Oklahoma State U. Cowboys travel to Nebraska without starter
By Ben Elder Daily O’Collegian
Stillwater, OK (U-WIRE) — When No.1 Oklahoma State (17-0, 3-0) steps onto the mat against No. 6 Nebraska today, one wrestler is back for the Cowboys, while another is out.
Freshman 125-pounder Coleman Scott hyperextended his elbow Wednesday, when he posted his arm on the mat in practice.
Scott’s injury will sideline the freshman throughout the Cowboy’s next three duals.
Senior Derek Stevens will fill in for the injured Scott and will wrestle for the Cowboys against three ranked opponents over a four-day span; No. 6 Nebraska, No. 4 Lehigh and No. 16 Hofstra.
“With the possibility of Scott being out we have to look to Derek Stevens, “coach John Smith said. “He (Stevens) has been in our line-up this year. I have great confidence in him that he will give us a great effort.”
Stevens, who is 5-6 as a starter, plans on contributing his best effort to the squad.
“It’s difficult to come back to the mat after you have been off of it and to re-focus, “Stevens said. “But you have to do what you can for the team because the team needs you.”
While Scott nurses his injuries over the weekend, sophomore Johny Hendricks, No. 3 at 165 pounds, will return for the Cowboys after he injured his hamstring at the National Duals tournament three weeks ago.
Smith said Hendricks’ return puts the Cowboy in a more comfortable position, especially after the way the Cowboys picked up three important wins in a three dual set last weekend.
With starters streaming in and out of the lineup due to injuries, the Cowboy’s goals still remain the same for these matches.
“Basically it’s just time to get your game face on knowing that you are going to be traveling a lot, “freshman Clay Kehrer said. “It’s just time to step it up for every match.”
The trip to Nebraska today marks the fourth Big 12 dual of year for the Cowboys. The match is important because each wrestler is jockeying for the highest seed they can get in Big 12 tournament.
“With the match against Nebraska, it holds more importance because it’s a Big 12 match, “Smith said. “It also allows for individuals and the team to get some seeds that we could achieve.”
The Cowboys will also travel to Hempstead, N.Y., Sunday, to face Hofstra at 9 a.m. and then travel to Bethlehem, Pa., to face Lehigh in a 5 p.m. dual.
The double-header marks the first time the Cowboys will travel East to face these opponents in the same day.
“With Hofstra and Lehigh, it’s something new that we haven’t done in a long time, “Smith said. “I am very excited about traveling out East. I am looking forward to wrestling two of the better teams in the East in the same day. I don’t think there is any disadvantage with that, if anything it is an advantage.”
With the Big 12 tournament and the NCAA National Tournament more than a month away, the Cowboys are deploying their arsenal one match at a time.
“This is just another tough weekend for us, “Smith said. “Another challenging weekend, it’s really nothing new.”
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