Cal Tobias/Rock M Nation
Cam Steed and Keegan O’Toole starred for the Tigers in the season opener
Mizzou Wrestling took care of business in the Centennial State with a 25-14 victory over Northern Colorado to open the 2024-25 season. The Tigers welcomed several fresh faces to the lineup with two starters out due to injury, including two true freshmen. Without any further ado, let’s give into the action.
All rankings are according to InterMat.
197lbs: NR Aeoden Sinclair (MIZ) over NR Franklin Cruz (UNC), 19-11 Major Decision
The match had an unconventional start, beginning with the match at 197lbs and giving Tigers fans their first glimpse of ultra-talented recruit Aeoden Sinclair in a dual meet as Rocky Elam continues recovering from his injuries. The first period was full of offensive action, but the excitement was significantly dulled by multiple long pauses due to clock issues.
Sinclair scored a takedown almost immediately off the start, responded to with a quick escape and takedown by Cruz. The freshman nearly scored a reversal, escaping instead, and Cruz added another three points with a takedown. The details got a tad jumbled as the broadcast’s scoreboard operator could not decide what the proper score was, but the opening frame ended with the score tied at eight.
Cruz quickly escaped from bottom to start the second, but Sinclair took the lead on a single leg which he converted for the takedown just before going out of bounds. The call stood after a video review, and Cruz again scored an escape when the action resumed to cut his deficit to one heading into the final period.
Sinclair escaped twice early in the third period after an injury timeout by Cruz, then went back to the single leg and again scored the takedown just before going out. He let Cruz up to go for the major and took advantage when the Bears wrestler went for a big move, getting around for one final takedown and riding the period out for the major decision.
Sinclair showed his offense is already Big 12 ready in this match, but he struggled to ride and failed to make a serious attempt at scoring back points. This was a solid debut for the freshman, who is already the clear heir to Rocky Elam.
Mizzou: 4 – Northern Colorado: 0
285lbs: #23 Seth Nitzel (MIZ) over Remington Peterson (UNC), 11-4 Decision
Seth Nitzel showed that he’s his own man in this match, displaying his offensive prowess and also some shades of Zach Elam. He used finesse to get around Peterson for a takedown early in the first period, riding nearly two minutes but getting a stalling warning. When Peterson chose bottom to begin the second frame, Nitzel picked right up where he left off and rode for the entire two minutes, though he was penalized for stalling.
Nitzel escaped in the first 20 seconds of the third period and then went to work, counterattacking off a slow single leg shot by Peterson and scoring another takedown before immediately letting his opponent up to go for more points. The strategy worked, as Nitzel got his third takedown on a slide by to put him in major decision territory.
He slipped up in the final seconds, though, allowing a reversal by Peterson to deny him bonus points. Nitzel displayed promising upside in this match, but he’s going to regret giving up that last-minute reversal.
Mizzou: 7 – Northern Colorado: 0
125lbs: #8 Stevo Poulin (UNC) over NR Gage Walker, 7-1 Decision
With Noah Surtin out due to an injury, freshman Gage Walker was thrown to the wolves in his collegiate debut with a match against All-American candidate Stevo Poulin. The experienced wrestler scored the first takedown of the match and then rode out the first period, collecting nearly two minutes of riding time before going to bottom to begin the second.
Walker rode for about 30 seconds before Poulin’s escape, and Walker managed to avoid giving up another takedown in the frame as he used a highly defensive strategy. With Walker on bottom to start the third period, Poulin rode until there were roughly 35 seconds remaining and let him up to go for bonus points. To his credit, the freshman held on to lose by decision – clearly the coaching staff’s hope for the entire match. The outcome was about the best you could have hoped for from this match, and now Walker has his first dual match as a Tiger.
Mizzou: 7 – Northern Colorado: 3
133lbs: #22 Dominick Serrano (UNC) over #29 Kade Moore (MIZ), 16-5 Major Decision
Kade Moore started with the upper hand in this match, winning a scramble for the first takedown and riding for nearly a minute before Serrano escaped. He went back on the prowl with an ankle pick, nearly scoring another takedown, but couldn’t finish the attack. You felt pretty good about Moore’s performance entering period two with Serrano going to bottom.
But Serrano quickly escaped and went on the offensive, scoring a massive takedown and three point nearfall to take all the momentum. Moore escaped, allowing Serrano to add another takedown before riding out the period. Kade went to bottom to start the third, escaping in the first 20 seconds, but Serrano added one final takedown and rode out the final frame to secure the major decision with an extra point for riding time.
This was a surprising match for Moore, who looked like the better wrestler for the first three minutes before Serrano came out on the attack. Kade was unable to scramble and avoid takedowns, and did not look as good in scrambles as he did last year. He has been working back from an injury, and may not have been at full health, but Moore will have plenty to work on in the practice room.
