Wrestling Prepares For Two Road Tests
1/19/2000 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Jan. 19, 2000
Columbia, Mo. - The University of Missouri wrestling team looks to keep its three-match winning streak alive this week with two dual dates. On Thursday, January 20 MU travels to Marshall, Mo. for duals with Missouri Valley and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville. On Sunday, January 23, the Tigers will take on Marquette and Northwestern at Marion Central Catholic High School in Woodstock, Ill., beginning at 2 p.m.
Missouri, winners of five of its last six duals, has already won more duals than any Missouri wrestling team since 1996-97 (7-7-2), and with ten duals remaining on the schedule, MU seems poised to have the first double-figure victory total since the 1984-85 Tiger squad finished 11-10-0.
Last weekend at the Brown Duals, MU turned its most impressive performance to date, posting wins over Franklin & Marshall (47-3), Army (25-15), and Brown (21-16) en route to leveling its season mark at 6-6. All three of the wins came without the services of John Kopnisky (174), MU?s 24-2 sophomore, who is ranked No. 12 nationally.
The Missouri Valley College Vikings are the No.2-ranked NAIA team in the nation, with nine individuals among the top-8 of their weight class. Lukie Christian (133) and Tim Cobb (149) each have the No. 1 ranking in the most recent Intermat NAIA individual rankings. MU is 5-0-0 all-time versus its rivals from the west, winning last year?s dual in Columbia, 25-15.
The Tigers will meet Southern Illinois-Edwardsville (0-1) for the twentieth time overall. Missouri holds a 15-4-0 advantage, including a 49-9 win the in the two schools last meeting during the 1997-98 season. Key returners for the Cougars include Nate Graumenz at 149 lbs. and Zach Stephens at 184 lbs.
After Thursday?s action, duals with Marquette and Northwestern await MU on Sunday. The Golden Eagles of Marquette are 3-7 and are coming off a 29-14 loss at the hands of Slippery Rock, as part of the Wendy?s Classic Duals where Marquette lost three straight. Peter Butville is Marquette?s lone nationally ranked wrestler at No. 18 in the 165 lb. class. Missouri won the only match between the two schools, 36-16 in 1986.
Northwestern and Missouri meet for the very first time Sunday, in a dual that could provide another stepping stone for the Missouri program. The Wildcats were ranked among the nation?s top-25 earlier in the season, but have slipped to among those receiving votes in recent weeks. A Tiger win over NU could be the upset HEAD COACH BRIAN SMITH has been looking for to get his team over the hump.
However the chore will not be an easy one. Three Wildcats are ranked among the top-20 in the weight class led by No. 7 Mark Bybee (174), whom John Kopnisky beat at the St. Louis Open, but who still remains ahead of the Tiger in the national rankings. Scott Schatzman is a veteran wrestler at 141 lbs. ranked No. 5 and Tom Ciezki (No. 17) could cause MU some problems at 184 lbs.
The 141 lb. match could also serve as a springboard for Missouri freshman JEREMY SPATES. At 24-5, Spates currently is ranked No. 16 nationally, and could use a victory over the high-ranked Schatzman to bolster his case for an NCAA Championships bid in March. Spates took Schatzman to overtime, before losing, 2-1, at the St. Louis Open in December.
After a six-week absence, MU will return to the Hearnes Center for it next two duals. On January 27 at 7 p.m., Missouri hosts Central Missouri State and on February 6, Eastern Illinois visits for a 2 p.m. dual.
Tigers in the National Rankings Intermat/Amateur Wrestling News
Jeff Urban, Sr., 149 (21-8) 16th n/a
Jeremy Spates, Fr., 141 (24-5) 15th 16th
John Kopnisky, Soph. 174 (24-2) 13th 12th
PROBABLE MISSOURI STARTING LINEUP
125 Jesse West 4-1
133 Mark Bader 9-19
141 Jeremy Spates 24-5
149 Jeff Urban 21-8
157 Jesse Jordan 20-12
165 Tim Hawks 3-9
Mark Vollmar 9-15
174 John Kopnisky 24-2
184 Josh Maze 13-17
197 Kevin Herron 17-7
HWT Chad Hertzog 12-12
TIGER TEAM LEADERS
Total Wins John Kopnisky, 24
Jeremy Spates, 24
Dual Wins Jeremy Spates, 9
Kevin Herron, 9
Takedowns Jeremy Spates, 34
Reversals Jesse Jordan, 8
Near Fall 2 Jeremy Spates, 4
Near Fall 3 Kevin Herron, 5
Falls Kevin Herron, 3
Total Points Jeremy Spates, 121
Team Points Kevin Herron, 46
Watching The Numbers
3, Number of wins Kevin Herron needs to reach 20 wins, becoming the fifth Tiger to have 20 wins this season.
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4, Team wins Missouri needs to reach a double-figure win total for the first time since 1984-85 (11-10-0).
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6, Number of wins Jeremy Spates and John Kopnisky need to become the first MU pair with 30 wins each since Shaon Fry and Kenny Liddell in 1991-92.
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10, Number of wins Jeff Urban needs to become the seventh Tiger in school history to win 100 matches in a career.
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20, Number of points Jeremy Spates needs to set a new MU freshman record with 141 points during the season.
