Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational Results
Iowa State wins team title at 2023 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, led by individual champion Bastida
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — The tenth-ranked Iowa State Cyclones, led by one individual champion and five place winners, improved on a day one lead to win the team title at the 2023 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Saturday afternoon.
Iowa State scored 130.5 points, with 2022 team champions Nebraska in second with 125.5 points. Rounding out the top five teams were third place Ohio State with 123.5 points, fourth place NC State with 115 points and Oregon State with 98.5 points. Yonger Bastida became Iowa State’s lone champion and first since 2014 after defeating Michigan’s Lucas Davison in the finals at 285 pounds. Davison scored first with an escape in the second period, but Bastida jumped ahead with a reversal in the third to take a 2-1 lead. The match was tied for a majority of the final period following another Davison escape point, but Bastida captured the 5-3 win with a takedown while nine seconds remained.
Nebraska saw two individual champions in top-ranked Ridge Lovett at 149 pounds and No. 3 Peyton Robb at 157 pounds. Lovett edged out Virginia Tech’s Caleb Henson in a 4-3 decision in the finals. The Cornhusker opened up the scoring with an early takedown, and it was an escape point scored in the second that pushed Lovett ahead in the final. … story at … Themat.com/news/Iowa-state-wins-team-title-at-2023-cliff-keen-las-vegas-invitational
Iowa State Wins Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational
LAS VEGAS – Iowa State won its first Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational team title since 1996, and fifth overall, Saturday inside the Westgate Paradise Event Center. Yonger Bastida highlighted ISU’s tournament with a heavyweight title after he defeated Michigan’s No. 3 Lucas Davison, 5-3, in the championship match. Seven Cyclones finished on the podium to give ISU a team total of 130.5, edging Nebraska’s 125.5. Bonus points were key in lifting ISU to its title. The Cyclones won 24 matches with bonus points: five falls, eight tech falls and 11 major decisions.
Bastida went 5-0 with four bonus-point victories en route to his individual title, the first for Iowa State in the tournament since Kyven Gadson in 2014. The Cuban was in on a leg several times during the match but finally earned the takedown with nine seconds remaining to win it.
Evan Frost and Will Feldkamp both recorded runner-up finishes while David Carr placed third. Casey Swiderski notched a fifth-place finish, Anthony Echemendia placed seventh and MJ Gaitan finished in eighth. Frost wrestled NC State’s top-seeded Kai Orine to a scoreless first period in the 133-pound championship match. Orine turned Frost for near fall points twice in the second period before the Cyclone managed to escape, but Orine would add a takedown to his tally before the period’s end. Frost got a takedown back in the final period but was unable to close the gap as he fell, 12-4, to Orine.
In the 165-pound third-place match, Carr pushed the pace against Michigan’s Cam Amine and earned a stall point and an escape in the second period. As he has done often before, Carr put on a stellar third-period ride to clinch a riding time point. Amine would escape with 12 seconds left, but the Cyclone would notch the victory, 3-1. … story at … Cyclones.com/Iowa-state-wins-cliff-keen-las-vegas-invitational
NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS FINISH SECOND AT CLIFF KEEN
Las Vegas – Two Huskers claimed individual titles as the Nebraska wrestling team finished second at the 2023 Cliff Keen Invitational.
Ridge Lovett (149) and Peyton Robb (157) finished atop their weight classes as NU amassed 125.5 team points.
Finals
Lovett (149) won five-straight matches, including three bonus-point victories, to win the Cliff Keen title. He met Virginia Tech’s No. 4 Caleb Henson in the finals where he defeated him 4-3. Robb (157) became the second 2023 Cliff Keen champ as he won his second-straight title in Vegas. He tallied four-straight victories before he met Virginia Tech’s No. 4 Jacori Teemer and defeated him 6-4.
