Feb. 2, 2003
CHARLESTON, Ill. -
The 11th-ranked University of Missouri wrestling team continued their winning ways with a dominating 48-3 victory over Eastern Illinois University at the Lantz Arena in Charleston, Illinois. The Tigers showed no letdown after their big 23-19 victory over ninth-ranked Nebraska on Friday night. The win against the Panthers increased the Tigers dual record to 12-5 (2-1 Big 12), winning their last three duals.
Austin DeVoe (Columbus, Kan./Columbus Unified) picked up his fifth dual victory of the season, pinning Dexter Wright in 4:28 in the 125-pound bout. The pin gave the Tigers a quick 6-0 lead as the Tigers won the next eight out of nine matches.
Senior captain Mark Bader (Creve Coeur, Mo./Vianney) moved up a weight class shut out Mike Stanley for a 18-0 technical fall victory. Chris McCormick (Leawood, Kan./Blue Valley North) also moved up a weight class and picked up a technical fall victory of his own. McCormick defeated Brian Sbertoll, 22-4. Eighth-ranked Jeremy Spates (Norman, Ok./Norman) made it three technical fall victories in a row with his 20-4 win against Chris Jordan.
11th-ranked Kenny Burleson (Neosho, Mo./Neosho) won his 15th straight match and his 28th overall victory via forfeit in the 157-pound bout. Burleson is 15-1 in duals this season. His 28 victories tie his career best in overall victories set during the 2001-02 season when he went 28-11 and 13-3 in duals.
The Panthers got there first and only points of the day in the 165-pound bout when Matt Veach upset seventh-ranked Tyron Woodley (Ferguson, Mo./McCluer), 5-3. The win by Veach made the score 27-3 in favor of the Tigers.
Sophomore John Sioredas (Chesapeake, Va./Great Bridge) picked up his first dual win of the season with a 10-6 decision over Clay French in the 174-pound match. 2002 All-American Scott Barker (St. Louis, Mo./Oakville) pinned Josh Lepper in 1:15 to give Barker his eighth dual victory and sixth pin of the year. Senior Dante Stone (Calder, Id./North Idaho Junior College) won the 197-pound match by forfeit.
Senior Kevin Herron (Imperial, Mo./Fox) ended the dual with a pin of Pete Ziminski in 1:34 in the heavyweight bout. The pin was Herron's 16th of the year and increased his career pins to a school record 39 career pins. Herron's pin made the final score 48-3 and dropped the Panthers to 4-9 in duals for the season.
Up next for the Tigers is an important home dual against conference opponent Iowa State on Saturday, February 8 in the Hearnes Center Fieldhouse at 1:00 p.m. A win by the Tigers over the 13th-ranked Cyclones would clinch the number two seed for the Big 12 Championships behind Oklahoma State.