Mizzou Wrestling’s drought continues, falling to Stanford

And the Tigers’ injury problem might have just gotten worse

Mizzou Wrestling’s historic struggles continued Sunday in a 27-15 defeat to 15th-ranked Stanford.

The Tigers’ 2-7 start is the program’s worst since the 1970-71 season, when the team also began with a 2-7 record under head coach Hap Whitney. Mizzou finished that season 5-9-1 and placed sixth at the Big Eight Championships.

Colton Hawks was the highlight of the dual for the Tigers with a victory by fall but was injured in the first period of his match and clearly hampered for the rest of the bout. With five starters already missing for Tiger Style, two of them for the season, Hawks has been the team’s best wrestler recently and his health will be followed closely entering the next meet.

More details from the action at Hearnes:

All rankings are according to InterMat.

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125lbs: #31 Gage Walker (MIZ), Victory by Medical Forfeit

With Stanford’s mainstay Nico Provo still injured, the Cardinal dropped the opening match to Gage Walker by medical forfeit.

Mizzou: 6 – Stanford: 0

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133lbs: #10 Tyler Knox (STAN) over NR Kade Moore (MIZ), 12-2 Major Decision

After a scoreless first period, the action quickly picked up in the middle frame with Tyler Knox’s reversal. Moore returned the favor, tying it up, but another reversal for Knox put him back ahead as he rode out the rest of the period.

Knox continued to ride well in the third period before Moore nearly scored his second reversal, which would have knotted the score. Knox fought back to gain the upper hand again, though, scoring a four point nearfall and three point nearfall to close out the period and secure a major decision.

Moore’s struggles, especially in the third period, continue. This match was closer than the score might show, though, with one scramble truly determining the outcome. Moore will now have to wait longer to end his dual match losing streak as he works to get back into the rankings.

Mizzou: 6 – Stanford: 4

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141lbs: #17 Josh Edmond (MIZ) over NR Jason Miranda (STAN), 9-4 Decision

Miranda came out on the attack, getting Edmond’s leg and tripping him to the mat but failing to convert the takedown as they went out of bounds. That failure quickly came back to haunt him as Edmond converted on his signature double leg shot for the match’s first takedown and a two point nearfall before Miranda escaped.

Edmond extended his lead to five with a quick escape from bottom in the second before unsuccessfully attempting a few more double leg shots. He caught a late shot by Miranda, nearly working around for another score before running out of time as the buzzer sounded.

After a quick escape by Miranda to start the third, Edmond again went to the double and got him to the mat, slowly positioning himself for the takedown. Miranda scored a nearly immediate escape, going for a single leg which was caught. He added his final point off a stalling call on Edmond in the final seconds but couldn’t make a late push, cementing a solid decision for Edmond.

The junior for the Tigers hasn’t displayed the offense he’s capable of enough this year, but this was solid progress as he tries to get back towards his late season form from early in 2024.

Mizzou: 9 – Stanford: 4

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149lbs: NR EJ Parco (STAN) over NR Zeke Seltzer (MIZ), 5-1 Decision

Parco and Seltzer were scoreless entering the third period of this match after Parco put together several nice mat returns while riding for all of period two. He officially got on the board for the first time with a quick escape to begin the third, 1-0, and locked in his bonus point for riding time.

Seltzer went on the attack, getting behind Parco but not able to go for a takedown after he quickly adjusted to avoid danger. After a stall on Parco, which gave Seltzer his only point, he scored a last second takedown to put an exclamation point on his 5-1 decision.

Mizzou: 9 – Stanford: 7

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157lbs: #28 Grigor Cholakyan (STAN) over NR Jay Conway (MIZ), 8-6 Decision

The next match was far more action packed as Conway put together a few nice moves early on, but better defense by Cholakyan allowed him to counterattack and get in on Conway’s leg for a takedown. Conway escaped, but the rest of the opening frame proved quieter as Cholakyan led 3-1 entering period two.

Cholakyan went back on the attack after escaping to begin the second, getting to Conway’s ankle and finishing for the takedown after Conway nearly escaped his grasp. He then cut Conway, a move which backfired when Conway scored his first takedown of the bout to make it 7-5. Cholakyan rolled through for an escape with 13 seconds remaining, taking a three point lead into the final two minutes.

Conway got out fast for an escape, pulling within two points, and got Cholakyan to the mat with a high single leg shot. But some nice defensive scrambling forced a stalemate, and the Cardinal wrestler held on for the narrow decision to give Stanford the team lead.