Third-place Matches
Caleb Smith (125) finished competition at the Cliff Keen Invite with a third-place finish and a 6-1 record. He won three-straight matches, including an overtime victory against No. 2 Matt Ramos, before meeting Oregon State’s No. 14 Brandon Kaylor and defeating him in overtime, 4-1. Lenny Pinto (184) won three-straight matches to open the Cliff Keen before falling to top-ranked Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa) in the semifinals. Pinto then defeated Michigan’s Jaden Bullock in the consolation semis before falling to Oklahoma State’s No. 5 Dustin Plott in the third-place match.
Fifth-place Matches
Brock Hardy (141) opened competition with three-straight victories, including two bonus point victories, en route to a semifinals matchup against Ohio State’s No. 5 Jesse Mendez. Hardy battled, but fell by major decision and moved on to consolation where he finished sixth.
Silas Allred (197) started with a pin and a major decision before falling by tech. fall to Cornell’s No. 6 Jacob Cardenas in the quarterfinals. In consolation, Allred recorded two-straight bonus-point victories before facing No. 3 Tanner Sloan of South Dakota State. Allred fell to Sloan, and then faced Sonny Sasso (Virginia Tech) and won by decision to finish fifth … story at … Huskers.com/Lovett-robb-win-individual-titles-huskers-finish-second-at-cliff-keen
Mendez Wins Title, Buckeyes Take Third At Cliff Keen Invite
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Jesse Mendez took the 2023 Cliff Keen Invitational Title in the 141-pound bracket to help the Buckeyes to a third-place finish overall at the 41st annual Las Vegas event.
Ohio State amassed 125.5 points over the two days to finished third behind Iowa State and Nebraska. … story at … Ohiostatebuckeyes.com/Mendez-wins-title-buckeyes-take-third-at-cliff-keen-invite
Beavers Finish Fifth at Cliff Keen, Wittlake Takes Second at 174
LAS VEGAS – Completing action in the annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, the 17th-ranked Oregon State wrestling team finished with a fifth-place result, collecting 98.5 points. Travis Wittlake – ranked 12th at 174 lbs. – highlighted the OSU squad with a second-place finish while Brandon Kaylor (125) and Boone McDermott (HWT) each had a fourth-place performance. The fifth-place finish was the best team performance by an OSU squad in the Pendleton era and best since the 2012 edition, when they also placed fourth.
Wittlake used a pair of comebacks to win a thriller over 30th-ranked Danny Wask of Navy by decision at 9-8 in the semifinals. The Coos Bay native battled back from a 3-0 hole early and escaped in the last seconds to clinch a spot in the final. He narrowly fell by decision in a 9-7 bout to seventh-ranked Cade DeVos in the championship. … story at … OSUbeavers.com/Beavers-finish-fifth-at-cliff-keen-wittlake-takes-second-at-174
Izzak Olejnik 165-Pound Champion at CKLV
LAS VEGAS – Oklahoma State wrestler Izzak Olejnik captured the 165-pound title at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Saturday, as the Cowboys finished ninth with 78.5 team points. “It was a good day today,” head coach John Smith said. “Won seven of eight matches today with the one loss. Good competition. We got some young ones, we just got to develop them. We’re not too far off.”
In his only match of the morning session, Olejnik pulled out a tight 6-4 decision over third-seeded Cameron Amine of Michigan. Trailing late in the third period, Olejnik got the takedown he needed with three seconds remaining to jump out in front and ice the match. Olejnik was clutch late once again against No. 4 Julian Ramirez (Cornell) in the finals, breaking a 1-1 tie in the third period with a takedown, which was ultimately enough to win. Third-seeded Olejnik went 6-0 on the weekend, two of which were by fall. He is now a perfect 11-0 on the season and owns five victories over ranked opponents. … story at … OKstate.com/Cowboy-wrestling-izzak-olejnik-165-pound-champion-at-cklv
Two Big Red Wrestlers Reach Finals As Cornell Finishes Sixth Overall At Cliff Keen Invite
LAS VEGAS — Two Cornell wrestlers reached the finals in their weight classes on Saturday, and the Big Red finished in 6th place with 93.5 team points in the 2023 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Junior Julian Ramirez (165 pounds) and sophomore Brett Ungar (125 pounds) placed second in their weight classes, while senior Jacob Cardenas (197 pounds) finished in fourth. Sophomore Vince Cornella (141 pounds) and senior Lewis Fernandes (285 pounds) came in eighth.
