Jan. 19, 2003
COLUMBIA, Mo. -
The 17th-ranked Missouri wrestling team showed that they belonged in the company of the elite wrestling schools of the country, despite being eliminated from the National Duals after suffering two heartbreaking loses to two ranked opponents in Columbus, Ohio. In the first round the Tigers fell to 5th-ranked Arizona State, 19-17, then suffered a 18-15 setback to 14th-ranked Northern Iowa in the first round of the consolation bracket.
Against the Sundevils the Tigers started off strong after senior captain Mark Bader recorded a 17-2 technical fall victory over Adam Chavira in the 125-pound bout. The Sundevils answered with a technical fall of their own with #10 Mike Simpson recording the 17-1 victory over Chris McCormick.
The Sundevils won the next two bouts; #4 Dana Holland rallied from a 7-4 deficit to record a 9-8 decision over #9 J.P. Reese in the 141-pound bout. Jeremy Spates (#9) could not defeat Andy Larkin, the #1 149-pounder in the country, and lost via a major decision, 12-3. The two wins gave the Sundevils a 12-5 edge in team points.
The Tigers rallied with two consecutive victories of their own. #13 Kenny Burleson defeated #12 Rocky Smart, 7-5 in the 157-pound match and #6 Tyron Woodley defeated #8 Nick Frost, 5-3. The wins pulled the Tigers within one point, 12-11.
In the 174-pound bout, Matt Turner lost to #5 Curtis Owen, 18-10. The win increased the Sundevils lead to 16-11.
The Tigers then mounted a comeback and regained the lead 17-16, recording two victories in the 184 and 197-pound bouts. Scott Barker (#4) defeated Ron Renzi, 7-3 and #14 Dante Stone defeated Ryan Bader, 9-4.
In the final and deciding match of the dual, heavyweights Kevin Herron (#15) took on the Sundevil's Kellan Fluckinger (#4). Fluckinger took an early 4-0 lead and Herron tried mounting a comeback, but found himself at the wrong end of a 5-2 decision. The Sundevils won the dual, 19-17 and moved on to face #1 seed and the #1 team in the country Oklahoma State.
The Tigers moved to the consolation bracket and faced #14 Northern Iowa, who lost to Oklahoma State, 28-9 in the first round. The Tigers had faced the Panthers earlier in the season at the Lone Star Duals in Dallas, Texas. The Tigers lost the dual, 21-16.
The dual once again started in favor of the Tigers as Austin DeVoe recorded a 5-0 decision over Chris Helgeson in the 125-pound bout for the early 3-0 lead.
The Panthers then won the next two bouts; Pat Garcia defeated McCormick, 12-5 and #3 Dustin Long defeated #9 Reese, 4-0. this gave the Panthers a 6-3 lead.
Spates tied things up at six-all with his 9-4 decision over 16th-ranked Jon Garvin in the 149-pound bout. Burleson followed suit and recorded his team leading 25th victory with a 4-2 decision over Chris Bitetto in the 157-pound match.
The Tigers then increased their lead to 12-6 with Woodley's 8-6 victory over 12th-ranked Drew Kelly in the 165-pound match.
The Panthers then preceded to win the next three matches and a 18-12 lead. Turner was pinned by #5 Eric Hauan in the 174-pound bout, Jeff Foust lost a 15-12 decision to Bob Koenig in the 184-pound bout and Stone lost to #9 Sean Stender, 4-3.
Once again the dual came down to the last match, with the Tigers needing a pin or a forfeit to tie the Panthers at 18-all. A forfeit would not happen as the Panthers sent out their top heavyweight, fourth-ranked Paul Hynek. Herron tried for the pin, but came up short, recording a 6-2 upset victory. The Panthers held on for the 18-15 victory.
The Tigers fall to 9-5 in duals this season.
Next up for the Tigers is a conference dual meet against 11th-ranked Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma on January 26.
NOTES FROM THE MAT: Top-seeded and top-ranked Oklahoma State won the NWCA National Duals with a convincing 27-6 victory over Oklahoma.