SDSU gets signature win at No. 9 Mizzou
COLUMBIA, Mo. — The South Dakota State wrestling team recorded its first-ever dual win over a top-10 ranked opponent at the Division I level Saturday, sweeping the final five matches to rally for a 21-12 victory over ninth-ranked Missouri at the Hearnes Center.
“It was a full team effort,” SDSU head coach Damion Hahn said. “I thought if we wrestled at our best we were going to be in the dual, but guys found something extra and came up with some big wins for us.”
In running their winning streak to seven matches, the 23rd-ranked Jackrabbits improved to 8-1 overall and 2-0 in Big 12 Conference duals. Missouri, which suffered its first conference dual loss in nearly five years, dropped to 7-3 overall and 5-1 in league duals.
Tied at 12-all with three bouts remaining, Cade King gave the Jackrabbits a lead they would not relinquish as he pulled off the upset against No. 16 Jeremiah Kent in the 184-pound matchup. After shaking off an apparent injury in the opening minute of the match, King battled Kent to a 4-4 tie through regulation, then came up with a takedown in the opening minute of the extra session for a 6-4 sudden victory.
Tanner Sloan, ranked 22nd at 197 pounds, avenged a loss earlier in the month to fifth-ranked Rocky Elam at the Southern Scuffle with a 5-2 decision. Sloan took a 4-2 lead on a takedown in the closing seconds of the second period and added an escape for the final point of the match in the third period.
Needing only to avoid a pin to seal the victory, heavyweight A.J Nevills put an exclamation point on the Jackrabbits’ upset with another win between nationally-ranked wrestlers. The 22nd-ranked Nevills and No. 15 Zach Elam were scoreless entering the third period, although Nevills built up a two-minute riding time advantage in the second period.
In the final stanza, Nevills tallied the first point on an escape and tacked a second point on the board for riding time.
Tanner Cook, ranked 27th at 165 pounds, started the Jackrabbits’ closing streak with a 5-2 decision over Mitchell Bohlken and eighth-ranked Cade DeVos drew SDSU even with a 7-4 decision against Sean Harman. DeVos’ victory was his team-leading 21st win of the season and 12th in a row.
SDSU’s lone victory in the lower weights was a big one as newcomer Gabriel Tagg pinned former Jackrabbit Connor Brown in only 27 seconds.
Missouri’s early run was highlighted by Allan Hart’s 4-2 decision over Clay Carlson in a battle between the ninth- and sixth-ranked wrestlers at 141 pounds, respectively. Hart has handed Carlson both of his losses this season.
UP NEXT: The Jackrabbits are scheduled to close out their road swing with a pair of duals Sunday in Edwardsville, Illinois. SDSU faces host SIUE at 1 p.m., followed by a 3 p.m. matchup with 25th-ranked Central Michigan.
NOTES
- Missouri leads the all-time series, 4-3
- The Jackrabbits recorded their first win over Missouri since the 1970-71 season
- SDSU’s victory was its second in a row over a ranked opponent as the Jackrabbits downed No. 22 Northern Iowa, 27-13, on Jan. 9
- DeVos remained undefeated in duals this season at 8-0
- Carlson suffered his first dual loss of his junior season (8-1)
- Nevills improved to 8-1 in dual competition
- Tagg upped his overall mark to 4-1, including 2-1 in duals
NO. 23 SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 21, NO. 9 MISSOURI 12
125: #12 Noah Surtin (MIZZOU) dec. Tanner Jordan (SDSU), 6-0
133: Gabriel Tagg (SDSU) def. Connor Brown (MIZZOU), by fall 0:27
141: #9 Allan Hart (MIZZOU) dec. #6 Clay Carlson (SDSU), 4-2
149: #17 Josh Edmond (MIZZOU) dec. Daniel Kimball (SDSU), 8-3
157: #21 Jarrett Jacques (MIZZOU) dec. Kenny O’Neil (SDSU), 7-3
165: #27 Tanner Cook (SDSU) dec. Mitchell Bohlken (MIZZOU), 5-2
174: #8 Cade DeVos (SDSU) dec. Sean Harman (MIZZOU), 7-4
184: Cade King (SDSU) dec. #16 Jeremiah Kent (MIZZOU), 6-4 [SV-1]
197: #22 Tanner Sloan (SDSU) dec. #5 Rocky Elam (MIZZOU), 5-2
285: #22 A.J. Nevills (SDSU) dec. #15 Zach Elam (MIZZOU), 2-0
Extra Matches
133: Trey Crawford (MIZZOU) dec. Caleb Gross, 4-2
197: Jack Flynn (MIZZOU) def. Nick Casperson (SDSU) by fall 3:51
Note: Rankings based on NCAA panel rankings released Jan. 21
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