Press Release
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The Oklahoma wrestling team got into the win column on Sunday afternoon by defeating Bucknell 29-9 and West Virginia 21-9 at the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown.
The Sooners' (2-1, 1-0) night was highlighted by pins from Mitch Moore and Josh Heindselman, in addition to Mason Naifeh's top-20 win and first of his Oklahoma career. After Sunday's tri-meet, Oklahoma boasts four undefeated (3-0) wrestlers in its starting lineup.
With the win over West Virginia, the Sooners notch their first win to open conference play since 2016.
"I thought a lot of our guys did a nice job today and it's always good to work on winning habits," head coach Lou Rosselli said. "Our guys that did well can start to take the next step by focusing for the full seven minutes and getting more bonus points for us. But at the end of the day, winning is habitual and the more that you do it, the more it'll happen."
Starting the day off for the Sooners was Tommy Hoskins (1-2) at 125 pounds vs. Bucknell's Brandon Seidman. Hoskins entered the third period locked in a 2-2 tie but surrendered an escape and takedown to drop the match 5-3.
Mason Naifeh (1-1) got his first win as a Sooner in Oklahoma's second dual of the day when he defeated No. 17 Killian Cardinale with a last-second takedown to win 3-1. The OU redshirt senior battled the Mountaineer the entire match, fending off shots from Cardinale and was able to circle around the WVU 125-pounder's last attempt to secure the win. Naifeh's win marked the start of a five-match winning streak for the Sooners vs. West Virginia.
At 133, No. 11 Tony Madrigal (1-2) lost his first bout via 4-1 decision to Bucknell's Darren Miller. But the junior was able to get back on track vs. the Mountaineers when he took care of business vs. Joey Thomas, earning a convincing 4-1 decision.
No. 6 Dom Demas (3-0) continued to show why he is considered one of the country's top wrestlers. Demas, ranked sixth nationally, won a major decision (16-5) over Bucknell's Kurt Phipps and followed that performance with an 8-3 win over WVU's Jeffrey Boyd. His two wins on Sunday marked his 14th and 15th wins in his last 16 matches dating back to last season.
Making just his second appearance in the Crimson and Cream, No. 13 Mitch Moore (3-0) won via fall (0:25) in his bout with Logan Sanom from Bucknell. Moore's pin after 25 seconds marks the 17th and fastest win via fall of his career.The win gave the Sooners a lead vs. the Bison that they wouldn't surrender. In his second match of the day, Moore had to work to secure a 4-2 decision over WVU's Brayden Roberts.
Reigning Big 12 wrestler of the Week Justin Thomas improved to 3-0 on the season by defeating Nick Delp (7-5) and Walker Heard (8-2). The redshirt senior, who is ranked 13th nationally, has been on a tear for the Sooners, winning 15 of his last 19 matches.
Jake Stiles (0-3) dropped a pair of tough bouts vs. ranked opponents, losing 8-2 and 2-1 to No. 9 Zach Hartman and No. 24 Peyton Hall, respectively.
No. 9 Anthony Mantanona (3-0) righted the ship at 174 pounds for the Sooners by winning his first match via a 6-2 decision over Bucknell's Frankie Guida and a dominating 13-7 win over Scott Joll.
Darrien Roberts split his Sunday matches to move to 2-1 on the year. Both matches were close, as the Oklahoma sophomore beat Sam Barnes, 4-3, before dropping his match with Anthony Carman, 7-6.
At 197 pounds, No. 13 Jake Woodley (1-2) brought the pressure in his first test of the day, earning bonus points for the Sooners by winning 16-5 over Mason McCready. In the WVU dual, the redshirt junior battled with No. 1 Noah Adams but couldn't score a last-minute takedown to win, dropping the match 3-2. His decision over McCready marked the 40th win of his career.
Josh Heindselman (2-1) picked up his first collegiate victory in dramatic fashion when he pinned Bucknell's Dorian Crosby after 4:40. He then turned around to defeat West Virginia's Michael Wolfgram and move to 2-1 on the young season.
Next up for the Sooners is No. 21 Northern Iowa and No. 10 Iowa State in Cedar Falls, Iowa, on Sunday, Jan. 24. The format will be similar to the WVU-tri that the Sooners competed in this weekend. The UNI-tri will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Extra Matches
125: Tommy Hoskins (OU) def. Colton Drousias (WVU) (MD 11-1)
141: Zack Zeamer (OU) def. Caleb Rea (WVU) (Dec. 3-0)
149: Liam Lusher (WVU) def. Cam Picklo (OU) (Dec. 12-11)
149: Matt Kolonia (BU) def. Cam Picklo (OU) (FALL, 2:02)
184: Jackson Moomau (WVU) def. Carson Berryhill (OU) (Dec. 5-1)
| OU 21, WVU 9 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Wt. | Result | Score |
| 125 | Naifeh (OU) def. No. 17 Cardinale | 3-1 |
| 133 | No. 11 Madrigal (OU) def. Thomas | 4-1 |
| 141 | No. 6 Demas (OU) def. Boyd | 8-3 |
| 149 | No. 13 Moore (OU) def. Roberts | 4-2 |
| 157 | No. 13 Thomas (OU) def. Heard | 8-2 |
| 165 | No. 24 Hall def. Stiles (OU) | 2-1 |
| 174 | No. 9 Mantanona (OU) def. Joll | 13-7 |
| 184 | Carman def. Roberts (OU) | 7-6 |
| 197 | No. 1 Adams def. No. 13 Woodley (OU) | 3-2 |
| 285 | Heindselman (OU) def. Wolfgram | 6-2 |
| OU 29, BUCKNELL 9 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Wt. | Result | Score |
| 125 | Seidman def. Hoskins (OU) | 5-3 |
| 133 | Miller def. No. 11 Madrigal (OU) | 4-1 |
| 141 | No. 6 Demas (OU) def. Phipps | 16-5 |
| 149 | No. 13 Moore (OU) def. Sanom | FALL (0:25) |
| 157 | No. 13 Thomas (OU) def. Delp | 7-5 |
| 165 | No. 9 Hartman def. Stiles (OU) | 8-2 |
| 174 | No. 9 Mantanona (OU) def. Guida | 6-2 |
| 184 | Roberts (OU) def. Barnes | 4-3 |
| 197 | No. 13 Woodley (OU) def. McCready | 16-5 |
| 285 | Heindselman (OU) def. Crosby | FALL (4:40 |