University of Missouri
Illinois
Tiger Wrestlers Downed by Fighting Illini in Season Opener
11/10/2000 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Nov. 10, 2000
The University of Missouri wrestling team opened up its season Friday as they traveled to Edwardsville, Ill. to take on the fifth-ranked Fighting Illini of the University of Illinois. This marks the third time in three years that the two teams have dualed each other to begin the season, and the 26th meeting of the two teams overall. Illinois leads 19-7 in the series that dates back to their first meeting in 1928.
After drawing to see which weight class would wrestle first, Mizzou's 10th ranked John Kopnisky beat 18th ranked Ben King. At the end of the second period, with the score tied 2-2, Kop gained a takedown at the buzzer to take the lead. Kopnisky won 5-2.
At 184, junior transfer Ry Stone was pinned in 5:48.
In the 197 lb. weight class, Dante Stone lost the match to 7th ranked Pat Quirk by a score of 10-5.
The heavyweight division saw junior Chad Hertzog against 1st ranked John Lockhart. Lockhart had an extremely quick takedown technique, and although Hertzog was able to escape from each takedown, Lockhart won 12-5.
Back to the top of the lineup, freshman 125-pounder Justin Spates led 6th ranked Ryan Escobar 4-0 when the senior from Illinois reversed Spates and pinned him with 1:08 left in the second period.
Down by two in the second period, 133 lb. Jesse West turned Illinois' Kelly Madden to his back for a three-point near fall. Madden eventually escaped to tie the match 3-3. Late in the third period, West was down by one when he reversed Madden and scored near fall points to win the match 9-5.
At 141, sophomore J.P. Reese escaped from Illinois senior Mike Castillo late in the third to take the lead 10-9. Reese was taken down with eight seconds left to give up the match 11-10.
Jesse Jordan, a junior for Mizzou at 149, wrestled against top-ranked Adam Tirapelle, where Tirapelle won the decision 7-2.
At 157, sophomore David Neff was defeated by Illinois sophomore Ryan Berger by a score of 17-4.
Finally, at 165, freshman Clint Freeman was beaten by Illinois' 12th ranked Matt Lackey.
The final team score was Illinois 33, Missouri 6.
On Sunday, the Tigers travel to Warrensburg, Mo. to compete in the Central Missouri State Open. Then, after a Nov. 16 trip to Oklahoma State, Missouri returns to the Hearnes Center Fieldhouse to host the Missouri Open, where over 20 teams and 350 wrestlers will compete in the inaugural tournament.
