The Tigers move to 1-3 on the season in duals after the loss at Arrowhead HS in Wisconsin
Struggling with injuries and effective offense, Mizzou Wrestling fell 24-10 to Northern Iowa to move to 1-3 on the season. This is the team’s worst start in dual meets since the 2009-10 season.
The dual was at Arrowhead High School in Hartland, Wisconsin, the alma mater of the Askren brothers and Keegan O’Toole. Let’s break down the action.
All rankings are according to InterMat.
125lbs: NR Gage Walker (MIZ) over NR Kyle Gollhofer (UNI), 5-0 Decision
The dual started off well enough for the Tigers as Walker, the freshman, scored the dual’s first takedown on a single leg in the second minute of action after plenty of handfighting and under hooks in the opening 60 seconds. Gollhofer rose to his feet but Walker executed a nice mat return, allowing him to ride out the first period.
They started from neutral in period two, each going for more under hooks and taking some shots before going out of bounds multiple times. Gollhofer got in on a late shot but couldn’t finish it before the buzzer, sending Walker to bottom up by three.
He scored the quick escape to start the period before Gollhofer went back on the attack, getting in on a single leg before some nice defensive scrambling from Walker to avoid giving up points. The freshman secured a 5-0 decision with the extra point for riding time, his second straight win.
Mizzou: 3 – Northern Iowa: 0
133lbs: #27 Cory Land (UNI) over #31 Kade Moore (MIZ), 5-2 Decision
Land and Moore went at it from the very beginning, and the Panthers wrestler scored the first takedown after some intense scrambling before a quick Moore escape. Land got behind Moore with about a minute to go, but some solid defensive scrambling allowed him to escape.
Land rode the full two minutes of the middle frame, reaching 2:11 in riding time, before going to bottom leading by two. Moore rode for 1:25 in the third, eliminating the riding time point, before choosing neutral off a restart. Neither wrestler scored any more offensive points to close out the match, though it appears both were penalized a point, likely for stalling. Moore’s offensive woes grow more and more concerning, and he has failed to score over five points in a dual meet this season.
Mizzou: 3 – Northern Iowa: 3
141lbs: #6 Cael Happel (UNI) over #18 Josh Edmond (MIZ), 4-3 Decision
There was limited action to open this match until the first period’s final 30 seconds, when Happel went for a double leg that was caught by Edmond just in time. Edmond scored a rapid escape from bottom to start period two before Happel unsuccessfully tried a couple of ankle picks. Edmond went for a double leg with 30 seconds to go but it was caught by Happel, and Edmond led by one entering the final frame.
Happel quickly changed that, scoring an escape before scoring a takedown off a single leg shot. Edmond escaped with just over a minute left and came out on the attack (getting a point after Happel was called for stalling, I believe) but couldn’t complete the comeback. losing by one. Edmond looked his best when he was aggressive, similar to last season, but he didn’t truly move to an attack-minded strategy until it was too late.
Mizzou: 3 – Northern Iowa: 6
149lbs: #23 Logan Gioffre (MIZ) over NR Adam Allard (UNI), 2-1 Decision
After a scoreless first period, Gioffre secured a massive reversal 55 seconds into period two before riding out the frame to lead entering the final period. Allard scores a quick escape, and instead of going on the defensive Gioffre took a couple of shots.
He wasn’t able to finish any for a takedown, but his high single leg with 20 seconds remaining ended up draining the rest of the clock and giving him the 2-1 victory. This was an encouraging sign for Gioffre, who’s had a rough start to this season, though he continues to struggle with scoring takedowns.
Mizzou: 6 – Northern Iowa: 6
157lbs: #6 Ryder Downey (UNI) over NR Jay Conway (MIZ), 15-0 Tech Fall (4:38)
Conway made the first big move in this match, going for a double leg with a minute remaining in the first period, but it immediately backfired. Downey caught it and reattacked with a single leg shot, getting the takedown with roughly 30 seconds left and riding out the period.
Downey escaped from bottom to start the second period, then went back on the offensive and shot for another three points. He got Conway on his back soon after, scoring two separate four point nearfalls to quickly wrap up a 15-0 tech fall in the second period. Conway has fallen to a ranked opponent in each dual meet this season, a bad omen with the team’s extremely tough remaining schedule.
Mizzou: 6 – Northern Iowa: 11
165lbs: #30 Jack Thomsen (UNI) over NR Joel Mylin (MIZ), 4-2 Decision
With Cam Steed out after an injury in the Illinois dual, Joel Mylin filled in at 165lbs and limited the ranked Thomsen to a narrow decision. Mylin scored first with an escape from bottom to start the second period, and Thomsen quickly responded by getting in deep on a shot before some nice defense forced a stalemate.
Trailing by one entering period three, Thomsen escaped from bottom to even the score. He took the lead after getting in on a high single leg for the takedown with a minute to go, and Mylin escaped in the final seconds but didn’t have enough time to make a comeback attempt.
