CPHS Wrestling: Sandites dominated 47-6 by nationally-ranked Broken Arrow

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The Class 6A No. 5 ranked Charles Page High School wrestling team (5-1) suffered their first defeat of the season Tuesday night at the hands of No. 1 Broken Arrow (6-1). The 47-6 defeat was their worst dual loss since 2008, but it came at the hands of a program ranked seventeenth in the nation. The Sandites forfeited two matches and won only two of twelve, but seven of their ten losses were by decision and six losses came by two points or less.

Christian Forbes (11-6) lost a 3-1 decision to Bryce Cockrell. Brendon Wiseley (16-9, 30-17) lost a 4-3 decision to Jackson Cockrell. Tied 2-2 with thirty seconds in the match Wiseley caught a single leg but Cockrell got a whizzer in for the takedown.

State Qualifier Blazik Perez won a 3-1 decision over Seth Jones (11-6, 33-21), State Champion Reece Witcraft received a forfeit, State Qualifier Blake Gonzalez won a 14-6 major decision against Blake Jones (10-8), and Chris Moores won a 7-0 decision against Preston Medlin (7-12).

The Sandites’ only two wins came at 120 and 152. State Champion Riley Weir (14-5, 105-32) and State Qualifier Jared Hill went scoreless through the first and second periods. Weir escaped to start the third. Hill got hooks in on Weir for a throw, but the Sandite headlocked his foe for a takedown and backpoints for the 6-0 decision.

Diego Maturino tried to take down Scott Patton (19-1, 54-23) with a single leg early in the 152-pound match, but the Sandite got a headlock for back points. Maturino got a reversal and a takedown, but Patton notched two escapes and a takedown for the 9-6 decision.

Chris Kirby (19-7, 41-17) put on a show at 160 against Ty Rozell. In typical Westside Strangler fashion, Kirby fell in an early hole before reversing for backpoints with his signature headlock. He scored two more nearfall points in the second period, but Rozell added two more takedowns for an 8-7 decision.

State Runner-Up Bryce Mattioda pinned Braden Dahl (3-4, 4-7) in 1:34, Emmanuel Skillings won an 8-5 decision over Riley Magee (6-7, 11-12), State Champion Gavin Potter won a 15-7 major decision over Kaden Glass (15-7), State Champion Zach Marcheselli received a forfeit, and State Qualifier Noah Cortes won a 6-4 decision over Josh Fincannon (16-13, 30-30) to conclude the night.

Sandite Wrestling will return to action Thursday at 4:00 p.m. with a district quadrangle against Enid (3-2), Muskogee (2-2), and No. 14 Bartlesville (4-2). Sand Springs has won three-straight district titles.

CPHS Basketball: Sandites fall 65-54 to Union, Minney scores 16

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Sand Springs led at the half, but couldn’t keep up in the third and couldn’t gain any ground in the fourth. No. 12 Union (7-4, 5-1) brought a 65-54 end to No. 4 Charles Page High School’s undefeated conference record Tuesday evening at the UMAC. The Sandites dropped to 12-3 on the season, but still lead the conference at 6-1.

Union’s Larry King led all scorers with seventeen points, followed by the Sandites’ Josh Minney with sixteen and Davon Richardson with fifteen.

Richardson kicked things off with a two for the Sandites, Micah Lovett sank a three for Union, then Marlo Fox and Cole Durkee scored back to back. Quentin Harvey, Richardson, Josh Minney, and Nehemiah Boykins traded blows to make it 11-10. Cale Savage hit the first Sandite three-pointer for a 14-10 lead.

Sand Springs took a huge blow early on as Richardson drew three fouls midway through the first period. Minney dunked on a steal to make it 16-12, but Ira Richardson was fouled on a made two and Harvey rebounded the free throw to tie it. Minney came in clutch with a pair of free throws, but King tied it once again to end the half.

