Senior heavyweight Jared Rosholt defeated Iowa State’s top-ranked David Zabriskie to win the heavyweight title at the Big 12 Championship on Sunday. Before, Rosholt was 0-4 against Zabriskie.
A mostly disappointing Big 12 performance at home brought mixed emotions for Cowboy wrestlers.
The Cowboys finished third with 52.5 points; Iowa State took the team title, beating Nebraska’s 62.5 points with 75.5.
With no individual conference champions going into the last match, OSU’s Jared Rosholt was facing No.1 David Zabriskie of Iowa State. Rosholt beat Zabriskie the first time to take the Big 12 heavyweight title 9-5. Rosholt had lost to Zabriskie all four times they had met, including the Big 12 final last year.
“It was a good way to win, a good win,” OSU coach John Smith said. “Good to get Jared a win after loosing several times over his career. It ends a humbling day for me.”
With one conference champion compared to three in 2007, negativity comes to mind. OSU’s brightest hopes for conference titles, No. 1 Coleman Scott at 133 and No. 2 Nathan Morgan at 141 did not get the results they wanted.
Scott lost in the semifinal before beating Kenny Jordon of Nebraska for third. Morgan was aiming for his fourth conference title; only four Big 12 wrestlers have ever accomplished this.
However, he finished second to Nick Gallick of Iowa State. Scott lost in his semifinal match to Missouri’s Tyler McCormick, before beating Kenny Jordan of Nebraska 4-0 for third place.
Eight Cowboys qualified for the NCAA championships in St. Louis, beginning March 20. Four Cowboys made it through to the championship matches; three finished third and Jake Dieffenbach was awarded a wildcard entry after finishing fourth.
“I don’t mind qualifying eight and finishing third,” Smith said. “What I do mind is not completing matches and not finishing matches. If anything is a little bit disappointing it’s that.”
Tyler Shinn, at 125, beat Oklahoma’s Joey Fio 4-2 in overtime to qualify for the championship match. Shinn lost 7-4 to Paul Donahoe of Nebraska, but improved on his third place from 2007.
Brandon Mason lost 7-6 against Brandon Browne of Nebraska, equaling his second place in 2007.
Mason was ahead 5-3 going into the final round.
Browne got a two point reversal and a two point takedown to win the 174 pound conference title.
Newly McSpadden and Jack Jensen won their matches in the first round before losing in the semifinal. They came back strong to take third place; McSpadden at 157 beat Chris Oliver of Nebraska 7-1, and Jensen beat Raymond Jordan of Missouri 3-1 at 184 pounds.
“Guys that felt like their backs were against the wall a little bit, looked like they did, (wrestle till the end),” Smith said. “But in the end, it’s not what I coach, it’s not what we teach, it’s not what we’re about; hopefully we’re saving it for two weeks from now.”
Smith is in his 17th year as coach at OSU, and he remains positive for the national championships.
“Obviously there’s some negativity that came along with our performance today,” Smith said. “But in the end, let’s make it up, let’s wrestle in two weeks.”
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