Mizzou: 6 – Northern Iowa: 14
174lbs: #1 Keegan O’Toole (MIZ) over NR Nick Fox (UNI), 14-2 Major Decision
Fox was actually the wrestler to come out aggressive with a single leg shot, getting behind O’Toole before Keegan scrambled out of it. O’Toole then went to his offense with a high single leg, getting behind and finishing the takedown on a slow scramble. Northern Iowa threw the brick, but the call stood.
O’Toole rode out the final 34 seconds before going to bottom for a quick escape to start the second period. He went back on the attack, using another single leg for the takedown despite some nice defensive scrambling by Fox. Keegan tried to lock in a cradle but again settled for riding out the period.
O’Toole let Fox up off the start in period three, then got in on another shot. Fox tried to go over the top, but Keegan came out on top once more in the scramble before cutting him with 55 seconds left. Fox responded with a shot, nearly scoring a takedown before O’Toole reattacked for three more points and rode out the final period for a twelve point win after the extra point for riding time.
Mizzou: 10 – Northern Iowa: 14
184lbs: #2 Parker Keckeisen (UNI) over #10 Colton Hawks (MIZ), 17-4 Major Decision
Colton Hawks faced a familiar foe in defending national champion Parker Keckeisen, and he was initially able to hold strong with a few decent shots and scrambles to remain scoreless entering the second period. That’s when the match went south.
Keckeisen scored an escape in the first 10 seconds, then went for an ankle pick to score his first takedown of the day. He nearly secured a pin while working on top, instead settling for a two point nearfall, and rode out the period. Hawks went back to bottom to start the final frame and got out this time, but Keckeisen went back to the low single leg for another takedown.
Hawks escaped, though not before being penalized for stalling, and another Keckeisen takedown came off a double leg shot. Keckeisen let Hawks up to go for the tech fall, adding another takedown on the single leg and nearly accomplishing his mission when he got Hawks on his back. But Colton was able to return to his belly without giving up any nearfall points, and Hawks had to settle for the major decision.
Mizzou: 10 – Northern Iowa: 18
197lbs: #16 Wyatt Voelker (UNI) over NR Aeoden Sinclair (MIZ), 9-5 Decision
Coming off a big upset win over #13 Zac Braunagel of Illinois, Aeoden Sinclair again went giant hunting facing top-20 opponent Wyatt Voelker. Sinclair nearly struck first, scoring what would have been a takedown after getting around on a high single leg shot. But the wrestlers were ruled out of bounds, and the Mizzou coaching staff did not challenge the call.
Voelker quickly turned the tide of the match off the restart, shooting a rapid double leg before riding out the final :49 in the first period. Sinclair escapes from bottom in the first 20 seconds of period two, and Voelker again displayed his ability to generate lightning-fast offense with a frantic single leg shot for the takedown. Sinclair escaped to trail by four entering the final frame.
Voelker escaped from bottom in the first 15 seconds, protecting his extra point for riding time, but Sinclair scored a last-second takedown by getting around his opponent and finishing for three points before they went out of bounds. With only a few seconds remaining, Sinclair elected to start from neutral but had no time to make a comeback, and Voelker got the four point victory.
This was another strong showing for the freshman, who came so close with that potential takedown in the opening period but once again showed he’s a starting-caliber wrestler who will be prepared to take over after Rocky Elam’s final season.
Mizzou: 10 – Northern Iowa: 21
285lbs: #27 Lance Runyon (UNI) over #20 Seth Nitzel (MIZ), 7-1 Decision
Both wrestlers had some nice shots and defensive scrambling in the first period, especially on a single leg by Runyon where he had Nitzel hopping before the Mizzou heavyweight escaped his grip. Nitzel got in on a low single leg with a little over thirty seconds remaining in the opening period, but Runyon reattacked for the takedown and the match’s first points before riding out the final 23 seconds.
Nitzel escaped from bottom after 48 seconds in period two, pulling within two points, but Runyon broke the minute mark for riding time. Runyon went for a single leg in the final seconds but didn’t have enough time to finish for three points.
He went to bottom to start the final period, and Nitzel was warned for stalling before getting overaggressive with a move on top which resulted in a reversal for Runyon. He rode out the period, winning by six points, and clinched the 14 point victory for the Panthers in Wisconsin.
Mizzou: 10 – Northern Iowa: 24
The Tigers continue to be held back by the issues we’ve seen all season. There are some glimpses of improving offense, but these have been few and far in between. Some of the team’s issues will likely be resolved by the return of Noah Surtin, Cam Steed and Rocky Elam, but the inability to finish for takedowns by several starters at the lower weights grows more glaring as the season continues.
Mizzou will hope for a reset over the next week before heading to Edwardsville for the Cougar Clash on December 7. The event will begin at 10 a.m.
Final #MIZ #TigerStyle pic.twitter.com/zyo7C6sDU0
— Mizzou Wrestling (@MizzouWrestling) November 27, 2024