Savage scored a pair from the stripe to start the second period, DeSean Sanders responded with two, then Durkee made a three-point play for the lead. Union went on a six-point run with four with from Dexter Jones before Fox broke it up. Minney scored three on a steal to briefly reclaim the lead at 27-26, but King immediately took it back for the Redskins. Durkee put up two for Sand Springs, and the visitors took a one-point lead into the locker room.

Durkee and Minney put up points for the Sandites early in the second half, but a three from King tied it and Boykins gave his team the front. Union went on an eleven point run to make it 41-33 before Richardson broke up the streak. But the Redskins hopped right back to it with threes from Seth Chargois and Lovett and a dunk from RJ Forney.

By the end of the third the Redskins led 54-39 thanks to a shooting foul and a technical foul from Minney. Chargois drilled another three to start the fourth, then Richardson scored two and Cale Savage made a three to cut it to 57-44.

Richardson went on a five point run midway through the fourth but Chargois responded with four and the Redskins entered the final two minutes with a 63-51 lead. The Sandites trailed by as much as 65-51 before Minney rattled off three free throws to end the night.

The Sandites will look to kick off a new winning streak Friday when they host No. 17 Owasso (6-5, 2-3) at 8:00 p.m.

Union 65 CPHS 54
1Q: All 18-18
2Q: CPHS 11-10
3Q: Union 16-10
4Q: CPHS 15-11.
Free Throws: CPHS 12-of-19, Union 9-of-16.
Field Goals: Union 25-of-48, CPHS 20-of-51.
Offensive Rebounds: Union 9, CPHS 7.
Defensive Rebounds: Union 24, CPHS 22.
Total Rebounds: Union 33, CPHS 29.
Steals: Union 10, CPHS 5.
Blocks: Union 4, CPHS 4.
Fouls: CPHS 14, Union 17.

(Sand Springs Stats)
Scoring: Minney 16, Richardson 15, Durkee 10, Cale Savage 8, Fox 5.
Offensive Rebounds: Minney 3, Richardson 2, Durkee 1, Hurd 1.
Defensive Rebounds: Richardson 5, Durkee 4, Fox 4, Hurd 4, Minney 3, Cale Savage 1, Quier 1.
Total Rebounds: Richardson 7, Minney 6, Durkee 5, Hurd 5, Fox 4, Cale Savage 1, Quier 1.
Steals: Minney 4, Cason Savage 1.
Assists: Fox 2, Richardson 1, Durkee 1, Cason Savage 1.
Blocks: Richardson 1, Minney 1, Fox 1, Durkee 1.
Fouls: Minney 4, Cale Savage 3, Richardson 3, Fox 2, Hurd 2.

(Union Scoring): King 17, Chargois 12, Harvey 11, Lovett 8, Boykins 7, Richardson 4, Jones 4, Sanders 2.

CPHS Basketball: Lady Sandites top No. 5 Union 46-39, Johnson scores 23

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University of Tulsa-signed senior Destiny Johnson scored a season-best 23 points Tuesday evening at the UMAC, leading the Class 6A No. 7 ranked Charles Page High School girls’ basketball team (10-2, 7-0) to a 46-39 victory over No. 5 Union (10-2, 5-1). The win was the seventh-straight for the Sandites, who are now the only undefeated team left in Frontier Valley Conference action.

Both teams went on eleven-point runs in the first half. The Sandites stormed out to a 15-8 first period lead, but their hosts came roaring back to the close the half with a 19-17 lead. The Redskins only led once in the second half, but kept things competitive throughout the game.

Johnson scored on a long two on the Sandites’ second possession, followed by a three from Isabella Regalado, then another layup from Johnson. Jacie Taber was next in on the streak, with an assist from Johnson, then Johnson sank a pair of free throws for an 11-0 lead.

Nyah Banks finally got the home team on the board with a put back, then Mae Redmond and Kaylen Nelson hit back-to-back threes to make it a one-score game. Darrian Jordan came off the Sand Springs bench for two and Holly Kersgieter made her first bucket of the night to close the first stanza.

Johnson and Kersgieter kicked off the second quarter with a free throw apiece, but by halftime it was anyone’s game.

