Top-Ranked Gopher Wrestling Team Topples No. 20 Michigan State

The top-ranked University of Minnesota wrestling team paid tribute to its three seniors by crushing No. 20 Michigan State, 35-4, on Friday night at the Sports Pavilion. Senior Cole Konrad gave the 3,431 fans in attendance a lasting memory by pinning Alan O'Donnell in 1:36 in the final home match of his collegiate career as the Golden Gophers won nine of 10 matches on the night to post an undefeated record at home (6-0) for the fifth time in head coach J Robinson's tenure. Minnesota also remained unbeaten in the Big Ten at 6-0 with its 17th straight win.

Prior to the meet, Konrad vowed to give Gopher fans something a little extra special in his final match in Minneapolis, and he delivered by dominating O’Donnell. Konrad took the Spartan wrestler down just seven seconds into the match and simply overpowered him, rolling O’Donnell to his back to get the fall in 1:36.

Brothers Dustin and C.P. Schlatter also contributed bonus points for the Gophers, with Dustin earning a tech fall over Tim Hammer at 149 pounds and C.P. pinning Tony Greathouse at 157.

Fourth-ranked Jayson Ness continued to run like a machine as he defeated the eighth straight ranked opponent he has faced with an entertaining 8-5 decision over No. 5 Franklin Gomez in the first match of the night. The two wrestlers battled back-and-forth throughout the first two periods, and with the match tied at five with just over a minute remaining, Ness scored the winning takedown to give Minnesota an early 3-0 advantage.

Michigan State won its only match of the night at 133 pounds, with No. 2 Nick Simmons getting a major decision over Mike Thorn, 13-0. Thorn wrestled hard throughout the match but simply lacked the experience to challenge Simmons.

It didn’t matter, as the Gophers finished off the Spartans by winning the final eight bouts of the night in dominating fashion.

What appeared to be an evenly contested match early on at 141 pounds, second-ranked Manuel Rivera turned it up a notch and went after No. 4 Andy Simmons in the third period. Leading 2-0, Rivera finished Simmons off with a pair of takedowns in the final stanza and added the riding time advantage to earn a 7-2 decision. With the win, Rivera improved to 32-0 on the season and gave Minnesota the lead for good in this one.

At 149, top-ranked Dustin Schlatter scored on a quick shot on Tim Hammer early in the first and never looked back. Schlatter scored nine takedowns, one escape and a two-point near fall in the match, adding the bonus point for over three minutes of riding time to get the tech fall, 22-7.

C.P. Schlatter followed by putting on a clinic against Tony Greathouse at 157. Schlatter used a series of takedowns and escapes to build a 12-5 lead over Greathouse before working the MSU wrestler to his back to get the fall in 2:46 and put Minnesota up 17-4 in the dual.

Sophomore Tyler Safratowich, who had defeated three straight ranked opponents entering the night, had to come from behind to defeat Michigan State’s Rocky Cozart. Safratowich fell behind 7-2 after Cozart scored a takedown and three-point near fall in the first minute of the match. From there however, Safratowich proved he was the better conditioned wrestler, gradually working his way back into the match while visibly wearing Cozart down. After a Cozart takedown early in the third, Safratowich trailed 10-5, but he scored three takedowns in the final 1:10 to send the match into overtime. It was all Safratowich in the sudden victory period, as he scored the winning takedown 29 seconds in to win 14-12.

No. 13 Gabriel Dretsch followed with a 10-5 decision over Greg Goidosik at 174 to seal the match for Minnesota. Dretsch wrestled his characteristic style by overpowering Goidosik up top. He scored the first points of the match with a takedown just six seconds in and built his lead from there. Dretsch went up 9-2 with a three-point near fall with 30 seconds remaining, but Goidosik got a late escape and takedown to avoid giving up bonus points.

In a bout between two top 10 opponents at 184 pounds, Roger Kish downed Joe Williams, 10-4. Kish never gave Williams a chance, scoring an early takedown 14 seconds in. He added two more takedowns and an escape and got the bonus point for riding time to win 10-4. With the win, Kish improved to 26-1 on the season.

Yura Malamura got his first Big Ten win over MSU’s Nick Palmieri at 197 pounds. Malamura out-worked Palmieri, scoring two takedowns and a reversal while not allowing the Spartan wrestler to generate any offense. Malamura added the bonus point for riding time to win 7-1 before Konrad stole the spotlight at heavyweight.

At intermission, the Gophers recognized Konrad, along with fellow seniors Danny Williams and Juan Martinez for their contributions to the wrestling program over the last five years.

