JimBob
01-28-2008, 07:05 AM
Mason paces OSU in win Sunday
By MATT DOYLE World Sports Writer
1/28/2008
STILLWATER -- Brandon Mason knew what needed to be done.
Mason clutched the right leg of Iowa State's Aron Scott for over a minute in the first period of Sunday night's Oklahoma State wrestling match.
"Was it just a minute?" Mason asked.
It was. In that minute and the subsequent minute-plus, the OSU junior 174-pounder came up with the needed advantage to edge the Cyclones.
Mason took down Scott after holding on to that leg and recorded a pair of 3-point near falls en route to a 9-1 major decision. The bonus-point triumph was the only one of the tightly contested dual. It also was the difference in the third-ranked Cowboys' 16-15 win over the ninth-ranked Cyclones before 2,814 fans at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Mason was faced with a similar situation in the Jan. 19 dual match at Missouri. Mason needed a major decision against the Tigers' Brock Wittmeyer to give the Cowboys the dual win. Mason could only get a 4-0 decision and OSU tied Missouri 16-all.
"I had a sour taste in my mouth after that," Mason said. "The team needed a major decision to win the dual and I didn't get it."
On Sunday night, Mason was in the next-to-last match of the dual. The dual score was tied at 12-all after OSU's 165-pounder Jake Dieffenbach recorded a late takedown to beat Iowa State's Jon Reader. With Iowa State's top-ranked 184-pounder Jake Varner coming up in the night's final match, Mason knew OSU's hopes for victory rested on him.
Motivated by what happened at Missouri, Mason took control in building the 8-0 lead after the opening period. He relied on strong defense the final two periods to earn the major decision.
"I didn't wrestle a great match, but I did enough," Mason said.
Mason's victory was enough, though Varner managed a 2-1 win over OSU's Jack Jensen at 184.
"Good win," OSU coach John Smith said. "I don't walk out of this match very pleased with our effort. What I do walk out of here is knowing you have to find ways to win when things aren't very good. We did that."
Oklahoma State 16, Iowa State 15
197: Bertolino (ISU) d. Foster 3-1
285: Zabriskie (ISU) d. Rosholt 3-2
125: Shinn (OSU) d. Clark 3-2
133: Scott (OSU) d. Fanthorpe 6-2
141: Morgan (OSU) d. Gallick 6-4
149: Mueller (ISU) d. Freeman 3-2
157: Sanderson (ISU) d. McSpadden 5-2
165: Dieffenbach (OSU) d. Reader 6-3
174: Mason (OSU) m.d. Scott 9-1
184: Varner (ISU) d. Jensen 2-1
By MATT DOYLE World Sports Writer
1/28/2008
STILLWATER -- Brandon Mason knew what needed to be done.
Mason clutched the right leg of Iowa State's Aron Scott for over a minute in the first period of Sunday night's Oklahoma State wrestling match.
"Was it just a minute?" Mason asked.
It was. In that minute and the subsequent minute-plus, the OSU junior 174-pounder came up with the needed advantage to edge the Cyclones.
Mason took down Scott after holding on to that leg and recorded a pair of 3-point near falls en route to a 9-1 major decision. The bonus-point triumph was the only one of the tightly contested dual. It also was the difference in the third-ranked Cowboys' 16-15 win over the ninth-ranked Cyclones before 2,814 fans at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Mason was faced with a similar situation in the Jan. 19 dual match at Missouri. Mason needed a major decision against the Tigers' Brock Wittmeyer to give the Cowboys the dual win. Mason could only get a 4-0 decision and OSU tied Missouri 16-all.
"I had a sour taste in my mouth after that," Mason said. "The team needed a major decision to win the dual and I didn't get it."
On Sunday night, Mason was in the next-to-last match of the dual. The dual score was tied at 12-all after OSU's 165-pounder Jake Dieffenbach recorded a late takedown to beat Iowa State's Jon Reader. With Iowa State's top-ranked 184-pounder Jake Varner coming up in the night's final match, Mason knew OSU's hopes for victory rested on him.
Motivated by what happened at Missouri, Mason took control in building the 8-0 lead after the opening period. He relied on strong defense the final two periods to earn the major decision.
"I didn't wrestle a great match, but I did enough," Mason said.
Mason's victory was enough, though Varner managed a 2-1 win over OSU's Jack Jensen at 184.
"Good win," OSU coach John Smith said. "I don't walk out of this match very pleased with our effort. What I do walk out of here is knowing you have to find ways to win when things aren't very good. We did that."
Oklahoma State 16, Iowa State 15
197: Bertolino (ISU) d. Foster 3-1
285: Zabriskie (ISU) d. Rosholt 3-2
125: Shinn (OSU) d. Clark 3-2
133: Scott (OSU) d. Fanthorpe 6-2
141: Morgan (OSU) d. Gallick 6-4
149: Mueller (ISU) d. Freeman 3-2
157: Sanderson (ISU) d. McSpadden 5-2
165: Dieffenbach (OSU) d. Reader 6-3
174: Mason (OSU) m.d. Scott 9-1
184: Varner (ISU) d. Jensen 2-1