The Sandites got back on track in the third period as Johnson tied things up on the first drive and sank on a three for the lead. Taber and Kersgieter also contributed in the seven-point run before Sadie Moyer hit back-to-back twos. Johnson scored five more in the period for a 31-25 advantage.

Jordan and Regalado scored to start the final period with a double-digit lead, but Regalado sent Moyer to the line for a three-point play soon after. Johnson sank her third three of the night, Regalado sent Moyer to the line for two more, then Banks came up with a steal to make it 39-32.

Moyer scored two more at the stripe as Taber drew her fourth foul, but Kersgieter broke up the six point run with a layup and Johnson made a three point play on a steal for their third double-digit lead of the game.

Redmond sank a three with 1:01 to play, then Moyer scored in transition with 40.2. With seconds to play Takyla Pitts missed a long three to effectively end any real comeback possibility, and Regalado closed out the night with a pair of freebies.

Sand Springs will return to action Friday with a conference home game against Owasso (2-9, 0-5).

CPHS 46 Union 39
1Q: CPHS 15-8
2Q: Union 11-2
3Q: CPHS 14-6
4Q: CPHS 15-14
Free Throws: Union 9-of-9, CPHS 7-of-13.
Field Goals: CPHS 17-of-39, Union 13-of-40.
Offensive Rebounds: CPHS 7, Union 6.
Defensive Rebounds: Union 16, CPHS 15.
Total Rebounds: CPHS 22, Union 22.
Steals: Union 6, CPHS 5.
Blocks: CPHS 1.
Fouls: CPHS 10, Union 15.


(Sand Springs Stats)
Scoring: Johnson 23, Regalado 8, Kersgieter 7, Taber 4, Jordan 4.
Offensive Rebounds: Kersgieter 3, Regalado 2, Taber 2.
Defensive Rebounds: Kersgieter 8, Burris 3, Regalado 2, Johnson 1, Taber 1.
Total Rebounds: Kersgieter 11, Regalado 4, Burris 3, Taber 3, Johnson 1.
Steals: Johnson 3, Kersgieter 1, Taber 1.
Assists: Kersgieter 4, Johnson 2, Regalado 1.
Blocks: Regalado 1.
Fouls: Taber 4, Regalado 3, Kersgieter 1, Burris 1, Padilla 1.

(Union Scoring): Moyer 13, Redmond 9, Banks 6, Nelson 3, Burgess 2, Pitts 2, Ortiz 2, Knapp 2.

OSSAA 6A Wrestling Week 7 Team and SPN Individual Rankings

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OSSAA 6A Dual Rankings - Week 7

