University of Missouri
Big 12 Championships
Missouri Crowns Three Big 12 Champions
3/6/2004 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
March 6, 2004
Ames, Iowa - Taking a Missouri high three Big 12 individual titles, senior Kenny Burleson (157), sophomore Jeff Foust (197) and Most Outstanding Wrestler Ben Askren (174) all took wins in their respective weight class. In addition to the three Big 12 Champions, redshirt freshman Matt Pell finished the day in second helping Missouri to a fourth place finish. All three Big 12 titles were firsts for the Missouri wrestlers, and Askren's Most Outstanding Wrestler Award was yet another first for the fifth-ranked team.
"I'm really pleased and excited that we were able to get three of our wrestlers through to a championship title. It means a lot to each of them and also the program as a whole."
Wrestling first for Missouri in the championship round, sixth-ranked Burleson squared with fourth-ranked Johny Hendricks for the second time of the season, splitting the series with a 3-2 win. In a match that came down to the final seconds of competition, Burleson took an early escape followed with a takedown on the edge of the mat with 25 seconds remaining in the final period. Up by one point, Burleson and Hendricks went back to the center circle where Burleson was able to hold onto Hendricks and take his first individual Big 12 Championship title. The win was an improvement over last season's second place showing to two-time All-American Shane Roller of Oklahoma State.
"Right now I feel really good," Burleson said. "I was able to do something that I've wanted to do since I started wrestling at Missouri. Now it's time for me to change my focus and look towards Nationals."
Earlier in the afternoon, Burleson survived the longest match of the day in his semi-final 10 minute, two overtime bout that found him the victor over Nebraska's seventh-ranked Travis Paulson, 3-1.
A redshirt freshman out of Hartland, Wis., fifth-ranked Askren (174) snapped his three-match losing streak to Big 12 competitor No. 1 Chris Pendelton of Oklahoma State. With a 9-7 victory, Askren scored a majority of his points in the first period with an escape, takedown and three point nearfall, to Pendleton's takedown and escape. Close to pinning Pendelton on two occasions, Askren was able to manage three more escapes in the third period with Pendelton scoring two reversals.
Advancing to the championship round of the Big 12 Championships with a fall over Oklahoma's E.K. Waldhaus (No. 11), Askren put Waldhaus on his back in 1:46. The fall was Askren's 16th of the season, and leaves him only three falls shy of the season-high MU record set by former heavyweight Kevin Herron.
In Missouri's final match of the night, No. 16 Foust (197) took a 2-1 win over Oklahoma State's Rusty Blackmon. Scoring one takedown in the first period, with Blackmon taking an escape in the second, the two were scoreless in the final two minutes of action, securing Foust's victory and Big 12 title.
Wrestling in the semi-final match (197), Foust (No. 16) held onto a 6-3 decision over Iowa State's Trevor Smith (No. 20). In their last meeting, Smith was able to take the win. Today, Foust put a three point spread between himself and Smith. With two late takedowns in the third period, Foust was able to secure his win, with Smith only managing three escapes.
The second Missouri redshirt freshman to wrestle in the championship match, seventh-ranked Pell (184) suffered a disappointing 11-6 loss to third-ranked Jake Rosholt of Oklahoma State. With an early lead in the first period (2-1), Pell dropped by one point in the second after only scoring an escape and takedown to Rosholt's escape, takedown and two-point nearfall. In the end, Rosholt was able to add five points to his total with an escape, reversal and final takedown.
Pell found his stride in his first match of the day with a 3-2 win over Oklahoma's Justin Dyer (No. 9). A familiar matchup to many fans in the stands, it was the second time that Pell defeated Dyer. With no action in the first period, Pell started the second period down and managed an escape in 1:57 to take the one point lead. Dyer took an escape in the third period, but with a takedown in 1:19, Pell put himself on top, allowing Dyer only one more point for an escape.
"Pell is really doing well," Smith said. "I think he's closing the gap between him and the number one wrestler. I expect him to perform well at Nationals and possibly bring home an All-American title, if not the Championship title."
Sophomore Austin DeVoe (125), freshman Brett Watkins (133) and seniors J.P. Reese (141), Jeremy Spates (149) and Mike Whitehead (HWT), were all 0-2 on the day. Uncharacteristic of their regular season, the five wrestlers will have to wait until the conclusion of the wild card meeting following the championships in hopes of a seed to the NCAA Championships.
Individuals advancing to the NCAA Championships and wildcards will be available at www.mutigers.com, as soon as they are announced following the wild card meeting.
Missouri match-by-match results can be found at the bottom of the page. For full results of the day's competition, please check out the day's first round, semi-final and consolation recap at mutigers.com titled "Big 12 Championships."
FINAL INDIVIDUAL RESULTS 125 (#8) Sam Hazewinkel (OU) dec (#1) Jason Powell (NU): 5-2 133 (#6) Johnny Thompson fall (#3) Zach Roberson (ISU): 6:32 141 (#2) Nate Gallick (ISU) dec (#11) Matt Murray (NU):2-1 (I OT) 149 (#2) Zack Esposito (OSU) dec (#6) Travis Shufelt (NU): 7-2 157 ($6) Kenny Burleson (MU) dec (#4) Johny Hendricks (OSU): 3-2 165 (#1) Tyrone Lewis major dec (#17) Jacob Klein: 12-4 174 (#5) Ben Askren (MU) dec (#1) Chris Pendelton (OSU): 9-7 184 (#3) Jake Rosholt (OSU) dec (#7) Matt Pell (MU): 11-6 197 (#16) Jeff Foust (MU) dec Rusty Blackmon (OSU): 2-1 HWT (#3) Leonce Crump (OU) dec (#11) Willie Gruenwald (OSU): 6-1 FINAL TEAM RESULTS 1. Oklahoma State: 86.5 2. Nebraska: 55.5 3. Iowa State: 46.5 4. Missouri: 43.0 5. Oklahoma:37.5