Highlights & Notes
Cornell finished in sixth place as a team with 93.5 points. The Big Red has finished in the top 10 in the Cliff Keen team standings three years in a row. … story at … Cornellbigred.com/Cliff-keen-day-two-Cornell-finishes-6th-overall
Runner-up Davison Headlines Five Wolverine Placewinners at CKLV Invitational
By: Leah Howard
» Lucas Davison finished heavyweight runner-up after narrowly fallowing to Iowa State’s Younger Bastida 5-3 in the championship match.
» Cameron Amine (165) placed fourth, while Michael DeAugustino (125), Will Lewan (157) and Jaden Bullock (184) all took sixth place.
» Michigan finished in eighth place in the team standings with 81.5 points.
Score: 8th Place of 35 Teams (81.5 points)
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — The No. 7-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team posted five individual placewinners, including a runner-up finish from graduate student Lucas Davison, to claim eighth place (81.5 points) at the 41st annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Saturday (Dec. 2) at the Westgate Paradise Event Center.
Davison, ranked third nationally at heavyweight, fell to Iowa State’s seventh-ranked Yonger Bastida 5-3 in the championship match. After staving off a few ISU attacks in the first and scrambling out of a deep single-leg shot late in the second, Davison had an opportunity … story at … Mgoblue.com/Runner-up-davison-headlines-five-wolverine-placewinners-at-cklv-invitational
DEVOS WINS 174-POUND TITLE IN VEGAS
LAS VEGAS — Cade DeVos won the 174-pound title and Tanner Sloan captured third place at 197 pounds to lead the South Dakota State wrestling team Saturday on the final day of the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational hosted by the Westgate Paradise Event Center.
DeVos, a senior from Altoona, Iowa, posted two victories Saturday to finish the two-day tournament with a 5-0 record. In semifinal action, the third-seeded DeVos trailed early against second-seeded Carson Kharchla of Ohio State before rallying late for an 11-8 decision. In the finals, DeVos matched up against Oregon State’s … story at … GOjacks.com/Devos-wins-174-pound-title-in-vegas
Keckeisen claims 184-pound title at Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational
Three Panthers medal in largest in-season open competition. UNI returns to action on Dec. 10 for first home dual against Columbia.
LAS VEGAS — Parker Keckeisen became the first Panther to win a title at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational in the Doug Schwab era on Saturday afternoon, winning the 184-pound title to wrap up a successful weekend of action for UNI in the desert.
Keckeisen, ranked number one in the nation in both the Intermat and FloWrestling rankings, grabbed his 13th and 14th career wins over top-ten ranked opponents on Saturday, defeating No. 7/12 Lenny Pinto (Nebraska) in an 8-4 semifinal decision, before taking down No. 9/6 William Feldkamp (Iowa State) in a 14-4 major decision. Keckeisen has now won 20 consecutive regular season matches dating back to last season. … story at … UNIpanthers.com/Keckeisen-claims-184-pound-title-at-cliff-keen-las-vegas-invitational
GRAY SIMONS | SEVEN: Masterful MiteG
From 1961-1964, Gray Simons was one of the best wrestlers in the World. Heading into his junior season at Lock Haven, Simons had already won two NAIA national championships and an NCAA championship, beating Olympian Dick Wilson in the finals as a sophomore.
