WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Hunter Jump’s third-period fall highlighted a dominating performance by Central Oklahoma Saturday afternoon as the No. 5-ranked Bronchos hammered No. 21 Central Missouri 33-4 to capture their fifth straight MIAA championship.
UCO lost only one match on the day while Studd Morris and Gabe Johnson won individual showdowns and Judson Rowland pulled off a final-match upset. The Bronchos improved to 12-1 on the season and finished 5-0 in the MIAA with their 25th consecutive league win.
Central returns home to finish the dual season Sunday at 2 p.m. against New Mexico Highlands at Hamilton Field House. The Bronchos will honor the 2023-24 national championship team with a ring ceremony before the dual and a Senior Day celebration will follow the match.
“We wrestled pretty well overall,” head coach Todd Steidley said. “Central Missouri has a good team and I was really proud of our guys for the way they competed today.
“Now we have to get back home and get ready for tomorrow. We’re looking forward to being in front of our fans with a chance to recognize last year’s team and to honor our seniors.”
Jump had the lone fall of the day at 165 pounds. The senior trailed 3-1 after the first period, but surged in front with an escape, takedown and three-point near-fall in the second before turning a third-period takedown into his fourth pin of the season.
The top-ranked Morris won his second straight overtime decision over a top-four opponent, this time clipping No. 4 Jakason Burks 2-1 in the tiebreaker at 125. The two traded escapes in regulation and neither scored in sudden victory, but Morris rode Burks in the first 30-second tiebreaker and then escaped nine seconds into the second one to take the win.
Johnson prevailed 9-6 in another anticipated showdown at 157. The second-rated Johnson had takedowns in each of the first two periods in building a 9-3 lead over No. 8 John Ridle before giving up a takedown in the final seconds.
Rowland had the lone upset of the day, knocking off No. 14 Torin Forsyth 9-5 in the final bout at heavyweight. Rowland struck for a quick takedown to open the match, added another takedown in the second and led 9-2 before Forsyth got a takedown with 12 seconds left.
UCO also got bonus wins from 133 Eli Kirk and 184 Garrett Wells. Kirk had two takedowns, a near-fall and a reverse in an 11-2 major decision, while the 10th-ranked Wells piled up three takedowns and two near-falls in a 16-1 technical fall.
Josh Taylor had a pair of takedowns in a 9-2 win at 141, Dylan Brown eked out a 3-1 victory at 149 and Emmanuel Skillings cruised to an 8-2 triumph at 197 behind a two-takedown attack.
UCO 33, Central Missouri 4
125 – Studd Morris, UCO, dec. Jakason Burks, 2-1 (TB).
133 – Eli Kirk, UCO, major dec. James Wright, 11-2.
141 – Josh Taylor, UCO, dec. Kaden Stanley, 9-2.
149 – Dylan Brown, UCO, dec. Garrett Lyons, 3-1.
157 – Gabe Johnson, UCO, dec. John Ridle, 9-6.
165 – Hunter Jump, UCO, pinned Anthony Erickson, 5:49.
174 – Garrett Deason, UCM, major dec. Tucker Waitman, 10-2.
184 – Garrett Wells, UCO, tech. fall Jacob Hanes, 16-1.
197 – Emmanuel Skillings, UCO, dec. Brayden Dillow, 8-2.
Hvy – Judson Rowland, UCO, dec. Torin Forsyth, 9-5.