  1. Broken Arrow (5-1)

  2. Choctaw (2-1)

  3. Mustang (9-1)

  4. Edmond North (4-0)

  5. Sand Springs (5-0)

  6. Deer Creek (3-3)

  7. Jenks (4-0)

  8. Edmond Memorial (1-3)

  9. Union (3-2)

  10. Owasso (2-4)

  11. Stillwater (4-3)

  12. Yukon (2-4)

  13. Bartlesville (4-2)

  14. Ponca City (2-3)

  15. Southmoore (3-1)

OSSAA 6A Dual Rankings - Accumulative

  1. Broken Arrow (978)

  2. Choctaw (900)

  3. Mustang (859)

  4. Edmond North (749)

  5. Sand Springs (658)

  6. Deer Creek (580)

  7. Jenks (556)

  8. Edmond Memorial (500)

  9. Union (351)

  10. Stillwater (350)

  11. Owasso (328)

  12. Ponca City (293)

  13. Yukon (276)

  14. Bartlesville (234)

  15. Norman North (160)

OSSAA 6A Tournament Rankings - Week 7

  1. Broken Arrow (358)

  2. Choctaw (331)

  3. Mustang (316)

  4. Edmond North (278)

  5. Sand Springs (223)

  6. Deer Creek (211)

  7. Edmond Memorial (197)

  8. Jenks (190)

  9. Owasso (170)

  10. Stillwater (147)

  11. Union (134)

  12. Yukon (119)

  13. Bartlesville (95)

  14. Ponca City (87)

  15. Southmoore (51)

OSSAA 6A Tournament Rankings - Accumulative

  1. Broken Arrow (1041)

  2. Choctaw (968)

  3. Mustang (927)

  4. Edmond North (764)

  5. Sand Springs (657)

  6. Deer Creek (625)

  7. Edmond Memorial (599)

  8. Jenks (536)

  9. Owasso (473)

  10. Stillwater (406)

  11. Yukon (343)

  12. Union (338)

  13. Ponca City (315)

  14. Bartlesville (282)

  15. Del City (144)

106

  1. Bryce Cockrell (Broken Arrow Junior) - Sapulpa Champion

  2. Brendon Wiseley (Sand Springs Junior) - 3rd at Sapulpa

  3. Jared Campbell (Owasso Senior)

  4. Cooper Mahaffey (Yukon Junior)

  5. Colby Strachan (Bartlesville Junior) - 4th at Sapulpa

  6. Cruz Aguilar (Edmond Memorial Junior)

  7. Ethan Kemble (Ponca City Senior) - 5th at Sapulpa

  8. Dominic Derr (Westmoore) - 4th at COAC

113

  1. Tucker Owens (Mustang Sophomore)

  2. Jackson Oplotnik (Edmond Memorial Junior)

  3. Caleb Nahmahpeah (Shawnee Senior)

  4. Ayden Little (Edmond North Freshman)

  5. EJ Tecson (Owasso Freshman)

  6. David Boucher (Bartlesville Senior) - 6th at Sapulpa

  7. Jason Gilbert (Deer Creek Junior)

  8. Cooper Evans (Westmoore Sophomore) - COAC Champion

  9. Jake McCain (Edmond Memorial Freshman)

  10. Jackson Cockrell (Broken Arrow Junior) - 3rd at Sapulpa

120

  1. Zach Blankenship (Bixby Freshman) - Sapulpa Champion

  2. Riley Weir (Sand Springs Senior) - 3rd at Sapulpa

  3. Corwin Strachan (Bartlesville Senior) - 4th at Sapulpa

  4. Nate Becker (Edmond North Sophomore) - COAC Champion

  5. Matthew Garcia (Edmond Memorial Freshman)

  6. Jared Hill (Broken Arrow Sophomore) - 5th at Sapulpa

  7. Caleb Williams (Choctaw Sophomore)

  8. Cade Nicholas (Stillwater Sophomore) - COAC Runner-Up

126

  1. Carter Young (Stillwater Sophomore) - COAC Champion

  2. Bam West (Edmond Memorial Freshman) - COAC Runner-Up

  3. John Wiley (Mustang Freshman)

  4. Cade Manion (Deer Creek Sophomore)

  5. Blazik Perez (Broken Arrow Sophomore) - Sapulpa Champion

  6. Laif Jones (Bartlesville Junior) - Sapulpa Runner-Up

  7. Shawn Muse (Choctaw Freshman)