EPISODE 1: Unrolling Granby
After his trip to Rome saw him come away from the Olympics without a medal, Simons continued his tear through college wrestling. Would injuries or wrestlers from more dominant programs stop him from his place in wrestling history? Would old friends and teammates be the ones who would knock Simons from his path?
Find out in the second installment of Seven.
Seven is the story of one of America’s great wrestling minds – a stellar athlete with two Olympic appearances – and a dynamic technical mind – delivering next-level techniques learned at Granby and tweaked for the college wrestling world.
Episode 2: Masterful Mite looks at Simons’ run into the record books, becoming the first collegiate wrestler to win four national college championships and the 20th to win three NCAA titles. The journey also runs through his second Olympic appearance. … rest of story at … Mattalkonline.com/podcast/etched-in-stone/gray-simons-seven-masterful-mite
Toledo wrestling is “On the Rise” in the NCWA
By Mike Finn
Bryan Knepper credits his love for the Detroit Lions as one of the reasons he has such a passion to rebuild a college wrestling program like few others could. “I’m almost an apologist,” laughed Knepper. “We are not really fans, but those who have been beaten down over the years.”
But that opinion of his beloved NFL team has changed as the Lions had a winning record last year and led their division this fall after eleven weeks. What’s more, the HBO-produced “Hard Knocks” series on the Lions inspired him to use such a medium in his higher goal to rebuild the University of Toledo wrestling program. “It got me so pumped up about the Lions and believing in (Lions coach) Dan Campbell and his message,” said the 44-year-old Knepper. “I was so pumped up I said this is what we have to do for our program. We need to get the message out there and let people see what happened in the past, what we are doing right now and where we are trying to move in the future.”
That’s why Knepper (in association with LoudKid Films out of Toledo) is creating the documentary, “Rise: The Fall and Rebirth of College Wrestling” which spotlights Toledo’s program being cut and the misintended consequences of Title IX. And, uses their story of building it as a test case for growing the sport again at the NCAA level. The coach hopes to have it streamed on a platform like Netflix as soon as funds are raised. Until then, LoudKid Films has created a trailer:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHGh7Qer4E.
This story appeared in the latest issue of WIN Magazine. Click on the cover or call 888-305-0606 to subscribe.
“I had that lightbulb moment that this is something we can do because so many more people watch these documentaries,” he said. “It’s real. It’s not just some scripted drama. It’s real pain, real people involved. Maybe that’s the way to get to people’s hearts is through this type of media.”
For those who do not know, the Toledo program now competes in the National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA) and Knepper has served as its unpaid head coach for 16 years in two different stints since 1997, three years after the school dropped men’s wrestling as an NCAA program in 1994. Working as a structural engineer, Knepper left Toledo in 2005 to work at an Air Force base in Tennessee, but returned to Ohio in 2013 and eventually became the Rockets coach again in 2015.
Before the sport was dropped, Toledo had qualified wrestlers for the NCAAs in all but three years and produced 22 all-time NCAA All-Americans. Meanwhile, the Ohio community had served as the host site for many national and international events, including the first World Cup in 1973 and 17 of the first 19. This history is part of the documentary.
Knepper grew up in Toledo, and his father, Dale, wrestled for the Mid-American Conference school as a freshman in 1969 when it was a varsity program. He was teammates with Greg Wojciechowski, the two-time NCAA finalist at heavyweight, who became the school’s second national champion in 1971. (The other Toledo NCAA champ was 191-pound Harry Lanzi in 1952.) “I grew up with these guys who became mentors and had heard all their stories of how great they were,” said Bryan, who has also created banners for those great wrestlers which hang in the Toledo wrestling room. “I like recognizing them and rebuilding our alumni base and getting them involved in our program. … rest of story at … WIN-magazine.com/Toledo-wrestling-is-on-the-rise-in-the-ncwa
No. 3 Missouri Wrestling Wins in Style Over No. 18 Oklahoma
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The No. 3-ranked University of Missouri wrestling team took care of No. 18 Oklahoma, 30-12, Friday, Dec. 1, in front of 2,454 fans inside the Hearnes Center. The Tigers improved to 2-0 (1-0, Big 12) in the young season, while the Sooners stumbled to 3-1 (0-1, Big 12).
