No. 11 Missouri Takes Team Title at Southern Scuffle

COLUMBIA, Mo. – No. 11 Missouri wrestling started off the new year with a dominant performance at the Southern Scuffle presented by Compound Sportswear, hoisting the team title trophy inside McKenzie Arena in Chattanooga, Tenn. Sunday night.

Mizzou dominated the team battle, racking up six top-3 finishes and scoring 175.5 team points, nearly 65 points more than second-place North Dakota State. Overall, the Tigers reached the podium in nine weight classes.

Headlining the Mizzou contingent was freshman All-American Keegan O’Toole, who cruised to a weight title at 165 pounds behind four bonus-point victories. His final win came in a 13-4 major decision against No. 13 Peyton Hall of West Virginia. O’Toole also recorded two wins by fall during the two-day tournament.

Joining O’Toole at the top of the podium was freshman Rocky Elam at 197 pounds. Elam won the championship match after Penn State’s Michael Beard conceded the match following the first period due to injury.

Also making finals were junior Allan Hart (141 pounds), Josh Edmond (149 pounds) and Peyton Mocco (174 pounds). Hart and Mocco both knocked off the No. 1 seeded wrestlers to earn their trips to their respective championship matches. All three Mizzou grapplers fell in the final to end the tournament with second place finishes.

Junior Jarrett Jacques finished third at 157 pounds, redshirt freshman Noah Surtin and redshirt sophomore Jeremaih Kent finished fourth at 125 and 184 pounds, respectively and freshman Trey Crawford and junior Brock Mauller (wrestling unattached) both finished in fifth place at 133 and 157 pounds, respectively.

Top Tigers

• O’Toole dominated the tournament, taking out the bracket with two pins amongst his four bonus-point victories. Along the way, he picked up two more ranked victories (No. 24 Will Formato and No. 13 Peyton Hall)
• Mocco won one of the best matches of the tournament, taking out the No. 1 seeded Matt Finesilver of Duke, pinning him after a wild scramble in the second period.
• Elam cruised to the finals, winning each of his matches by at least six points
• Hart beat the No. 1 seeded Clay Carlson, who’s ranked No. 6 by Intermat, in a nail-biting 2-0 match to advance to the championship

Hear From Coach

On competing at the Southern Scuffle

“I’m pleased that we got to compete in the tournament,” head coach Brian Smith said. “It’s the first time we’ve been back to the Scuffle in five years. I saw some growth in the five or six matches that everyone who placed go to wrestle. We’re getting better in certain areas and overall pleased with the team.”

Up Next

The Tigers return to the duals schedule on Sunday, Jan. 16, with a road trip to SIU-Edwardsville. The Tigers and Cougars will face off at 1 p.m. CT inside First Community Arena at the Vadalabene Center.

Visit MUTigers.com for the latest information on all things Mizzou Wrestling. You can also find the Tigers on social media by liking us on Facebook (Mizzou Wrestling) and following us on Twitter and Instagram (@MizzouWrestling).

ENTRIES / TOURNAMENT RECORD*

125 | No. 13 Noah Surtin (5-2)

133 | Connor Brown (1-2) // Trey Crawford (5-2)

141 | No. 12 Allan Hart (4-1)

149 | No. 20 Josh Edmond (4-1)

157 | No. 17 Jarrett Jacques (5-1) // Mitchell Bohlken (1-2) // Brock Mauller (4-2)%

165 | No. 3 Keegan O’Toole (5-0)

174 | No. 17 Peyton Mocco (5-1) // Sean Harman (2-2)

184 | No. 16 Jeremiah Kent (4-2) // Colton Hawks (1-2)%

197 | No. 6 Rocky Elam (4-0) // Jack Flynn (0-2)

285 | Seth Nitzel (1-2)

*FloWrestling rankings

% Unattached