  8. Seth Jones (Sand Springs Junior) - 5th at Sapulpa

  9. Reginald Jones (Westmoore Sophomore)

  10. Noah Smith (Union Freshman) - 4th at Sapulpa

132

  1. Reece Witcraft (Broken Arrow Senior) - Sapulpa Champion

  2. Cade Evans (Westmoore Senior)

  3. Jake Wright (Southmoore Sophomore)

  4. Colt Newton (Choctaw Senior)

  5. Keegan Luton (Mustang Sophomore)

  6. Zeke Washington (Owasso Senior)

  7. Hudson Neely (Deer Creek Sophomore)

  8. Carson Trindle (Edmond North Senior)

  9. Blake Jones (Sand Springs Freshman)

  10. Kylon Burgert (Yukon Senior)

138

  1. Peter Rolle (Edmond Memorial Senior)

  2. Spencer Schickram (Ponca City Senior) - Sapulpa Champion

  3. Cameron Picklo (Mustang Senior)

  4. Blake Gonzalez (Broken Arrow Senior) - Sapulpa Runner Up

  5. Josh Parks (Edmond North Junior) - 3rd at COAC

  6. Parker Wright (Deer Creek Senior)

  7. Branden Elrod (Jenks Junior)

  8. Brayden Strachan (Bartlesville Senior) - 5th at Sapulpa

  9. DJ Anderson (Owasso Junior)

  10. Dax Hughes (Stillwater Freshman)

145

  1. Gabe Johnson (Choctaw Junior)

  2. Roarke Simpson (Southmoore Junior)

  3. Micah Lugafet (Deer Creek Junior)

  4. Tanner Robinson (Stillwater Junior) - 3rd at COAC

  5. Enrie Chavez (Jenks Senior)

  6. Chance Davis (Enid)

  7. Ja’len Hernandez (Union Senior) - Sapulpa Champion

  8. Mark Turner (Owasso Junior)

  9. Thatcher Hall (Jenks Junior)

  10. Chris Moores (Broken Arrow) - Sapulpa Runner Up

152

  1. Drake Vannoy (Jenks Junior)

  2. Bryce Coronoa (Westmoore Junior)

  3. Scott Patton (Sand Springs Senior) - Sapulpa Champion

  4. Nate Jacobson (Owasso Junior)

  5. Kyle Knowles (Edmond Memorial Senior)

  6. Chandler Holman (Choctaw Sophomore)

  7. Jacob Church (Muskogee Senior) - 3rd at Sapulpa

  8. Cooper Gibson (Union Junior) - 4th at Sapulpa

  9. William Martin (Broken Arrow Junior) - 5th at Sapulpa

  10. Brett Black (Stillwater) - 3rd at COAC

160

  1. Tate Picklo (Mustang Sophomore) - COAC Champion

  2. Rene Martinez (Putnam City Senior)

  3. Christian McCutcheon (Stillwater Senior) - COAC Runner Up

  4. Killian McGrew (Jenks Junior)

  5. Chris Kirby (Sand Springs Junior) - Sapulpa Champion

  6. Tye Rozell (Broken Arrow Junior) - 3rd at Sapulpa

  7. Mason Seth (Muskogee Senior) - 6th at Sapulpa

  8. Braydon Henry (Norman)

170

  1. Bryce Mattioda (Broken Arrow Junior) - Sapulpa Champion

  2. JT Stambeck (Norman North Senior)

  3. Neko Macias (Southmoore Junior)

  4. Kruz Simons (Edmond North Senior)

  5. Taylor Fleming (Owasso Junior)

  6. Jack Puckett (Bixby Freshman) - 4th at Sapulpa

  7. Laken Clowdus (Bartlesville Junior) - 5th at Sapulpa

182

  1. Zane Coleman (Choctaw Senior)

  2. Emmanuel Skillings (Broken Arrow Sophomore) - Sapulpa Champion

  3. Darius Boone (Union Senior)

  4. Trey Bowman (Edmond North Junior) - 3rd at COAC

  5. Abram Arechiga (Ponca City Senior) - Sapulpa Runner-Up

  6. Andrew Plumlee (Bixby Senior) - 3rd at Sapulpa

195

  1. Gavin Potter (Broken Arrow Senior) - Sapulpa Champion

  2. Judson Rowland (Mustang Junior)

  3. Kaden Glass (Sand Springs Freshman) - Sapulpa Runner-Up

  4. Elijah Tomlin (Union Senior) -3rd at Sapulpa