Minnesota travels to Lincoln, Neb., to take on the 21st-ranked Cornhuskers on Sunday at 1 p.m. Live video of the meet will be available in the Gold Zone, courtesy of HuskersNSide.

#1 Minnesota 35, #20 Michigan State 4
125 - #4 Jayson Ness (MINN) dec. #5 Franklin Gomez (MSU), 8-5
133 - #2 Nick Simmons (MSU) maj. dec. Mike Thorn (MINN), 13-0
141 - #2 Manuel Rivera (MINN) dec. #4 Andy Simmons (MSU), 7-2
149 - #1 Dustin Schlatter (MINN) tech fall Tim Hammer (MSU), 22-7 (7:00)
157 - #3 C.P. Schlatter (MINN) pinned Tony Greathouse (MSU), 2:46
165 - Tyler Safratowich (MINN) dec. Rocky Cozart (MSU), 14-12 SV1
174 - #13 Gabriel Dretsch (MINN) dec. Greg Goidosik (MSU), 10-5
184 - #2 Roger Kish (MINN) dec. #10 Joe Williams (MSU), 10-4
197 - Yura Malamura (MINN) dec. Nick Palmieri (MSU), 7-1
Hwt - #1 Cole Konrad (MINN) pinned Alan O’Donnell (MSU), 1:36

Play-by-Play

125 - #4 Jayson Ness (MINN) vs. #5 Franklin Gomez (MSU)
1st period: Ness takedown 2:17 (2-0); Gomez escape 2:06 (2-1); Ness takedown 1:42 (4-1); Gomez escape 0:48 (4-2);Advantage time Ness 1:03
2nd period: Ness starts down; Ness escape 1:38 (5-2); Gomez takedown 0:11 (5-4); Advantage time Ness 0:28
3rd period: Gomez starts down; Gomez escape 1:30 (5-5); Ness takedown 1:09 (7-5); Advantage time Ness 2:08 (8-5)

Final: Ness dec. Gomez, 8-5

MINNESOTA 3
MICHIGAN STATE 0

133 - Mike Thorn (MINN) vs. #2 Nick Simmons (MSU)
1st period: Simmons takedown 1:49 (0-2); Simmons three-point near fall 0:00 (0-5); Advantage time Simmons 1:48
2nd period: Thorn starts down; Stall warning Thorn 0:59; Simmons two-point near fall 0:22 (0-7); Simmons two-point near fall 0:00 (0-9); Advantage time Simmons 3:48
3rd period: Neutral start; Simmons takedown 1:07 (0-11); Stall warning Thorn 0:49 (0-12); Advantage time Simmons 4:55 (0-13)

Final: Simmons maj. dec. Thorn, 13-0

MINNESOTA 3
MICHIGAN STATE 4

141 - #2 Manuel Rivera (MINN) vs. #4 Andy Simmons (MSU)
1st period: No scoring
2nd period: Neutral start; Rivera takedown 0:47 (2-0); Advantage time Rivera 0:46
3rd period: Simmons starts down; Stall warning Simmons 1:32; Simmons escape 0:31 (2-1); Rivera takedown 0:20 (4-1); Simmons escape 0:11 (4-2); Rivera takedown 0:02 (6-2); Advantage time 2:26 (7-2)

Final: Rivera dec. Simmons, 7-2

MINNESOTA 6
MICHIGAN STATE 4

149 - #1 Dustin Schlatter (MINN) vs. Tim Hammer (MSU)
1st period: Schlatter takedown 2:34 (2-0); Hammer escape 1:44 (2-1); Schlatter takedown 1:34 (4-1); Hammer escape 1:18 (4-2); Schlatter takedown 0:58 (6-2); Hammer escape 0:41 (6-3); Schlatter takedown 0:23 (8-3); Advantage time Schlatter 1:44
2nd period: Schlatter starts down; Schlatter escape 1:35 (9-3); Stall warning Hammer 1:09; Schlatter takedown 0:48 (11-3); Schlatter two-point near fall 0:42 (13-3); Advantage time Schlatter 2:06
3rd period: Hammer starts down; Hammer escape 1:59 (13-4); Schlatter takedown 1:47 (15-4); Hammer escape 1:38 (15-5); Schlatter takedown 1:17 (17-5) Hammer escape 1:09 (17-6); Schlatter takedown 0:47 (19-6); Hammer escape 0:41 (19-7); Schlatter takedown 0:33 (21-7); Advantage time Schlatter 3:02 (22-7)

