The University of Wyoming wrestling team secured a thrilling 19-17 victory over Oregon State on Sunday afternoon, continuing their recent trend of rallying for wins in high-stakes dual meets.
The Cowboys’ performance at the Gill Coliseum was highlighted by a decisive third-period pin from No. 11 Joey Novak in the 197-pound category, delivering crucial bonus points that sealed the win.
“Joey’s pin was the difference,” said Wyoming head coach Mark Branch. “There’s certainly some negatives and positives from this one, but it was a good team victory.”
Despite trailing early, Wyoming won three of the final five bouts, turning the tide in their favor. Cooper Voorhees (165 pounds) and Eddie Neitenbach (184 pounds) both secured pivotal victories before Novak’s decisive pin of Oregon State’s Vaun Halstead vaulted the Cowboys ahead 19-14.
Voorhees defeated Murphy Menke with an 8-3 decision, while Neitenbach, returning to the mat for the first time since December, dominated TJ McDonnell with a 15-5 major decision.
“Hats off to Eddie,” said Branch. “His shape is way off, but his drive and competitiveness carried him to that bonus-point win.”
Wyoming’s Cole Brooks (141 pounds) provided an early boost with a 10-4 upset over No. 28 Nash Singleton, showing consistency that Branch praised. No. 20 Gabe Willochell followed with a dramatic come-from-behind 11-10 victory against No. 23 Ethan Stiles in the 149-pound bout.
The Beavers, however, started strong, with No. 9 Maximo Renteria (125 pounds) defeating Garrett Ricks 10-3 and Damion Elliott (133 pounds) besting Stockton O’Brien with an 11-3 major decision. Oregon State also saw standout performances from CJ Hamblin (157 pounds) and Sean Harman (174 pounds), who earned major decision victories.
Despite these efforts, Wyoming’s late surge proved insurmountable for the Beavers, whose heavyweight competitor, No. 20 Brett Mower, edged Sam Mitchell 4-3 in the final match but could not close the gap.
With this victory, Wyoming improved to a 6-5 record for the season, while Oregon State fell to 1-5. The win also ended a three-match losing streak against the Beavers in their series.
The Cowboys return to Laramie this weekend, hosting Utah Valley on Friday and Cal Baptist on Saturday at the UniWyo Sports Complex. These home matches provide Wyoming with an opportunity to further build on their momentum.
Wyoming 19 | Oregon State 17
- 125: No. 9 Maximo Renteria (OSU) decision Garrett Ricks (WYO), 10-3
- 133: Damion Elliott (OSU) major decision Stockton O’Brien (WYO), 11-3
- 141: Cole Brooks (WYO) decision No. 28 Nash Singleton (OSU), 10-4
- 149: No. 20 Gabe Willochell (WYO) decision No. 23 Ethan Stiles (OSU), 11-10
- 157: CJ Hamblin (OSU) major decision No. 17 Jared Hill (WYO), 11-3
- 165: Cooper Voorhees (WYO) decision Murphy Menke (OSU), 8-3
- 174: Sean Harman (OSU) major decision Ethan Ducca (WYO), 10-2
- 184: Eddie Neitenbach (WYO) major decision TJ McDonnell (OSU), 15-5
- 197: No. 11 Joey Novak (WYO) fall Vaun Halstead (OSU), 5:36
- HWT: No. 20 Brett Mower (OSU) decision Sam Mitchell (WYO), 4-3
University of Wyoming Athletics, 7220 Sports, and the Daily Barometer contributed to this report.
