7-0 (3-0 Big 12) Missouri wrestling takes home a victory against No. 20 West Virginia in the first of two road meets. The Tigers outmuscled West Virginia in a 30-6. Missouri moves to 8-0 (4-0 Big 12) on the season and adds another strong conference win to their resume. West Virginia, on the other hand, falls to 8-3 (2-3 Big 12). 

No. 6 junior Noah Surtin started off fast for the Tigers, beating sophomore Jace Schafer on a 17-2 technical fall. Surtin started off fast with a takedown in the opening minute of the first period. Surtin dominated the 2nd period with another takedown along with 3:37 of riding time through the first two periods, taking a 9-0 lead into the third period. He added two more takedowns and a reversal for the win. 

Missouri freshman Kade Moore defeated sophomore Davin Rhoads by fall in 2:56. Moore made it fast and easy, as he scored three takedowns to make the score 9-2. His strategy switched to riding out the rest of the period, which turned out to be genius as he pinned Rhoads in the dying seconds. Moore extended Missouri’s meet-lead to 11-0. 

Sophomore Jordan Titus beat Missouri sophomore Josh Edmond by riding time, 2-2. This was a very close match, going to triple overtime with both wrestlers exhausted by the end. The first period ended tied 0-0, but Edmond had multiple opportunities for a takedown. Unfortunately for him, Titus was able to slip away each time and keep the match tied. The second period started with Edmond on the bottom, and he quickly escaped to take a 1-0 lead. Titus did the same at the beginning of the third period to tie the match at 1-1. Both wrestlers got one point for an escape in double and triple overtimes, but it was Titus who walked away with the victory because he had the lead in riding time.

No. 7 freshman Ty Watters won by decision over Missouri junior Logan Gioffre, 6-1. Gioffre had multiple shots in the first period to score a takedown, but Watters out-scrambled him. Watters responded with a takedown to take a 3-1 lead into the second period. Gioffre had some good shots for a takedown, but was unable to finish. Watters and West Virginia cut the lead to 11-6. 

Missouri’s Brock Mauller dominated his opponent, Alex Hornfeck, by major decision 16-4. Mauller did what he does best: maul. He had two takedowns in the first period to take the early 6-1 lead. Mauller then added another takedown in the second to extend his lead to 9-1. Hornfeck got a point for the escape to start the third period, to which Mauller responded with two more takedowns, plus a bonus point for riding time. 

No 1. junior Keegan O’Toole beat No. 9 senior Peyton Hall by decision 8-7. O’Toole faced his toughest battle this year, going down 6-1 in the first period after Hall got two takedowns. The second period was all O’Toole, however, as he started with a point for the escape then cut the lead to 6-5 with a takedown of his own. In the third period, Hall escaped to extend his lead to 7-5 before O’Toole got a takedown to make the score 8-7. Now with the lead, O’Toole rode out the rest of the period, but not easily. Hall had a shot for both an escape and a reversal, but referees determined that neither happened and O’Toole hung on for the win.  

After O’Toole, Missouri Peyton Mocco, Clayton Whiting, Colton Hawks and Zach Elam went on to seal the deal for Missouri. Mocco won by decision 5-1 while Hawks did by 2-1. Whiting defeated Dennis Robin 9-6 and Elam shut out Michael Wolfgram 7-0, proving why Missouri is one of the top teams in the country.  

Missouri travels to Ithaca, New York to face off against No. 14 Cornell on Sunday, Jan. 28 to round off their weekend road trip. An exciting matchup to look for is No 1. Keegan O’Toole vs No. 4 Julian Ramirez in a battle of top-5 wrestlers.  

Edited by Grace Ainger | gainger@themaneater.com

Copy edited by Grace Knight | gknight@themaneater.com

Edited by Scout Hudson | shudson@themaneater.com