  5. Carson Savage (Deer Creek Senior)

  6. Blake Minnick (Edmond North Senior) - COAC Runner Up

  7. Carson Denwalt (Southmoore Junior)

  8. Dylan Ward (Choctaw Junior)

  9. Ethan Felts (Jenks Junior)

220

  1. Zach Marcheselli (Broken Arrow Senior) - Sapulpa Runner-Up

  2. Micah Walker (Union Junior) - 3rd at Sapulpa

  3. Corbin Gordon (Yukon Junior)

  4. Jared Galli (Jenks Senior)

  5. Jake McCoy (Edmond North Senior) - COAC Champion

  6. Tony Opichka (Choctaw Senior)

  7. Josh Fincannon (Sand Springs Junior) - 4th at Sapulpa

285

  1. Samontai Scott (Midwest City Senior)

  2. Juan Macedo (Putnam North Senior)

  3. Noah Cortes (Broken Arrow Senior) - Sapulpa Champion

  4. Marquon Journey (Choctaw Junior)

  5. Sam Smith (Stillwater Senior)

  6. Ashton Aldridge (Yukon Senior)

  7. Devion Williams (Muskogee Junior) - 3rd at Sapulpa

  8. Luke Kirchenbauer (Ponca City Senior) - 5th at Sapulpa

  9. Ky Roller (Bixby Freshman)

  10. Caleb Orr (Jenks Senior)

OSSAA 6A Basketball Week 7 Rankings

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OSSAA 6A Boys’ Basketball Rankings

  1. Edmond Memorial (12-1)

  2. Booker T. Washington (9-1)

  3. Edmond Santa Fe (11-1)

  4. Sand Springs (12-2)

  5. Midwest City (10-2)

  6. Sapulpa (7-2)

  7. Jenks (10-1)

  8. Norman North (8-4)

  9. Putnam City West (9-6)

  10. Deer Creek (9-4)

  11. Edmond North (8-5)

  12. Union (6-4)

  13. Southmoore (8-4)

  14. Stillwater (7-5)

  15. Putnam City North (6-6)

  16. Putnam City (9-6)

  17. Owasso (6-5)

  18. Shawnee (7-5)

  19. Norman (7-8)

  20. Bartlesville (5-6)

SPN Conference Strength Ratings
53.4 Frontier Valley
50.5 Central Oklahoma
45.0 Big Ten
34.1 Suburban
29.7 All-City

Top Boys’ Offenses (Point Average)
81.6 Sapulpa
76.8 Midwest City
76.6 Booker T. Washington
69.4 Putnam City
68.9 Putnam City West
68.1 Sand Springs
67.3 Union
66.2 Putnam City North
65.8 Edmond Memorial
65.8 Norman North

Top Boys’ Defenses
45.4 Edmond Memorial
49.8 Jenks
51.8 Edmond Santa Fe
52.1 Norman North
52.9 Shawnee
53.4 Sand Springs
54.0 Deer Creek
54.0 Bartlesville
54.3 Owasso
55.2 Lawton

Highest Avg Margin of Victory
20.5 Edmond Memorial
15.9 Midwest City
14.6 Sand Springs
14.3 Sapulpa
14.0 Booker T. Washington
13.7 Norman North
13.5 Jenks
12.0 Union
11.6 Edmond Santa Fe
10.2 Deer Creek

OSSAA 6A Girls’ Basketball Rankings

  1. Putnam City West (13-1)

  2. Shawnee (11-0)

  3. Norman North (11-1)

  4. Edmond Memorial (10-3)

  5. Union (10-1)

  6. Edmond North (9-4)

  7. Sand Springs (9-2)

  8. Moore (9-2)

  9. Edmond Santa Fe (9-3)

  10. Bartlesville (11-2)

  11. Mustang (13-2)

  12. Choctaw (9-2)

  13. Deer Creek (10-4)

  14. Booker T. Washington (7-3)

  15. Midwest City (11-4)

  16. Norman (7-5)

  17. Ponca City (6-5)

  18. Bixby (10-5)

  19. Sapulpa (6-6)

  20. Jenks (6-5)

SPN Conference Strength Ratings
55.0 Central Oklahoma
46.4 Suburban
39.5 Big Ten
38.4 Frontier Valley
12.5 All-City

Top Girls’ Offenses
73.0 Putnam City West
67.5 Sand Springs
62.9 Booker T. Washington
62.7 Mustang
62.3 Moore
61.7 Choctaw
61.7 Jenks
60.2 Ponca City
59.5 Broken Arrow
57.9 Bartlesville

