Smith Wants His Wrestlers to Do More Before Postseason

John Smith does not think his wrestlers are in good spots for postseason and wants them to do more in the two duals left.

STILLWATER -- The Intermat rankings were released on Feb. 11 and after Oklahoma State won duals over the weekend, both on Saturday, beating the Air Force Academy 37-3 early in the day and then later that night in Wyoming the Oklahoma State Cowboys downed the Wyo Cowboys 25-7. 

As a result, the 12-2 Oklahoma State Cowboys saw their team ranking jump one spot from 11 to 10. However, in the critical individual rankings, the Cowboys saw some interesting moves. 

At 125 pounds, Nick Piccininni at 20-1 stayed at number four. The Cowboys 133 pounder Reece Witcraft and 141 pounder Dusty Hone are both unranked and stayed that way.

It was Boo Lewallen, who is now 17-1 after a pair of major decisions this past weekend dropped from number five to being ranked sixth at 149 pounds. 

At 157 pounds, Wyatt Sheets of the Cowboys won with a tech fall at Air Force and then a 6-0 decision at Wyoming, yet he fell out of the rankings despite raising his record to 16-6. 

"There were some things that happened this week that were probably a little bit odd," Cowboys head coach John Smith said of the rankings. "That's what you get when you have coaches doing it. There are enough matches left with Bedlam and Iowa."

At 165 pounds, Travis Wittlake entered the weekend seventh and with a major decision and a decision, he stayed at seventh. Joe Smith, one of three seniors for the Cowboys, won twice and remains ranked 10th at 174 pounds. 

Similar results for the Pokes' 184 pounder Anthony Montalvo as he won with a major decision and a decision and he actually jumped a spot from 16 to 15. 

Finally, a drop that made sense as 12th-ranked Dakota Geer at 197 pounds won at Air Force with a tech fall, but then was upset 8-6 by Wyoming's Stephen Buchanan with the decision. Geer fell two spots to 14.

"Whatever happened this week, we can change because we've got several good people we can hit," Smith said pointing to duals with unranked Oklahoma in Bedlam and on the road at number one Iowa to finish the dual season. "Go win, you want to change it, go win."

Smith said he feels his wrestlers need to do more and need to be in better position before the Big 12 and NCAA Tournaments. 

"That is how you position yourself at nationals, you go win matches," Smith said emphatically.