Four Tiger Wrestlers Advance to Third/Fourth Place Matches at Big 12 Championships
3/2/2001 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
March 2, 2001
Stillwater, Okla. - The University of Missouri wrestling team finished the first day of competition at the Big 12 Conference Championships with four wrestlers in the position to earn automatic bids to the NCAA Championships. Missouri's Justin Spates, J.P. Reese, John Kopnisky, and Scott Barker will all compete in the third/fourth place matches on Saturday in Stillwater, Oklahoma. A third place finish by any of the Tigers would give the wrestler an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships.
In Saturday's competition in the championships bracket, Missouri's Justin Spates (125) will take on Matt Brown of Oklahoma State in the third/fourth place match. Spates advanced in the pigtail round when Iowa State did not enter a wrestler at 125 pounds. Spates them lost a close, 3-1 match to the number one seed, Matt Ridings of Oklahoma
. J.P. Reese (141) will also look to pick up a victory in a third/fourth place match when he takes on the winner of the Dusty Spaulding (OU)/Zach Roberson (ISU) match, which will be held Saturday morning. .
John Kopnisky (174) will compete for third place versus the winner of Ati Conner (NU) and Michael Barger (OU). After a first match victory over Conner 8-7, Kopnisky dropped a 6-4 decision to number one seed Tyrone Lewis of Oklahoma State.
At heavyweight, Scott Barker was pinned in 6:48 by Oklahoma's Leonce Crump in the semifinals. Barker will face the winner of Matt Knauer (ISU) and Pat Miron for third place on Saturday. Barker defeated Miron 13-1 in a pigtail match.
In the pigtail matches Friday night, Missouri went 4-4. J.P. Reese (141), John Kopnisky (174), Ry Stone (184), and Scott Barker (HWT) all earned victories for the MU. Barker's win was the largest, a 13-1 major decision over Nebraska's Pat Miron.
Tigers Jesse West (133), Kenny Burelson (149), Jesse Jordan (157), Mark Vollmar (165), and Dante Stone (197) will compete in the consolation rounds on Saturday as well.
Missouri match results Day One-Big 12 Championships
Justin Spates 21-9 Loss to #1 Matt Ridings (OU), 3-1
Jesse West 15-15 Loss to Witt Durden (OU), 16-3
J.P. Reese 16-11 Win over Dusty Spaulding (OU), 5-3 Loss by default, #1 Michael Lightner (OU)
Kenny Burelson 22-9 Loss to Jared Frayer (OU), 16-0
Jesse Jordan 13-12 Loss to Brian Burrows (OU), 5-3
Mark Vollmar 15-23 Loss to Tony Denke (NU), 14-5
John Kopnisky 28-5 Win over Ati Conner (NU), 8-7 Loss to #1 Tyrone Lewis (OSU), 6-4
Ry Stone 15-15 Win over Matt Fletcher (NU), 9-3 Loss by fall to #1 Cael Sanderson, 5:25
Dante Stone 15-13 Loss to Waymon May (OU), 7-1
Scott Barker 15-9 Win over Pat Miron (NU), 13-1 Loss by pin to Leonce Crump (OU), 6:48
