by By Charlie Perry @CharlieHPerry
Kansas City MO- Oklahoma Sooner freshman wrestler Davion Jeffries, and Muscogee Creek Nation citizen, secured victories over North Dakota States Clay Ream 7-3 in the quarterfinals and South Dakota States Alex Kocer 6-2 in the semifinals to reach the Big 12 Wrestling Championship finals in the 149 pound division at the Sprint Center in downtown Kansas City. “I was kind of nervous. The whole first period I was wrestling out of nervousness. Finally I just started letting it flow and came out on top, said Jeffries.”
Jeffries took on Ream in the quarterfinals of the tournament. Jeffries took a 4-0 lead on a takedown and a near fall to end Period 1. Early in Period 2 Jeffries executed a reversal that gave him a comfortable 6-0 lead on his opponent. Ream picked up 3 points to end Period 2 with an escape and a takedown of his own on Jeffries. Period 3 was all Jeffries as he gained 1 ridding point to win the decision 7-3 over Ream. “I feel good just knowing I got my revenge back on the kid. At our very last duel he beat me by 3 points so it was nice to get that win back,” said Jeffries.
Alex Kocer put up little resistance on Jeffries hopes for a championship berth in the semifinals. Jeffries started Period 1 with a takedown to take a 2-0 lead. Kocer countered with a reversal to tie the score at 2. Jeffries escaped a late hold to end Period 1 leading 3-2. Jeffries gained 1 point on an early escape to take a 4-2 lead over Kocer to start Period 2. Thirty-five seconds later Jeffries applied a takedown on Kocer that lead to a match winning pin 6-2. “I wasn’t looking for the pin but it came to me. If you keep wrestling hard it will come up to you,” said Jeffries.
Jeffries will take on number 1 seed Anthony Collica of Oklahoma State in the 149 pound Big 12 Championship match Sunday. He hopes to get some revenge on an opponent he’s all too familiar with. “I have something for this kid too. He’s beaten me the last 2 times that we’ve wrestled. I’m going to show him that I’m not here just to take another loss, said Jeffries.”