Final: Schlatter tech fall Hammer, 22-7 (7:00)

MINNESOTA 11
MICHIGAN STATE 4

157 - #3 C.P. Schlatter (MINN) vs. Tony Greathouse (MSU)
1st period: Schlatter takedown 2:50 (2-0); Greathouse escape 2:43 (2-1); Schlatter takedown 2:29 (4-1); Greathouse escape 2:07 (4-2); Schlatter takedown 2:04 (6-2); Greathouse escape 2:01 (6-3); Schlatter takedown 1:57 (8-3); Greathouse escape 1:52 (8-4); Schlatter takedown 1:27 (10-4); Greathouse escape 1:04 (10-5); Schlatter takedown 0:58 (12-5); Schlatter fall 0:14

Final: Schlatter pinned Greathouse, 2:46

MINNESOTA 17
MICHIGAN STATE 4

165 - Tyler Safratowich (MINN) vs. Rocky Cozart (MSU)
1st period: Cozart takedown 2:50 (0-2); Cozart three-point near fall 2:12 (0-5); Safratowich escape 2:08 (1-5); Cozart takedown 1:52 (1-7); Safratowich escape 1:31 (2-7); Advantage time Cozart 1:03
2nd period: Safratowich starts down; Safratowich escape 1:51 (3-7); Stall warning Cozart 0:36; Safratowich takedown 0:06 (5-7); Advantage time Cozart 1:06
3rd period: Cozart starts down; Cozart escape 1:51 (5-8); Cozart takedown 1:33 (5-10); Safratowich escape 1:22 (6-10); Safratowich takedown 1:08 (8-10); Cozart escape 1:04 (8-11); Safratowich takedown 0:44 (10-11); Cozart escape 0:40 (10-12); Safratowich takedown 0:21 (12-12); Advantage time Cozart 0:38
Overtime: Safratowich takedown 0:31 (14-12)

Final: Safratowich dec. Cozart, 14-12 SV1

MINNESOTA 20
MICHIGAN STATE 4

174 - #13 Gabriel Dretsch (MINN) vs. Greg Goidosik (MSU)
1st period: Dretsch takedown 2:54 (2-0); Goidosik escape 2:13 (2-1); Dretsch takedown 0:26 (4-1); Advantage time Dretsch 1:06
2nd period: Dretsch starts down; Dretsch reversal 1:55 (6-1); Goidosik escape 1:28 (6-2); Advantage time Dretsch 1:31
3rd period: Goidosik starts down; Dretsch three-point near fall 0:28 (9-2); Goidosik escape 0:22 (9-3); Goidosik takedown 0:03 (9-5); Advantage time Dretsch 3:07 (10-5)

Final: Dretsch dec. Goidosik, 10-5

MINNESOTA 23
MICHIGAN STATE 4

184 - #2 Roger Kish (MINN) vs. #10 Joe Williams (MSU)
1st period: Kish takedown 2:46 (2-0); Williams escape 1:51 (2-1); Advantage time Kish 0:55
2nd period: Kish starts down; Kish escape 1:42 (3-1); Kish takedown 1:05 (5-1); Wiliams escape 0:33 (5-2); Advantage time Kish 1:09
3rd period: Williams starts down; Williams escape 1:08 (5-3); Kish takedown 0:54 (7-3); Stall warning Williams 0:36; Williams escape 0:31 (7-4); Kish takedown 0:08 (9-4); Advantage time Kish 2:31 (10-4)

Final: Kish dec. Williams, 10-4

MINNESOTA 26
MICHIGAN STATE 4

197 - Yura Malamura (MINN) vs. Nick Palmieri (MSU)
1st period: Malamura takedown 0:06 (2-0); Advantage time Malamura 0:05
2nd period: Malamura starts down; Malamura reversal 1:29 (4-0); Advantage time Malamura 1:03
3rd period: Neutral start; Malamura takedown 1:07 (6-0); Stall warning Palmieri 0:53; Palmieri escape 1:36 (6-1); Advantage time Malamura 1:33 (7-1)

Final: Malamura dec. Palmieri, 7-1

MINNESOTA 29
MICHIGAN STATE 4

Hwt - #1 Cole Konrad (MINN) vs. Alan O’Donnell (MSU)
1st period: Konrad takedown 2:53 (2-0); Konrad fall 1:24

Final: Konrad pinned O’Donnell, 1:36

MINNESOTA 35
MICHIGAN STATE 4

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