Rosholt claims second NCAA wrestling championship

ST. LOUIS – Jake Rosholt escaped with his second NCAA wrestling championship.

Rosholt, an Oklahoma State junior from Sandpoint, recorded an escape with 13 seconds left Saturday to defeat Northern Iowa’s Sean Stender 5-4 in the 197-pound championship match at Savvis Center.

Rosholt, who won the 184-pound title as a freshman, finished the season 32-3. He entered the tournament as the No. 2 seed, but Stender defeated top-seeded Jon Trenge of Lehigh in Friday’s semifinals.

Stender, seeded No. 5, jumped ahead 2-0 with a first-round takedown. Rosholt scored the next four points with an escape, takedown and a stalling call on Stender.

Stender tied the match on a takedown with 30 seconds left, but Rosholt was able to pull out the win with an escape.

Nebraska senior Travis Pascoe, a Gonzaga Prep graduate from Rathdrum, placed sixth after losing two close matches on the final day. Pascoe, 28-6 for the season and 101-37 for his career, dropped a 14-10 decision to Penn State’s Eric Bradley during the 1-minute overtime period, and lost to Iowa’s Paul Bradley 3-1 on a takedown with 12 seconds left.

Rosholt’s Oklahoma State team went 5 for 5 in the finals while winning its third consecutive team title.

Heavyweight Steve Mocco’s overtime takedown wrapped up his undefeated season (37-0) and the Cowboys’ perfect finals.

The Cowboys also got titles from Zack Esposito at 149, Johny Hendricks at 165 and Chris Pendleton at 174 to tie the record of five championships set by Iowa in 1997.

“This team, this weekend, gave the extra effort in every way,” Cowboys coach John Smith said. “In every tough situation, we excelled.”

Oklahoma State, which has won three straight championships for the first time since 1954-56, finished with 153 points and a 50-point cushion over runner-up Michigan. Oklahoma was third, followed by Cornell and Minnesota.