Takedown Report

Hand Raised – 3rd Season, Column 10

A Friday through Sunday Summary, All Over-looked and Under-rated Team, Small notes on the Big Boys, and ‘Cue the local angle…

Ted CarrerasUncategorized  November 4, 2019 
The College Wrestling season hit full swing this past weekend with action literally from Coast to Coast. Let’s poke around a bit and find some fun stuff, shall we?
UTC ASKS AN OLD FRIEND TO STEP OUTSIDE
Chattanooga hosted SIUE in what was originally a tri meet until injuries trimmed Presbyterians roster down to below optimal team competition levels. So it was up to host UTC and the Cougars, out of Edwardsville, IL., to put on the whole show. They wrestled in the brisk outside of Miller Park in beautiful downtown Chattanooga. (BTW, great tickets are still available for the Southern Scuffle Jan 1st and 2nd. GoMocs.com or 423-266-6627 for the fracas, for the fun, for the food, FOR THE CITY!) Score it 29-14 Chattanooga over their former conference foe as UTC took 7 out of 10 bouts with 4 bonus point wins. Last year’s star backup, 125LB Fabian Gutierrez, new 133LB Moc Franco Valdez, and 4 year starter 141LB Chris Debien accounted for 2 of those big victories. Following some back and forth at mid match, Chattanooga sealed the deal with Michael Waddells (a transfer from Oklahoma) first period pin at 184. UTC then took a weekend bus ride to Roanoke, VA and competed at Sundays Southeast Open. 10 Mocs placed at the always tough season opener set in the Great Commonwealth. 8 D1 teams sent “attached” competitors. This means they repped their schools on an official capacity. More on this event in a bit. SIUE headed home and heads east next weekend for a double dual with West Liberty and Coach Matt Azevedos Drexel Dragons. Of opening night note for the Cougars: the varsity debut of 3rd generation wrestler Max Kristoff, son of SIUE Hall of Fame All American Kip Kristoff and Grandson of Olympic Hero, SIUE Hall of Famer and former Coach Larry Kristoff. #Kristoffcubed won by fall, and 2 of SIUEs 2019 National qualifiers, 157LB Nate Higgins and 285LB Colton McKiernan, picked up the Cougars 2 other victories.
WISCONSIN WINS BIGLY AND LITTLY, ARMY NEARLY MOVES THE CHEESE, NAVYS VALOR DOUBLED UP BUT NEVER DOUBTED, AND OH NO, FRESNO, O-3?
Fridays 4 way, way out West, featured the Wisconsin Badgers, Army, Navy, and Fresno State in a 2 location quad meet of sorts. Very early in the day it was Chris Bonos Badgers being unkind visitors as they thumped Fresno State 31-8. Where the Bulldogs were strong, the Badgers were stronger and Wisky ran away with the win. But Wisconsin nearly lost their cheeseheads against a tough, talented Army team. Coach Kevin Ward has the Black Knights of the Hudson honed to a nasty edge right from the jump this year, and they jumped all over Wisconsins middle and upper weights. Army won 5 of 6 matches from 149 to 197 and held a 2 point lead heading into the Heavyweight match. Wisconsin All American Trent Hillger won his match and the dual for the Badgers with a 7-0 victory over Armys Ben Sullivan. Army would go on to defeat Fresno St. 29-9, and now preps for a tri-meet with Chattanooga and Illinois. Keep an eye on the Black Knights, folks. Right now they’d be the favorites for the All Academy Championships…if they choose to attend. Their absence last year was widely noticed and keenly felt. Navy took the All Academy title in 2019, and Friday they took a win from Fresno St. as well, 25-9.  Rest of the story at https://morewrestlingplease.wordpress.com/2019/11/04/a-friday-through-sunday-summary-all-over-looked-and-under-rated-team-small-notes-on-the-big-boys-and-cue-the-local-angle/

November 11, 2019 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized