OSU Wrestlers 14th At NCAA Championships

NewsOn6.com

ST. LOUIS, MO -- With the first day of the NCAA Wrestling Championships complete at the Scottrade Center, Oklahoma State is in 14^th place with 16.5 team points.

Heavyweight Jared Rosholt is the lone Cowboy still alive in the championship bracket, as he won both of his bouts Thursday, claiming a 9-3 win over Oregon State's Clayton Jack in the first round and an 8-6 win over Rutgers' D.J. Russo in the second round. Rosholt will take on No. 5 Konrad Dudziak of Duke in Friday morning's championship quarterfinal.

"Jared seems to be wrestling better," coach John Smith said. "He still seems to be trying to find his way with his offense. He was a little sloppy today with his finishes, but the good news is that he's scoring points again."

OSU still has seven of its nine wrestlers alive in the tournament, with Rosholt in the championship bracket and 125-pounder Obenson Blanc, 141-pounder Jamal Parks, 157-pounder Neil Erisman, 174-pounder Newly McSpadden, 184-pounder Chris McNeil and 197-pounder all in the second round of the wrestleback.

"This definitely was not the typical first day at the national tournament for us," Smith said. "We had a few guys who didn't wrestle with their hearts, and we're going to need to do that tomorrow if we're going to do anything here."

One of the highlights for Oklahoma State on Thursday was the performance of McNeil, who won twice, claiming a 5-2 win over No. 16 Justin Kerber of Cornell in the wrestleback pigtail round, then a 14-6 major decision win over Brown's Matthew Gevelinger in the wrestleback first round.

Friday's action begins at 10 a.m.

Team Standings (entering Friday)

T1. Iowa: 33 points

T1. Iowa State: 33 points

3. Ohio State: 30 points

4. Nebraska: 24 points

5. Edinboro: 22.5 points

6. Boise State: 22 points

7. Illinois: 20.5 points

8. Hofstra: 20 points

9. Cornell: 18.5 points

T10. Missouri: 18 points

T10. Penn State: 18 points

12. Kent State: 17.5 points

13. Lehigh: 17 points

14. Oklahoma State: 16.5 points

15. Oklahoma: 16 points

Oklahoma State Thursday Results

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. 4 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. 4 Jared Rosholt (OSU) dec. D.J. Russo (Rutgers); 8-6

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

Oklahoma State Friday Morning Schedule

Championship Quarterfinals

285: No. 4 Jared Rosholt (OSU) vs. No. 5 Konrad Dudziak (Duke)

Wrestleback Second Round

125: No. 15 Obenson Blanc (OSU) vs. No. 6 James Nicholson (Old Dominion)

141: No. 15 Jamal Parks (OSU) vs. William Simpson (Army)

157: No. 9 Neil Erisman (OSU) vs. No. 14 Jonny Bonilla-Bowman (Hofstra)

174: No. 11 Newly McSpadden (OSU) vs. Eric Decker (Old Dominion)

184: Chris McNeil (OSU) vs. No. 9 David Craig (Lehigh)

197: No. 8 Clayton Foster (OSU) vs. Patrick Bond (Illinois)