The Tigers got things rolling with back-to-back decisions. First, redshirt senior Zach Elam (285) got Mizzou on the board by winning a tight 2-1 contest. Following the opening act, redshirt junior Noah Surtin (125) kept the momentum going with a 10-1 major decision, his fifth bonus-point victory of the year. Missouri took a step back as redshirt freshman Zeke Seltzer (133) fell short against Jace Koelzer, 4-1. The Sooners attempted storm back after No. 14 Mosha Schwartz defeated redshirt sophomore Josh Edmond (141) in overtime. However, right before intermission, redshirt junior Logan Gioffre (149) upset No. 22 Willie McDougald with a 4-1 sudden-victory decision to give MU a 10-6 cushion at the halfway mark. The decision was the first win over a ranked opponent for Gioffre as a starter. After the break, it was all Mizzou. Redshirt senior Brock Mauller (157) started the second half with a 12-4 major decision win, recording his fourth bonus-point victory of the season. Missouri put its foot on the gas with junior Keegan O’Toole (165) pinning his opponent in the second period. Back-to-back technical falls by redshirt senior Peyton Mocco (174) and redshirt freshman Clayton Whiting (184) truly separated the hosts from the opposition, leading them to a comfortable 30-12 victory over Oklahoma. … story at … MUtigers.com/news/No-3-wrestling-wins-in-style-over-no-18-oklahoma
Don’t tell wrestlers that their matches don’t count
By Tristan Warner
The 53rd edition of the NWCA All-Star Classic proved to be another successful early-season showcasing of some of the nation’s most promising collegiate wrestlers on Nov. 21 in State College, Pa. Pitting some of the highest-ranked individuals against each other in mid-November annually, the All-Star Classic accomplishes several feats simultaneously for fans, coaches, and contestants. It gives fans a small taste of elite collegiate folkstyle wrestling action and quenches that thirst which has been accumulated since the previous March. It also potentially foreshadows some big-time matchups for the upcoming postseason, especially ones that would not otherwise occur based on schedules.
This column appeared in the latest issue of WIN Magazine. Click on the cover or call 888-305-0606 to subscribe.
For coaches, the event is not only a prestigious honor in which to have their program represented, but it provides a measuring stick for said coaches’ athlete(s) against high-level foes. From the athletes’ perspective, this event provides wrestlers the opportunity to rise to the occasion and stake their claim early in the season, perhaps setting the tone for the rest of their season. But one ongoing debate that has encircled this distinguished event for years is whether or not these matches should actually count toward the wrestlers’ records? Or, in other words, is this event an actual competition or merely an exhibition?
An exhibition as it stands today, the NWCA All-Star Classic provides these athletes the risk-free opportunity to duke it out without affecting their record or seed, at least in theory. But some argue that the result of a seven-minute match between two collegiate wrestlers with all the same scoring guidelines in place should count just like any other wrestling match would. While I know there are many arguments for or against standardizing the NWCA All-Star Classic as an official match, my stance on the matter is that the event is already accomplishing the aforementioned feats as it is, so there is no need to change it. Evolving the sport of wrestling has been a hot-button topic for a while now and seems to have gained even more steam after the near scare of wrestling being temporarily excluded from the Summer Olympics back in 2013. Surely, as is the case with any sport, continuing to make adaptations and adjustments to better the longevity of the sport are important. However, in some ways, changing things about the sport simply for the sake of changing them is worse. That is a whole separate issue, but the concept is not lost on the topic of the All-Star Classic.