Mizzou: 9 – Stanford: 10

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165lbs: #14 Hunter Garvin (STAN) over NR Joel Mylin (MIZ) 8-3 Decision

Garvin struck fast in this match, getting around Mylin and bringing him to the mat for a takedown in the opening minute of action. He rode for 91 seconds before a Mylin escape, the last scoring of the first frame.

Mylin got himself within a point of Garvin after escaping from bottom to open up period two, 3-2, and after a Mylin single leg shot stalemated following a long scramble he stayed within one entering the final period.

That’s when Garvin shut down Mylin’s upset attempt, escaping after two mat returns by Mylin and quickly scoring a takedown off a low double leg shot following a restart. He cut Mylin, going for the major, but Mizzou’s redshirt junior avoided surrendering bonus points.

Mizzou: 9 – Stanford: 13

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174lbs: #4 Lorenzo Norman (STAN) over NR Jake Stoffel (MIZ), 22-5 Tech Fall (5:00)

Stoffel was overpowered by Norman from the start as he surrendered three takedowns in the opening period and over a minute of riding time, 9-2. After a quick escape to start the second period, Norman added two more takedowns and let Stoffel up both times to lead 15-5.

Norman got his third takedown of period two on a single leg and quickly got in on a cradle, securing a four point nearfall to end the match with a tech fall. Stoffel has a promising future ahead of him, but the Tigers need Keegan O’Toole back quickly if they hope to make an impact against top competition at 174.

Mizzou: 9 – Stanford: 18

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184lbs: #9 Colton Hawks (MIZ) over NR Abraham Wojcikiewicz (STAN), Victory by Fall (6:49)

Hawks was injured early on in this match, tweaking his knee as he took some time to walk around gingerly before the action resumed. Wojcikiewicz went to bottom off the restart, where Hawks rode for over a minute before the Cardinal wrestler escaped. Hawks trailed by one entering the second period, clearly limited when wrestling from neutral by his injured right leg.

Hawks limited his exposure from neutral by riding the full two minutes of the second period, getting close to a turn for back points three or four times but not quite getting into position. He effectively tied the match up by locking in the bonus point for riding time during this period.

Wojcikiewicz cut Hawks to start the third, wanting to work from neutral, and began shooting at Hawks nearly nonstop. Hawks barely avoided giving up a takedown during the onslaught, but with Wojcikiewicz in on a shot Hawks managed to win the scramble and secure a pin in a shocking turnaround.

Somehow, some way, Hawks willed himself to the big victory on one leg after looking doomed in the third period, drawing his team within three points of Stanford in the process. He has been the Tigers’ best wrestler with Keegan O’Toole out, and if Hawks misses any time it would be a massive blow to a team already without five starters.

Mizzou: 15 – Stanford: 18

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197lbs: #24 Nick Stemmet (STAN) over NR Jesse Cassatt (MIZ), Victory by Fall (3:45)

Mizzou’s momentum from Hawks’ pin was quickly stopped by Stemmet, who scored a takedown in the match’s first 20 seconds. He cut Cassatt, already looking towards a bonus point victory, but couldn’t score any more in the first period after a high single leg shot led to a stalemate.

Stemmet got back on track quickly in the second period, escaping in the first five seconds and counterattacking off a shot by Cassatt for his second takedown. He went to work on top, getting Cassatt on his back and securing the pin to clinch the victory for Stanford.

Mizzou: 15 – Stanford: 24

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285lbs: NR Peter Ming (STAN) over NR Jarrett Stoner (MIZ), 11-10 Decision

Stoner acted fast to gain an advantage in this match, scoring a takedown in the opening 10 seconds and riding for two and a half minutes before Ming escaped in the final 20 seconds of the period.

Starting on bottom, Stoner escaped after 40 seconds and scored his second takedown of the match by getting around Ming in the final seconds of the frame. A quick escape by Ming made it 7-2 entering period three, where the wrestlers started from neutral as Stoner secured the bonus point for riding time shortly after the period began.

Ming’s comeback attempt began with a single leg shot, which Stoner briefly escaped from before Ming reattacked with a big double leg shot for the takedown. He cut Stoner, who quickly got in on a single leg shot, but then won the scramble to tie it up with a takedown.

Ming cut Stoner again, knowing he’d secured the bonus point for riding time, and went back on the offensive. He shot again, caught by Stoner, but reattacked for another takedown and the lead. With the clock running out, Stoner couldn’t get a last second escape to force overtime and Ming completed the whirlwind comeback with a dominant third period.

Mizzou: 15 – Stanford: 27

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The Stanford match wraps up Mizzou’s staunch nonconference schedule filled with top 25 opponents. Now, the Tigers will get a prime opportunity to bounce back Friday with a home dual against Utah Valley as they enter the bulk of their Big 12 matchups.