James Hackney
Based on seeds the Cowboys are tied for first with Iowa State with Mizzou sitting in third by 11 points. Looking at their draws I think there are some potential landmines, but also opportunities to improve from the regular season and avenge some losses. Bonus points will play a big factor as well and the Cowboys only have four byes, which means there are plenty of opportunities for extra points. The team is also projected to automatically qualify nine for the tournament with Luke Surber being just one spot lower. If the Cowboys take their opportunities then they could have a standout tournament and get back to winning conference titles.
125lbs – 6 AQ’s: 2 Seed; #13 Troy Spratley (18-5)
First Round Match: Bye
Spratley got dinged despite a win over the top seed due to regular season losses to Jore Volk and Tanner Jordan, although he avenged the Jordan one. Spratley gets a bye first round and a potential tough match in the quarters. If seeds hold he’ll see Jett Strickenberger, a junior college champ last season who quietly has wins over Brandon Kaylor and Stevo Poulin this season. Strickenberger is big and long for the weight, even wrestling up at 133 this season. Spratley has been wrestling well enough that I’m not going to predict an upset against him, but that could be a sneaky tough match.
If he makes it to the quarters he’s likely to see returning Big 12 champ Stevo Poulin who’s only losses are to Strickenberger and unseeded Eli Griffin. Don’t let those fool you however as last year Poulin made the finals as the four seed and beat Jore Volk this season. That has excitement written all over it with two wrestlers willing to let it fly. If Spratley makes the finals he is likely to see either Noah Surtin or Tanner Jordan, two wrestlers he has beaten this season. 125 is the most chaotic weight this season so nothing is guaranteed, but Spratley certainly has champ potential here.
Prediction: Top Three
133lbs – 6 AQ’s: 1 Seed; #3 Daton Fix (13-0)
First Round Match: Unseeded; Fernando Barreto (North Dakota State)
Long story short, I’m taking Fix to run his way to his fifth Big 12 title and stay undefeated in his career in the conference. Going off seeds he would hit eight seed Garrett Ricks in the quarters then Derrick Cardinal for SDSU in the semis. I think Fix scores bonus points in both of those, which is huge for the team race. The most likely finals match is him vs Evan Frost, an opponent he majored 11-3 in the dual this year.
There are some wildcards on the bottom half of the bracket in Dom Serrano for Northern Colorado and Kade Moore of Missouri. Fix hasn’t seen either wrestler this season and both have some big wins. Serrano beat Nasir Bailey of Little Rock and Moore pinned Sam…
