Oregon travelled to the heart of Oklahoma and came out with two losses, but many lessons learned.
“We’re proud of the way the kids competed and we’re excited about the kids’ talent,” Kearney said. “We’re just making little mistakes that are keeping us from getting to that level.”
Against Oklahoma on Friday, Oregon earned three wins in its 21-13 loss, and the Ducks had two wins in their loss to No. 1 Oklahoma State. Freshman Tony Rolen, who won both his matchups in back-to-back home meets Jan. 17, pinned his Oklahoma opponent 51 seconds into the second period.
The pin gave Oregon six points. Derrick Brown, Rolen’s Sooner competitor, came into the match ranked No. 3 by The Wrestling Mall at his weight class.
Rolen wrestles at the 184 weight class, where sophomore Elias Soto wrestled during the early part of the season. Soto has moved up to the 197 class, filling in for injured redshirt junior Jake Leair.
Tony Overstake, at 149, took out his Sooner opponent forcefully. After Sooner Daniel Rubenstein tied the match in the first period, Overstake, a senior, took control. He won 16-5 earning a major decision for the Ducks. Redshirt sophomore Luke Larwin came on strong early in the 165 match and held his lead, winning 6-4. Larwin’s win gave the Ducks three points.
Three of Oregon’s losses against the Sooners came by one point, and three more were lost by
two points.
“We’re at a point where we’re wrestling with the best people in the country,” head coach Chuck Kearney said. “We have just got to find a way to get it done.”
Junior Branson Phillips battled his high school teammate Rafael Maturino. After two scoreless periods, Maturino scored a takedown late in the third to take the 157 match 2-1. Sunday, the Ducks battled the Cowboys of Oklahoma State and were handed a 33-2 loss to the No. 1 team in the nation.
No. 11 Skyler Holman of Oklahoma State lost a 8-6 overtime match to sophomore Martin Mitchell at the 125 weight class. Shane Webster, the sophomore ranked No. 14 in the nation at the 174 weight class, took out his Cowboy opponent with a 7-3 decision. Webster is now 19-3 on the season after going 1-1 over the weekend.
Three Ducks were pinned by their Cowboy opponents, for 18 of Oklahoma State’s 33 points. Oregon plays host to Boise State on Friday and Arizona State on Sunday in return to Pacific-10 Conference competition.