All pokes

No. 5 Cowboys Crush No. 17 West Virginia 34-3 in Morgantown

Oklahoma State secured a big win.
Taylor Skieens|
Oklahoma State wrestling coach David Taylor talks with Troy Spratley as he wrestles NC State's Vincent Robinson at 125 pounds during the National Duals Invitational at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025.
Oklahoma State wrestling coach David Taylor talks with Troy Spratley as he wrestles NC State's Vincent Robinson at 125 pounds during the National Duals Invitational at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In a dual with some heavy Big 12 implications, the No. 5 Oklahoma State Cowboys left No. 17 West Virginia in the dust. The Oklahoma State Cowboys unleashed a 34-3 demolition, claiming nine of 10 bouts and stacking bonus points like hay bales on the plains of Stillwater. The Pokes, now 7-1 overall and a perfect 3-0 in league play, reminded everyone why Stillwater's wrestling room is the gold standard, and they are a relentless machine grinding out dominance one takedown at a time.

The match of the dual took place at 125 pounds with a highly anticipated clash: eighth-ranked Troy Spratley facing seventh-ranked Jett Strickenberger. Spratley, hungry for revenge after Strickenberger stunned him in last season's dual in Stillwater and again at the Big 12 Championships, came out firing. The Tulsa product scored an early takedown, added a reversal in the second period, and controlled the ride time for a 6-2 decision. Spratley improved to 5-2 on the year, turning the page on that bitter rivalry history.

West Virginia grabbed their lone win at 133, where 19th-ranked freshman Gunner Andrick edged Ronnie Ramirez 4-2 on a late takedown. Ramirez hung tough, but the Mountaineers' brief spark fizzled fast.

From 141 on, it was all Pokes. Second-ranked Sergio Vega stayed perfect at 7-0, dismantling Jordan Titus 5-1 with textbook escapes and control. At 149, 17th-ranked Casey Swiderski, the Oklahoma native, powered to an 8-4 win over TJ Langley behind two explosive first-period takedowns.

Bonus points rained down starting at 157, where second-ranked true freshman Landon Robideau overwhelmed Cole Evans for a 20-5 tech fall in under six minutes – his sixth bonus victory as he moved to 7-0. LaDarion Lockett, another undefeated true freshman at 165 and ranked second, ground out a 5-2 decision over Shawn Taylor with relentless chain wrestling, improving to 7-0.

The middleweights kept the momentum roaring. Fourteenth-ranked Alex Facundo tech-falled Leo Contino 20-5, marking his third tech in the last four duals. Tenth-ranked Zack Ryder squeaked past 21st-ranked Ian Bush 2-1 in a defensive battle that had traveling Cowboy fans on their feet. Seventh-ranked Cody Merrill mirrored that drama at 197, nipping 22nd-ranked Rune Lawrence 2-1 for another ranked notch on the belt.

Heavyweight seventh-ranked Konner Doucet capped the rout, flattening Wilson Spires in 1:47 for the fall – his fourth career pin.

For Oklahoma State, this road mauling validates their national contender status. With March looming, the Pokes look locked and loaded. Next: a tough road test on December 21st against the Cornhuskers of Nebraska. The Pokes took down Nebraska by a score of 33-6 earlier in the season during National Duals.

Published
Taylor Skieens
TAYLOR SKIEENS

Taylor Skieens has been an avid sports journalist with the McCurtain Gazette in Idabel, Oklahoma for seven years. He holds the title of Sports Editor for one of the oldest remaining print publications in the state of Oklahoma. Taylor grew up in the small lumber town of Wright City Oklahoma where he played baseball and basketball for the Lumberjax.

Home/Wrestling