in the wrestleback semifinal and a 6-4 win over No. 7 Dan Erekson of Iowa in the wrestleback final, Oklahoma State heavyweight Jared Rosholt placed third at the NCAA Championships on Saturday.

Rosholt and Erekson were deadlocked at zero through the first period, with Rosholt opening the scoring when he escaped immediately to start the second period, but an Erekson takedown later in the period gave the Hawkeye a 2-1 lead.

Rosholt escaped shortly thereafter to tie the score at two heading into the third period. Erekson started in the down position and escaped quickly to take a 3-2 lead, but Rosholt took him down twice in the final stanza to cement his third-place status.

"We got into a situation early in the third where he was trying to secure his win and I was trying to come back," Rosholt said. "I took the lead and he was in a spot at the end where he needed to go for it all and I just beat him to it."

Coach John Smith said Rosholt started out slow, but picked up four points when it counted in the third period.

"It shows a lot of character for him to score like that when it matters most," Smith said. "I'm excited for him because he improved from his fourth-place finish last year.

"It's not what he wanted, but he battled his way through the consolation bracket and ended his season on a positive note. I'm proud of him."

After a scoreless first period in his wrestleback semifinal match against Porter, Rosholt got on the board first when he escaped immediately to start the second stanza. He extended his lead when he caught Porter in a weak shot and got around behind him to finish the takedown.

Porter started the third period on bottom and escaped quickly to bring the score to 3-1. Porter had no answer for Rosholt's defense the rest of the way and the Cowboy sailed into the third-place bout for the second consecutive year.

By virtue of his third-place finish, Rosholt is the 423^rd All-American in Oklahoma State wrestling history and he extended OSU's remarkable streak of having at least one All-American at every NCAA Championship in which it has competed.

"Obviously, this isn't what I wanted because I came here looking to win a championship," Rosholt said. "It can be hard to get up for consolation matches after you lose, but I knew I needed to keep acting like I was wrestling for the gold even though I was wrestling for third place."

With Rosholt's performance Saturday, the Cowboys finished with 34 team points. Final team standings will not be available until after tonight's championship rounds.

Oklahoma State's Complete Results at the 2009 NCAA Championships

Championship First Round

125: No. 1 Paul Donahoe (Edinboro) dec. No. 15 Obenson Blanc (OSU); 4-2

133: No. 5 Daniel Dennis (Iowa) dec. No. 13 Chris Notte (OSU); 5-4

141: No. 15 Jamal Parks (OSU) vs. No. 19 Vincent Ramirez (North Carolina); 6-4 SV

157: No. 9 Neil Erisman (OSU) dec. Justin Gaethje (Northern Colorado); 8-3

165: No. 19 Dan Vallimont (Penn State) dec. No. 9 Brandon Mason (OSU); 8-6 SV

174: No.11 Newly McSpadden (OSU) dec. Dave Rella (Ohio State); 3-0

184: Thomas Spellman (Virginia Tech) dec. Chris McNeil (OSU); 3-1 SV

197: No. 8 Clayton Foster (OSU) dec. No. 15 Chad Beatty (Iowa); 8-5

285: No. 3 Jared Rosholt (OSU) dec. Clayton Jack (Oregon State); 9-3

Championship Second Round

141: No. 9 Alex Krom (Maryland) dec. No. 15 Jamal Parks (OSU); 3-2

157: No. 5 J.P. O'Connor (Harvard) dec. No. 9 Neil Erisman (OSU); 7-6

174: No. 7 Chris Henrich (Virginia) dec. No. 11 Newly McSpadden (OSU); 5-2

197: No. 10 Cayle Byers (George Mason) dec. No. 8 Clayton Foster (OSU); 5-4 TB

285: No. 3 Jared Rosholt (OSU) dec. D.J. Russo (Rutgers); 8-6

Championship Quarterfinals

285: No. 5 Konrad Dudziak (Duke) dec. No. 3 Jared Rosholt (OSU); 4-2 SV

Wrestleback Pigtails

133: No. 3 Jimmy Kennedy (Illinois) dec. No. 13 Chris Notte (OSU); 10-6

165: No. 9 Brandon Mason (OSU) dec. Justin Zeerip (Michigan); 3-0

184: Chris McNeil (OSU) dec. No. 16 Justin Kerber (Cornell); 5-2

Wrestleback First Round

125: No. 15 Obenson Blanc (OSU) fall William Chamberlain (Duquesne); 4:19

165: Ethan Headlee (Pittsburgh) dec. No. 9 Brandon Mason; 3-1 SV

184: Chris McNeil (OSU) maj. dec. Matthew Gevelinger (Brown); 14-6

Wrestleback Second Round

125: No. 15 Obenson Blanc (OSU) dec. No. 6 James Nicholson (Old Dominion); 3-2

141: No. 15 Jamal Parks (OSU) maj. dec. William Simpson (Army); 15-7

157: No. 14 Jonny Bonilla-Bowman (Hofstra) dec. No. 9 Neil Erisman (OSU); 11-8

174: No. 11 Newly McSpadden (OSU) dec. Eric Decker (Old Dominion); 4-1

184: No. 9 David Craig (Lehigh) dec. Chris McNeil (OSU); 1-0

197: No. 8 Clayton Foster (OSU) maj. dec. Patrick Bond (Illinois); 10-1

Wrestleback Third Round

125: No. 15 Obenson Blanc (OSU) maj. dec. No. 12 Jarrod Garnett (Virginia Tech); 17-4

141: No. 18 Chris Diaz (Virginia Tech) dec. No. 15 Jamal Parks (OSU); 4-3

157: No. 11 Newly McSpadden (OSU) dec. Luke Rebertus (Navy); 5-3

197: No. 16 Jesse Strawn (Old Dominion) fall No. 8 Clayton Foster (OSU); 6:02

Wrestleback Quarterfinals

125: No. 4 Brandon Precin (Northwestern) vs. No. 15 Obenson Blanc (OSU); 10-4

174: No. 2 Michael Cannon (American) dec. No. 11 Newly McSpadden (OSU); 4-1

285: No. 3 Jared Rosholt (OSU) dec. Chris Birchler (East Stroudsburg); 3-1 SV

Wrestleback Semifinals

285: No. 3 Jared Rosholt (OSU) dec. No. 4 Jermail Porter (Kent State); 3-1

Wrestleback Finals (Third-Place Match)

285: No. 3 Jared Rosholt (OSU) dec. No. 7 Dan Erekson (Iowa); 6-4