David Taylor on Oklahoma State win over West Virginia: 'It was a scrap'

No. 3 Oklahoma State gutted out a 30-12 win over No. 22 West Virginia that David Taylor dubbed “a scrap.”

WVU went into Stillwater and stunned the Cowboys with a pin at 125 pounds as No. 13 Jett Strickenberger stuck No. 4 Troy Spratley in the first period. Just like that, it was 6-0. But Oklahoma State won three of the next four bouts and then four of the final five to win a gritty fight against a Big 12 opponent.

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The Cowboys are now 8-0 on the season and 5-0 in the Big 12.

“It was a scrap,” Taylor said post match. “I mean, we found ourselves in some tough matches tonight and I think it is good, I mean, it’s good for our team to experience that, you know, we got some tough upcoming matches. This is a tough sport. There are no easy days, and off days. I think you can wrestle for a program like Oklahoma State, you’re gonna get the best of everybody, you know, you’re gonna get the best of everybody. 

“And I think West Virginia, they were very prepared tonight, and they scrapped really hard. There’s some matches that (we’d like back) … but you know, it’s wrestling.”

David Taylor knows Oklahoma State battled tough team

Spratley’s broken out under Taylor’s first-year tutelage, but he got surprised Sunday.

“Troy does all the right things,” Taylor said. “You know, it’s just some days you don’t, maybe don’t feel your best, and I haven’t got a chance to talk to him yet about his match, but, yeah, just was kind of, you know, got into that kind of that weird scramble, you know, it’s two matches in a row, so just gotta work through those areas …

“But I mean, just look at his season. He’s wrestled so many quality opponents … So I think that’s just part of that weight class. 125 is tough, there’s a lot of good guys, and there’s really no off days, because of the depth of weight class.”

WVU picked off another match with No. 3 Peyton Hall beating No. 6 Cam Amine 5-1 at 165 pounds after intermission, making it 12-11 West Virginia. Taylor’s crew made sure that was the last loss.

The Cowboys turned on the heat with two tech falls, a decision and a pin to close things out.

Full Results

125: No. 13 Jett Strickenberger (WVU) won by fall over No. 4 Troy Spratley (OSU) [T – 2:52]
133: Cael Hughes (OSU) dec. Tommy Maddox (WVU) [SV-1 9-6]
141: No. 4 Tagen Jamison (OSU) major dec. No. 32 Jordan Titus (WVU), 14-4
149: Sam Hillegas (WVU) dec. Cutter Sheets (OSU), 8-6
157: No. 14 Caleb Fish (OSU) major dec. Sasha Gavronsky (WVU), 16-3
165: No. 3 Peyton Hall (WVU) dec. No. 6 Cameron Amine (OSU), 5-1
174: No. 3 Dean Hamiti Jr. (OSU) tech. fall over No. 28 Brody Conley (WVU), 19-3
184: No. 3 Dustin Plott (OSU) tech. fall over No. 23 Dennis Robin (WVU), 20-4
197: No. 8 Luke Surber (OSU) dec. Ian Bush (WVU), 6-5
HWT: No. 3 Wyatt Hendrickson (OSU) won by fall over Michael Wolfgram (WVU) [T – 0:43]