With five wins this weekend at the St. Louis Open, freshman J.P. Reese won the Freshman/Sophomore division at 149 lbs.With five wins this weekend at the St. Louis Open, freshman J.P. Reese won the Freshman/Sophomore division at 149 lbs.
Wrestling

Wrestlers John Kopnisky and Jeff Urban Place At St. Louis Open

Nov. 22, 1999

Columbia, Mo. - University of Missouri wrestlers JOHN KOPNISKY (174) and JEFF URBAN (149) placed at the St. Louis Open this past weekend, while freshman J.P. REESE (149) was the champion of the Freshman/Sophomore competition at the event.

Kopnisky, who is now 11-1 on the season, went 4-1 at St. Louis earning second place at the tournament. Along the way Kopnisky defeated No. 6 (Intermat Magazine) Mark Bybee of Northwestern and Michael Barger of Oklahoma. Barger was the runner-up at 174 lbs. at last season?s Big 12 Conference Championships. Kopnisky lost the championship match to Oklahoma?s Byron Tucker, the No. 2 wrestler in the nation at 174 according to Intermat Magazine.

??Kop? is wrestling like an All-Ameican,? HEAD COACH BRIAN SMITH said. ?He is on top of the world. He has all the confidence in the world and should break the top-20 this week.?

Urban, now 7-5 overall, wrestle very well over the weekend, advancing to the semifinals before falling to Illinois? Adam Tirapelle ranked second in the nation at 149 lbs. Another loss in the third/fourth place match left Urban in fourth place, though HEAD COACH BRIAN SMITH thought his senior wrestled his best.

?Jeff is wrestling very tough right now,? Smith said. ?He is battling and losing some close matches, but if he keeps working like he is the wins will come.?

At Friday?s Freshman/Sophomore competition, MU freshman J.P. REESE won the 149 lb. weight class. Reese, a native of Rochester Hills, Michigan, posted a perfect 5-0 record on his way to the championship. He is now 8-2 on the season in open competition, including this weekend?s championship.

JEREMY SPATES, MU?s sophomore at 141 lbs., did not place in at the open, but wrestled to a 4-2 record and was eliminated by 1999 All-American Scott Schatzman of Northwestern in overtime. Tiger freshman JOSH MAZE took fourth place in the Freshman/Sophomore division at 184 lbs.

The Tigers are next in action Friday, December 10 at 6:00 p.m. when they host Lindenwood and Purdue for a three-way dual at the Hearnes Center Fieldhouse.