Top Girls’ Defenses
33.0 Union
33.6 Shawnee
38.8 Norman North
39.0 Edmond Memorial
41.8 Moore
42.0 Bixby
42.5 Choctaw
42.5 Bartlesville
44.0 Mustang
46.0 Sapulpa

Top Avg. Margin of Victory
24.1 Putnam West
24.1 Shawnee
20.5 Moore
19.3 Choctaw
18.8 Sand Springs
18.7 Mustang
16.4 Booker T. Washington
15.5 Bartlesville
15.1 Norman North
14.6 Union

NCAA Wrestling: Undefeated Daton Fix wins controversial OT match against No. 2 Nick Suriano

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Who’s number one? The two have tried to settle that question more than once, and for many fans the third match between No. 6 Daton Fix (19-0, 24-0) and No. 2 Nick Suriano (14-1, 55-5) was a bit of a letdown.

No. 3 Oklahoma State University (7-0) made a weekend trip to the East Coast for a pair of program-first duals against No. 25 Princeton (4-4) and No. 24 Rutgers (7-3).

On Saturday Fix rolled to his eleventh technical fall of the season, 22-7 against Jonathan Gomez (5-8, 17-19) in 6:38. The Pokes won that dual 27-12 with six wins and four losses.

On Sunday OSU won even more handily, 26-5, with only two losses.

Both Fix and Suriano entered Sunday’s dual with undefeated records for the season, and a lot of history. Both were undefeated four-time State Champions in high school, and the two hold the record for longest match ever at 32:12. They met once in the 2014 Cadet National finals, where Fix prevailed in an ultimate tie-breaker. And at the 2014 Who’s Number One event Suriano scored a takedown more than 26 minutes into overtime.

Fix, a redshirt freshman, has earned four tournament titles in his two seasons at OSU and has been steadily working his way up the rankings this year. Suriano, a junior, is a two-time NCAA qualifier. He suffered a first-round injury as a freshman and medical forfeited the remainder of the tournament. He was a national runner-up as a sophomore and holds four tournament titles in his three seasons.

Needless to say, there was a lot of hype in the weeks preceding their meeting.

The third meeting between the elite athletes went the way of the previous matches. An escape point apiece and a trip to overtime. In the first tie-breaker round Rutgers challenged for a locked hands call on Fix, but the refs sided with the Cowboy. Suriano did, however, record an escape.

In the second tie-breaker Suriano was called for locked hands and Fix escaped for a 3-2 lead. Rutgers challenged that call also, and both were overturned after a long video review process. Fix escaped again and sent the two into another sudden victory period tied at 2-2.

Finally, Fix was awarded the victory after Suriano was called for hands to the face. An anticlimactic finish for those who have been waiting all year for the heavily-anticipated meeting.

With no more tournaments on the schedule till the post-season, Fix and Suriano will have to wait till late March for the NCAA Tournament before they get the chance to meet again.

The Cowboys will return to Big 12 action Friday, January 18th when they take on West Virginia (2-9). OSU is 4-0 in conference duals while the Mountaineers are 2-2 riding a three-dual losing streak. Fix could get a ranked match against No. 18 Matt Schmidt (11-0, 40-15).

There are numerous other quality opponents on the horizon for Fix. With eight duals left he could meet No. 4 Micky Phillippi (12-1, 54-12), No. 9 Austin Gomez (12-1, 20-1), No. 10 Austin DeSanto (11-1, 39-8), No. 11 John Erneste (11-3, 96-26), and No. 17 Brandon Paetzell (6-7, 37-21).

OSU Schedule
1.18 @ West Virginia
1.19 @ No. 18 Pittsburgh
1.27 vs. No. 21 Iowa State
2.1 vs. No. 14 Northern Iowa
2.3 vs No. 28 Lehigh
2.8 vs. Air Force
2.16 @ No. 5 Missouri
2.24 vs. No. 4 Iowa
3.9 Big 12 Championship
3.21 NCAA Championship