So…I have no real access to the website at work, so I am going to write this out like I would have a live blog, and you will just get to read ALL of it when it is completed. How lucky for you. I know…I know…you are welcome.
Anyway, a couple of changes to the lineup for the Tigers as they take on #25 Cal Poly. True freshman Brad Wisdom will debut at 125. Nick Gregoris appears to be wrestling #2 Chase Pami at 157 instead of Patrick Wright. At 184, #1 Max Askren appears to be taking the morning off, and Todd Porter will get the spot instead.
On to the action, but first, catch up on the preview of this match here.
125
Wisdom off to a great start with an early takedown and near fall for a 5-0 lead. Micah Ferguson (a RS Frosh) with an escape, but Wisdom is right back on him for another takedown. A final escape by Ferguson leaves Wisdom a 7-2 lead after P1. Wisdom chooses bottom to start the second and gets the escape to make it 8-2. Impressive start by the frosh today and a great start for the Tigers. P2 ends with no other action. P3 begins with Ferguson on bottom in need of all sorts of points to get back into this one. Ferguson is out and the score is 8-3. It is safe to assume Wisdom has the riding time advantage right now. Ferguson now with a takedown to make it 8-5 and Wisdom is hit with a stall warning. It wont matter as the match ends an 8-5 win for Wisdom and an early 3-0 lead for Mizzou
133
Nathan McCormick against a solid opponent in Borislav Novachkov, and like Coach Smith wanted after the Illinois meet, the Tigers are attacking and McCormick scores an early takedown and 2-0 lead. McCormick locks his hands, giving Novachkov a point, then allows the escape and we are knotted at 2-2, and we end P1 that way. Novachkov chooses bottom and escapes for the 3-2 lead to start and end P2. McCormick with the neutral start in P3, leading me to believe he may be down the riding time point. He is hit with a stall warning. Novachkov stays on the offensive and scores the takedown to push his lead out to 5-2, and wins the decision. No riding time is awarded, which makes the neutral start in P3 a bit of a strange decision. All tied at 3-3
141
One of the matches of the day, featuring two ranked wrestlers (with long and strange last names) in Schavrien and Filip Novachkov. Filip (we are on a first name basis here) starts the action with a takedown and early 2-0 lead. It goes badly for Schavrien and he is pinned at 2:40 in the first round giving Poly MAJOR bonus points and a 9-3 lead.
149
Without really knowing anything about the opponent here, I would say this is a big match for Wiest as it pertains to the outcome of this dual. The sophomore will be wrestling RS Frosh David Christian, who shows no record on the season. Wiest gets going and has a P1 takedown for the first points of the match. Christian is cautioned, and then escapes, but Wiest has him down again for a 4-1 lead. Certainly have been eventful P1’s across the matches so far. Christian is out again and has it to 4-2. P1 ends with Wiest hit with a stall warning and him winning the match. P2 starts with Christian on bottom and escaping for the third time, making it 4-3. I have to believe Wiest must be close to a riding time advantage (considering he was hit for stalling while on top). Christian is now hit with a stall warning, meaning the next for either will result in a point for the other. Christian now has the takedown and the lead, up 5-4. It would be big for Wiest to escape before the end of the period here, but he does not. He chooses bottom to start P3 and gets the escape and then the takedown to recapture the lead at 7-5. Christian is out once again, and we have a 7-6 match. Another takedown by Christian makes it 8-7 to his favor, not sure about the time remaining. Turns out Christian has 1:40 of riding time and now a 9-7 win. TOUGH loss for the Tigers considering how it started. Poly now leads 12-3.
157
Tall task here for Gregoris, as Pami is #2 in the nation. Bonus points by Poly here and this dual could be almost out of reach for Mizzou. Gregoris is hit with a stall warning (I assume late in the period) and Pami has a takedown before the end of the period. P2 starts with Gregoris down 2-0 and on bottom. Pami appears to be riding strong and probably getting the riding time advantage. Gregoris does finally escape but is hit with another stall and a point goes to Pami. Some strange scoring going on here, but it appears Pami escaped to start P3, and then started a takedown clinic on Gregoris. Almost 3 and a half minutes of riding time lands Gregoris on the wrong end of a 13-3 major decision, pushing the Poly lead out to 16-3. I BELIEVE there should be a short break before 165 and Marable. Lots of work for the back half of the Mizzou lineup.
165
Does not look like there is a break (maybe that is just for televised matches) and Marable appears to be leading 2-0 (though my StatTracker is acting up). Vasquez (his opponent) has escaped and the match looks to be 2-1. Without knowing what period it is in, it appears Marable has taken down Vasquez again, and then allowed the escape for a 4-2 lead. Perhaps another period has started, as Marable earns another point (likely on an escape) for a 5-2 lead…and wins as it turns out. Some points for the Tigers, as they are now down 16-6, but some bonus points would have been nice there.
174
Dorian Henderson vs. Travis Rasmussen in another must-win for the Tigers. Rasmussen starts out with the first takedown in P1 and is up 2-0. Henderson is escapes and halves the lead at 2-1, which is how P1 ends. P2 starts with Henderson on bottom and escaping, tying the match at 2-2. Henderson is warned for stalling as they are neutral, so he gets in act in gear and takes down Rasmussen for the 4-2 lead. Rasmussen gets his escape and it is now 4-3. Riding time is not likely a factor, but certainly could play a part. P3 will start with Rasmussen on bottom and he earns what appears to be a quick escape and a 4-4 tie. Henderson with a big takedown as he makes it 6-4, and he seems to be riding tough. So tough in fact he earns 2:26 of riding time for the 7-4 win. The Tigers are back to within 16-9.
184
What a big opportunity for RS Frosh Todd Porter. Max Askren certainly would have been seen as a winner here, but let’s see what Porter can do and if he can help the comeback effort against sophomore Ryan DesRoches, who shows an 8-0 record on the season (4-2 for Porter). DesRoches gets the early takedown, and seals the dual with a pin of Porter at 2:39 in the first, putting Poly up 22-9. Remember, the big picture here is Askren being healthy enough at the end of the year to contend for a national title. :-)
197
Brent Haynes has had a great start to his RS Frosh campaign, let’s see if he can keep it going against the RS Soph Ryan Smith. Slow start but Haynes with a takedown and nearfall gives him a 5-0 lead to finish P1. He will choose bottom to start P2 and gets the reversal on Smith, who has now been cautioned. Haynes is up 7-0 and looking for more, but another locked hands penalty gives Smith his first point of the day. The wildness continues, as Smith achieves his own reversal and cuts into the lead more at 7-3, which ends P2. P3 has Smith choosing bottom and reversing Haynes to get it to 7-5. Haynes escapes, but is taken right back down before escaping again and leading 9-7 before he needs some injury time. He is OK and his riding time advantage gives him a hard fought and somewhat wild 10-7 win. Mizzou is down 22-12 with one match to go.
HWY
Dom Bradley gets the call against RS Jr James Powers (2-1). The big man gets the takedown for the 2-0 lead, then Powers escapes to make it 2-1. Powers is on bottom for P2 and is ridden out. Bradley is on bottom for P3, gets the escape and the over 3 minutes of riding time for the impressive shut-out win of 4-0.
Overall
Mizzou falls 22-15, though they split the total matches on the day at 5-5. Bradley and Wisdom were impressive, while Schavrien’s loss really put Mizzou behind the 8-ball early. Good wins for Henderson and Haynes, and you can see the youth of the team, as all four people mentioned are underclassmen. The Tigers will take on Purdue at 7 and look to rebound.