Piccininni Goes Back-to-Back as Cowboys Win Southern Scuffle

Oklahoma State won the Southern Scuffle for the first time since the 2017 season.

Oklahoma State Athletics

(This article was generated by Oklahoma State Athletics Media Relations)

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Oklahoma State wrestling team notched its first top finish at the Southern Scuffle since 2017 on Thursday evening. The Cowboys scored 116 points to finish seven points ahead of runner-up North Carolina State.

Nick Piccininni advanced to the finals bout earlier in the day when he defeated Appalachian State’s Caleb Smith, 9-3. He went on to win his second consecutive Southern Scuffle title at 125 pounds in a 10-0 major decision victory over Lock Haven’s Luke Werner.

“We had a few guys who had some really good matches and performed well, and that was really the difference in the outcome,” coach John Smith said. “It was a little disappointing to have only one champion, but Nick had probably his best match of the tournament in that finals bout. I’m not disappointed in any individuals. We really need to build on this tournament, get a lot better and try to solidify our lineup in the next couple of weeks.”

Also earning spots on the podium for the Cowboys were Dusty Hone (141), Wyatt Sheets (157), Travis Wittlake (165), Anthony Montalvo (184) and Dakota Geer (197).

Sheets locked up the Pokes’ first win of the evening in a tight bout with Matt Zovistoski of Appalachian State. The Cowboy scored the lone takedown in first period of the bout. His escape to start the second sealed the match.

Redshirt freshman Wittlake responded well after losing his semifinals contest to top-seeded Shane Griffith of Stanford. He topped Penn State’s Joe Lee to advance to the third-place match, where he scored three takedowns and reversal to top second-place NC State’s Thomas Bullard, 9-3.

The Cowboys had two top-three finishers at 141 pounds in Gfeller and Hone. Gfeller came up short in the championship bout to Stanford’s Real Woods, and Hone locked up a 3-1 decision against Kyle Shoop soon after.

Dakota Geer took fifth at 197 pounds, topping Jacob Cardenas, 7-3, in his last bout of the night. Anthony Montalvo collected sixth after a medical forfeit in the fifth-place match.

The Cowboys return to Stillwater to begin the 2020 portion of the schedule Jan. 12, against the Bears of Northern Colorado at 2 p.m.

1 - Oklahoma State 116

2 - NC State 109

3 - Stanford 99.5

4 - Pittsburgh 93

5 - North Dakota State 92.5

Finals

125 Nick Piccininni (OSU) MD Luke Werner (LHU) 10-0

141 Real Woods (STAN) dec. Kaden Gfeller (OSU) 6-1

3 Place

141 Dusty Hone (OSU) Kyle Shoop (LHU) 3-1

157 Wyatt Sheets (OSU) dec. Matt Zovistoski (APP) 3-1

165 Travis Wittlake (OSU) dec. Thomas Bullard (NCSt) 9-3

5 Place

184 David Key (NAVY) med. for. Anthony Montalvo (OSU)

197 Dakota Geer (OSU) dec. Jacob Cardenas (FLRTC) 7-3

Semifinals

125 Nick Piccininni (OSU) dec. Caleb Smith (APP) 9-3

141 Real Woods (STAN) dec. Dusty Hone (OSU) 6-2

141 Kaden Gfeller (OSU) Fall Kyle Shoop (LHU) 3:57

157 Hayden Hidlay (NCSt) MD Wyatt Sheets (OSU) 12-4

165 Shane Griffith (STAN) dec. Travis Wittlake (OSU) 4-1