Mizzou: 7 – Northern Colorado: 7
141lbs: #1 Andrew Alirez (UNC) over #13 Josh Edmond (MIZ), 12-2 Major Decision
Andrew Alirez, the 2023 NCAA Champion at 141lbs, made his return to D1 wrestling in this match after taking an Olympic redshirt year last season. Edmond struggled to defend Alirez’s single leg attacks and trips, which netted him two takedowns in the first period.
Edmond quickly escaped to start the second and went for a big double leg, which was caught by Alirez. The former champ then brought Edmond to the mat and got around for a takedown, riding out the period.
Edmond took a few decent shots in the third period but displayed the passiveness which plagued him at times last season, resulting in two stalling points to Alirez, who ended up winning by 10 after the extra point for riding time. Alirez might be in a world of his own at 141lbs this season, and he proved it in this match.
Mizzou: 7 – Northern Colorado: 11
149lbs: #24 Logan Gioffre (MIZ) over NR Benji Alanis (UNC), 7-4 Decision (SV-1)
After a fairly quiet first period, Gioffre rode for 45 seconds before an Alanis escape in period two for the match’s first points. The action finally picked up in the third period, starting with a match-tying escape by Gioffre.
But Alanis quickly got in deep on a single leg shot, finishing the takedown and taking a three point lead. Gioffre scored a reversal and found himself facing a decision: cut Alanis and go for a takedown, or try to ride out the period and force overtime?
Gioffre chose to ride out the period, just barely hanging on to force sudden victory. He had the momentum and energy advantage by this point, and a single leg shot got him the match-winning takedown to stave off the upset.
Mizzou: 10 – Northern Colorado: 11
157lbs: #17 Vinny Zerban (UNC) over #31 Jay Conway, 8-4 Decision
Conway started out this match on the attack, but it quickly backfired as Zerban got around for a quick takedown before riding over two minutes to the end of the period. The UNC wrestler nearly scored a reversal after starting from bottom in the second frame but had to settle for an escape.
Conway had a nice low single leg shot, nearly putting it away for the takedown, but some nice defense from Zerban allowed him to win the scramble and score his second takedown of the match before again riding the period out. Conway scored his first point of the match by escaping from bottom in the final period after roughly 40 seconds, then went for a big double leg which stalemated.
Zerban looked for the major in the final seconds, but it was Conway who scored the last-second takedown to lose by four. Zerban controlled this match, winning more comfortably than the scoreboard showed, but Conway had some nice attacks and managed to keep this close.
Mizzou: 10 – Northern Colorado: 14
165lbs: #24 Cam Steed (MIZ) over NR Daishun Powe (UNC), Victory by Fall
Cam Steed was the highlight of the night for the Tigers, ending his match so quickly we barely got to see him at all. He picked up a massive pin in the first 30 seconds of his match with Daishun Powe, giving Mizzou six crucial team points to put them ahead.
Steed has tantalizing ability and upside but has been slowed down by injuries in his career so far. He’s going to be key to this team’s success if he can stay on the mat.
Mizzou: 16 – Northern Colorado: 14
174lbs: #1 Keegan O’Toole (MIZ) vs. NR Ayden Rix-McElhinney
Keegan O’Toole’s victory was nearly as dominant, just in a different fashion and timeframe. He constantly used a single leg attack to score at will against McElhinney, letting him up to chase points with great success. He led 9-2 after the first period with just under a minute of riding time, then added two more takedowns and rode out period two for 2:12 of riding time as he went to bottom to begin the final frame.
O’Toole scored the escape in the first 15 seconds, then had to play true defense for the first time in the match as McElhinney got in deep on a single leg. O’Toole avoided surrendering the points, instead winning the slow scramble to score his match-clinching takedown and securing the tech fall. O’Toole looks almost exactly the same as he did during his time at 165lbs, the main difference being the nine extra pounds he added at 174lbs.
Mizzou: 21 – Northern Colorado: 14
184lbs: #14 Colton Hawks (MIZ) over NR AJ Heeg (UNC), 9-1 Major Decision
After a scoreless first period which saw plenty of hand fighting and limited action, AJ Heeg chose bottom to start period two. Hawks made him regret that decision, riding the full two minutes and adding his first two points off of stall calls on Heeg.
Hawks was let up by Heeg to begin the final frame, and then secured his lead for good with a single leg attack for the takedown before immediately cutting Heeg to go for the major decision. Hawks took multiple shots in the final minute, never connecting for the takedown but drawing another stall call (worth two points) on Heeg to put him over the top for a major decision after the extra point for riding time.
Mizzou: 25 – Northern Colorado: 14
The dual was a solid, if slightly underwhelming, result to kickstart the year given the circumstances for Mizzou. Cam Steed and Aeoden Sinclair impressed as newcomers to the lineup while Keegan O’Toole reassured Tiger Style fans that he’s as good as he ever was.
The team will now have a chance to perform in front of a home state crowd at the Tiger Style Invite. The tournament will take place next Saturday, November 2, at Staley High School in Kansas City.
Starting the season with a road dub!#MIZ #TigerStyle pic.twitter.com/DL82yr7hVf
— Mizzou Wrestling (@MizzouWrestling) November 3, 2024
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