University of Missouri
Missouri Open
Over 400 Wrestlers Compete in Missouri Open
11/19/2000 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Nov. 19, 2000
The University of Missouri hosted Sunday's inaugural Missouri Open wrestling tournament, drawing over 20 teams and 400 wrestlers from the region, including numerous nationally-ranked individuals and teams.
Missouri entered nearly all its grapplers in the tournament, with the starting line-up wrestling for Missouri and the rest competing unattached. No team points were kept in the open format.
"I think it was a great tournament, especially since it was our first time hosting," said Mizzou Head Coach Brian Smith. "I heard a lot of great things from all the coaches. They said they'd all be back next year."
For Missouri, Matt Turner was the freshmen/sophomore division champion at 174, outscoring his three opponents 16-5.
Also winnning the freshmen/sophomore division was Mizzou's 165-pounder Tyron Woodley. He outscored three of his four opponents by a 22-11 margin, and earned a pin in just 1:21 in the semifinals.
In the upper division, junior Mark Bader took second-place honors. "He wrestled great today. I think this is really a step for him. It gives him something to build on early in the season," said coach Smith. A high point for Bader in the tournament was defeating 10th-ranked Bo Maynes from Oklahoma.
Wrestling unattached, sophomore 149-pounder Jeremy Spates took third. He was defeated by top-ranked Adam Tirapelle from Illinois in the semifinals, but wrestled his way back to the consolation semifinals, where he defeated seventh-ranked Billy Maldonado from Iowa State 11-6.
Junior John Kopnisky also placed third for Missouri at 174 pounds in the upper division. "Kop" was defeated 4-3 by Eastern Illinois' Louis Taylor.
One of the tournament highlights was the 165-pound final, where Wisconsin's Don Pritzlaff met Joe Heskett from Iowa State. The two wrestlers are ranked number one and two, respectively, in the nation. Heskett pulled off the upset by a score of 5-3. This match pitted the same two competitors who wrestled in the finals at last year's 165-pound NCAA Championships.
The Tigers will train this week preparing for Saturday, where they will travel to Lock Haven, Pa., to compete in the Mat Town Invitational, considered by some to be one of the tougher tournaments in the nation.
