Monday, January 4, 2021
Cowboys flex their depth during ranking matchups Dean Ruhl As I ascended the escalator at Gallagher-Iba Arena I heard an interesting statement from two elderly men behind me. “For some reason, this feels like 2006 to me.” He, of course, was referencing the last time the Cowboys had won a national title, and his statement is one that Cowboys fans, as well as head coach John Smith, share. Speaking to Smith this season, he at one point tapped on the vacant spot next to 2006 on the plaque on national titles, expressing that this was the goal for the season, and with the depth that these Cowboys have, it’s a realistic goal. The Cowboys had their first dual of the season, albeit in the form of a scrimmage against one another, but were able to take advantage of the opportunity to give younger wrestlers reps, as well as showcase the depth they will have at each weight class this season. For this dual, Smith had split the team up into two teams, with at least one matchup at
every weight class, and some with two. The Black Team, highlighted by Daton Fix, Dustin Plott and Dakota Geer came up victorious 30-27 against the Orange Team highlighted by A.J. Ferrari, Trevor Mastrogiovanni, and Travis Wittlake. “I tried to make it an even dual meet and I think I was pretty close,” Smith said. “It was 27-27 going into the last match.” The score was not as important as the individual performances, as Smith now has something to go off with the Cowboys’ first dual coming in a week. Starters for certain weights could be assumed even before today; A.J. Ferrari is expected to start at 197 and he proved it against Luke Surber, Boo Lewallen defeated Kaden Gfeller at 149 and Dakota Geer won via fall against Christian McCutcheon at 184. “I thought I did pretty good,” Lewallen said. “I think the first time making weight, first time wrestling since (the Big 12 tournament) last year, it was a good match.” Dusty Hone and Kaid Brock showed off in the 141-weight class, and while Brock came away victorious in a hard fought match today, Smith said he wanted to see more from the two in their match.
File photo Oklahoma State's Nick Piccininni takes on Iowa State's Alex Mackall in the 125-pound championship round of the Big 12 Wrestling Tournament on March 8 at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Ok.
After both Reece Witcraft and Trevor Mastrogiovanni won their first matches, the event closed with those two going head-to-head, with Mastrogiovanni defeating Witcraft 3-2 and solidifying himself as a solid starting option at 125. Both True freshman Dustin Plott and redshirt junior Christian Bahl won their respective matches at 174 by fall, providing Smith with dangerous depth at yet another weight class.
With a shortened season that will have multiple duals on a day, having depth is something that Smith has stressed, and after today, is something that his squad proved to have. “I’m excited (for next week),” Lewallen said. “I’m pretty sure there is going to be two mats out, it’s going to be a different environment in Gallagher-Iba.” sports.ed@ocolly.com
OSU communications
OSU helps bring new veterans hospital to Tulsa By Matt Hubbard The state announced Sunday that President Trump signed a law that approved $120 million in federal funding for a Veterans Hospital in Tulsa. The project, Veterans Hospital in Tulsa (VHiT), is a culmination of the federal government, state of Oklahoma, city of Tulsa, private philanthropy and Oklahoma State University all working together. This hospital will be the first of its kind to be built under the Communities Helping Invest through Property Improvements Needed for Veterans Act of 2016 (CHIP-IN Act). The new hospital will be located in downtown Tulsa, located at 7th and Houston, attached to the expanded OSU Medical Center Campus. It will convert the
Kerr-Edmondson Buildings on the site to a 275,000 square-foot, 58-bed medical-surgical facility for veterans. The buildings have been transferred to OSU/ A&M Regents by the state in order to be used as the main facility. Dr. Kayse Shrum, president of the OSU Center for Health Sciences, is excited for the opportunities that this facility will bring for the state’s service members and students as well. “Our Veterans in northeast Oklahoma deserve a much-needed, easily accessible modern medical center where they can receive quality, compassionate care in a timely manner. For OSU-CHS, it’s been a great privilege to be part of this visionary project,” Shrum said. “While caring for veterans is a top priority, the affiliation with the Veteran Affairs Hospital near our Tulsa
campus will benefit our students and residents tremendously and further enhance our medical school nationally. Many
“Our Veterans in northeast Oklahoma deserve a much-needed, easily accessible modern medical center where they can receive quality, compassionate care in a timely manner.” - Dr. Kayse Shrum physicians in practice today benefited from training at a Veteran Affairs
hospital. After years of hard work and relentless determination by many civic leaders in Tulsa and local, state, and federal elected officials, we have achieved one of the most significant milestones, the funding for this project. We look forward to the start of construction and the completion of the project.” This facility will provide OSU students the opportunity to get first-hand experience working with America’s heroes, while also providing a more efficient healthcare experience for those seeking healthcare. OSU president, Burns Hargis, praised the project for the opportunities it will provide. “This project is special to Oklahoma State University,” said Burns Hargis, president of OSU. “We have great respect for the women and men who have served and are serving
our country in defense of liberty and the pursuit of peace. We enjoy a longstanding relationship with the military, proudly graduating many students who become leaders in our armed forces. The approval of the federal funding for this project represents a significant achievement and step forward in reaching our shared goal to provide our veterans in northeast Oklahoma with an exceptional medical facility to care for them. We also appreciate the generosity of The Zarrow Family Foundations. Without their unwavering support, this project would never have proceeded. Lastly, I recognize the leadership of Dr. Kayse Shrum, president of the OSU-Center for Health Sciences, for her visionary leadership in bringing this project forward.” See Veterans on page 2