MU wrestler Sean Harman is taken down by Oklahoma State Dustin Plott on Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022 at Hearnes Center in Columbia. Harman upset Plott and earned Missouri three points.
The Hearnes Center came to life Feb. 6 as Missouri redshirt sophomore Zach Elam defeated Oklahoma State’s sophomore Luke Surber by fall, tying the match at 15 between the then-No. 12 Tigers and then-No. 10 Cowboys. Three more Missouri wrestlers followed Elam’s clutch victory in the 285-pound duel with wins in their respective matches, giving the Tigers a 21-20 victory over Oklahoma State.
The Hearnes Center has been home to several consequential matchups over the past six decades, and that afternoon was no exception.
Oklahoma State entered leading the all-time series against Missouri at 44-7-1. It looked like it would claim its 45th victory early on. Missouri’s redshirt junior Connor Brown, freshman Josh Edmond and junior Jarrett Jacques all fell in their matches, allowing the Cowboys to take a commanding 12-0 lead in the duel.
The Tigers earned their first duel points as freshman Keegan O’Toole remained undefeated on the year with a 3-2 victory over redshirt junior Travis Wittlake. Missouri redshirt freshman Sean Harman broke a 3-3 tie against sophomore Dustin Plott with a takedown for an eventual 5-4 upset victory.
“Sean Harman has filled in for [redshirt sophomore Peyton] Mocco for the last two weeks, and it’s just been unreal,” Missouri head coach Brian Smith said. “He beat a top-10 kid in the country; that’s special. That’s a freshman going out there beating ranked guys, and we needed it.”
Missouri won three of the next four matches, including a victory from freshman Rocky Elam and a fall by redshirt freshman Noah Surtin, giving the Tigers a 21-15 lead.
In the final match of the afternoon, all Missouri freshman Trey Crawford needed to do was avoid a fall at the hands of redshirt junior Daton Fix. While Fix won the battle, Crawford won the war, and avoided a potential fall by going the distance against Fix. Crawford’s performance held the Cowboys to 5 points, which gave the Tigers a thrilling 21-20 victory.
“We’ll enjoy it tonight and get back to work tomorrow,” Smith said. “We have to get the kids back to Earth and get them ready for a tough Arizona State team.”
Missouri improved to 10-3 on the year and 8-1 in Big 12 conference play.
Edited by Brandon Haynes | bhaynes@themaneater.com