COWBOYS DOWN THE DRAGONS

The Cowboys from Stillwater opened the 26-27 season in style, with a 45-0 shutout over Drexel in Gallagher Iba Arena. Oklahoma State won all ten matches, with 8 bonus victories, with five by techfall and one by fall.

OSU wrestled in front of a packed crowd of 6,870 fans on Sunday, during their Native American Heritage dual. The Cowboys wore their turquoise singlets for the second time, a fan favourite not only among Oklahoma State fans but among wrestling fans in general. It's easy to see why.

Oklahoma State's starting line up against Drexel, looked very different from what many had projected during the offseason. The introduction of the Cowboy Invitational shook things up, opening the door for new faces to earn their spots in the lineup. We saw several fresh faces take to the mat last Sunday against the dragons, so let's take a look at how the Cowboys performed, and break down what went down.

WEIGHT BY WEIGHT RECAP

125lbs
Freshman Rocklin Zinkin, a three-time California state champion, opened the dual for OSU at 125lbs. Filling the spot of usual starter Troy Spratley, against No.33 Oumar Tounkara.

Zinkin showcased his elite scrambling skills, recording four takedowns, one reversal and a two-point near fall at the buzzer to win 17-3 by major decision. This win marked the freshman's first ranked victory, and a successful start in his collegiate career.

133lbs
I could speak about Jax Forrest all day, but ill keep it brief. The reigning national champ, No. 1 ranked Jax Forrest made quick work of Drexel's Cole Hagerty, earning a technical fall just one minute into the second period.

Forrest had little trouble getting to his leg attacks, securing four takedowns while also showcasing his infamous ball-and-chain, to rack up near-fall points. Following his last takedown, Forrest secured the technical fall with a series of swipes.

141lbs
The next freshman to make his debut was, No. 15 Jayden Raney, who cruised to a 22-5 technical fall victory, over Anthony DePaul in the second period, putting together an impressive seven takedown performance.

All seven of Raney's takedowns, came off a single-leg attack to DePaul's right leg. The Drexel wrestler had no answer for the Cowboy freshman, who repeatedly took him down and cut him loose before going straight back to work. Like a dog on a bone. With just 33 seconds remaining in the second, Raney chased down his seventh and final takedown to secure the bonus win by tech.

149lbs
No. 2 Sergio Vega had the lowest scoring bout of the dual, with a 6-1 decision win over No. 24 Anthony Santaniello. The returning national champion remains undefeated, and has yet to surrender a takedown, now in his sophomore year.

Moving up a weight class always comes with its challenges, particularly at the start of the season. However, I don't believe this is a cause for concern, and I'm 100% confident that Vega will continue to see success as the season progresses.

157lbs
The third returning national champion, No. 1 Landon Robideau looked incredible against the Drexel Dragons. Robideau earned a fall over Gavin Carroll, recording the only pin of the night and improving to 3-0 on the season.

It wasn't just the fall that stood out, though. Robideau put on an offensive masterclass, showcasing everything in his arsenal from lightning-fast reattacks to an array of leg attacks. Leading 18-5, he locked up a cradle and secured the pin on the edge of the mat, with his right foot barely keeping him inbounds.

165lbs
No. 5 Casey Swiderski put the pressure on Drexel's Dom Findora, with a 19-4 technical fall victory. Swiderski scored six takedowns, with his final one coming with 90 seconds left in the match.

Having wrestled at 149 pounds last season, Swiderski's move up to 165 and his ability to maintain such impressive form, is certainly noteworthy. Based on this performance and the results at the MSU Open, it looks as thought he could hold down the 165-pound spot for the foreseeable future.

174lbs
No. 12 Alex Facundo earning the starting spot for the cowboys may have seemed far-fetched to some, particularly following acquisition of Stanford transfer Lorenzo Norman. However, Facundo made his case when he defeated Norman 7-5, in the Cowboy invitational finals at 174 pounds, to earn the starting spot against the dragons.

Facundo won his ranked match up by decision, over No. 24 Jasiah Queen with a score of 7-2. The Cowboy entered the third period down 1-0, starting on bottom. After an escape he scored two takedowns in just over a minute.

184lbs
I have plenty positive things to say about Michael White, who put on a show in his debut for OSU, earning a 22-6 technical fall victory over Ethan Wilson. His potential and talent are through the roof, and he has demonstrated that not only this past sunday, but also at the Cowboy invitational.

"It was fun. Actually, before, i cried because i was so excited". White said after the dual, showing how just much the moment meant to him.

That passion was something i noticed throughout all the freshman, against Drexel. They all seemed eager to chase the next takedown, constantly looking for more points for the team. We saw Zinkin, Raney, White and Ross all continue to hunt for takedowns, even if there was just a single second remaining in the period whether it was the 1st, 2nd or 3rd. That kind of menatlity is very exciting to see, and speaks volumes about the team and what Coach Taylor expects from them.

197lbs
Returning national finalist, No. 2 Cody Merrill returned to action after being unable to finish his previous match, at the Cowboy Invitational.

Panda earned a 19-4 technical fall victory over Justin Griffith, in the third period. It was great to see him healthy and back on the mat for the Cowboys, as he will be on his quest to improve upon his runner up finish from last season.

HWT
The cherry on top, came from the final freshman to make his debut last Sunday, Dreshaun Ross, who secured an impressive victory over No. 20 Nate Schon of Drexel.

Ross earned a 14-4 major decision, with four takedowns to help the Cowboys finish the dual with eight bonus victories out of ten matches. It was an impressive way to round out a dominant 45-0 performance for Oklahoma State.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Overall, there was plenty to be impressed with and even more wrestling to look forward to, as the season has just begun. No. 2 Oklahoma State will now turn its attention to a huge showdown against No. 3 Nebraska, on Friday at Gallagher-Iba Arena.

Final Results:

No.2 Oklahoma State 45, Drexel 0

125 - Rocklin Zinkin (OSU) MD No. 33 Oumar Tounkara (DU) 16-3

133 - No. 1 Jax Forrest (OSU) TF Cole Hagerty (DU) 18-5, 4:02

141 - No. 15 Jayden Raney (OSU) TF Anthony DePaul (DU), 22-5, 5:38

149 - No. 2 Sergio Vega (OSU) dec. No. 24 Anthony Santaniello (DU) 6-1

157 - No. 1 Landon Robideau (OSU) fall Gavin Carroll (DU), 4:19

165 - No. 5 Casey Swiderski (OSU) TF Dom Findora (DU) 19-4, 5:41

174 - No. 12 Alex Facundo (OSU) dec. No. 24 Jasiah Queen (DU) 7-2

184 - Michael White (OSU) TF Ethan Wilson (DU) 22-6, 6:32

197 - No. 2 Cody Merrill (OSU) TF Justin Griffith (DU) 19-4, 5:08

HWT - Dreshaun Ross (OSU) MD No. 20 Nate Schon (DU) 14-4