Let’s face it: to the group of constituents that would be most affected by the change, the wrestlers themselves, this already is a real match. No wrestler at this level and of this caliber is treating any wrestling match, whether it is labeled as “exhibition” or not, any differently than he or she would a formal match. Wrestlers pour too much of their mind, body and soul into their preparation for competition than to take this event for anything less than another wrestling match against a high-level opponent. However, in theory, this match does provide the athletes the opportunity to “let it fly” with a little less pressure than a typical match may pose since their record and potential future postseason seeds are unaffected, also in theory. Meanwhile, the quality of matches presents the fans with one of the most exciting contests in college wrestling just as the traditional season is gearing up. By standardizing this event, the risk is that higher-ranked wrestlers, or their coaches, may tend to shy away from accepting the invitation in order to protect their record or future NCAA seed. … rest of story at … WIN-magazine.com/Dont-tell-wrestlers-that-their-matches-dont-count
Augsburg remains #1 while UW-Eau Claire Jumps from 9th to #3
NWCA Division III Men’s Coaches Poll – Regular Season #1
Manheim, PA – The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) released the first regular season Division III Men’s Coaches rankings. These include the team tournament poll and national and regional individual rankings.
Augsburg (89.5 pts) remains solidly in first place ahead of archrival Wartburg (54.5 pts). UW-Eau Claire is making the massive jump from 9th to #3 (39.5 pts). Completing the Top Five are #4 UW-La Crosse (39 pts) and #5 Alvernia (38 pts), who each slide up one spot.
In the individual rankings, Augsburg leads the country with three top-ranked wrestlers (141, 184, 285). Wartburg has two (174, 197), while Johnson & Wales (125), UW-Eau Claire (133), McDaniel (141), UW-Lacrosse (157), and Alvernia(165) each have a single wrestler at the top of their respective weight class. There is a new number one at 149 in Thomas Monn of McDaniel, with defending national champion Michael Petrella of Baldwin Wallace moving up to 157. Petrella is ranked #2 behind Nolan Hertel, also a defending national champion. Just last week, Hertel won 3-1 in a marathon overtime match (TB2-2) over returning D2 national champion Nick Novak of St. Cloud State in the NWCA All-Star Classic.TOP RANKED INDIVIDUALS | NATIONAL RANKINGS | REGIONAL RANKINGS
125 Joziah Fry, Johnson & Wales
133 Tyler Fleetwood, UW-Eau Claire
141 Sam Stuhl, Augsburg
149 Thomas Monn, McDaniel
157 Nolan Hertel, UW-La Crosse
165 Matt Lackman, Alvernia
174 Zane Mulder, Wartburg
184 Bentley Schwanebeck-Osterman, Augsburg
197 Massoma Endene, Wartburg
285 Tyler Kim, Augsburg … rest of rankings and story at … NWCAonline.com/NCAA-division-3-men-augsburg-remains-1-while-uw-eau-claire-jumps-from-9th
Making history at Morgan State: Q&A with wrestling coach Kenny Monday
In October 2021, Morgan State University announced that its historic wrestling program, one that was cut in the late 1990s, would return after over two decades to become the only Division I historically black college and university (HBCU) in the NCAA. The administration then hired Olympic gold medalist Kenny Monday to lead the program, inspiring even more excitement in the revitalized team.
🤼 MORE COLLEGE WRESTLING 🤼
Flash forward to 2023, the Bears have just nearly completed their first month of competition and will head to the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational this weekend to compete against some of the best teams in the country.
NCAA.com caught up with Monday to talk about the team, the challenges he’s experienced in rebuilding the program and his goals for the future of Morgan State wrestling. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
I want to talk about your team, some of your standout athletes and your competitive dual schedule this year, but before I get to all of that, I’d love to go back to when you took this job at Morgan State. What drew you to the program?
I think just the historical opportunity [to bring] the program back after 25 years. In 1996, I was training for the Olympics, and it broke my heart to know that a program was dropping, so when I really thought about it, I just felt like, me being in that position [to be the head coach], I could have a bigger impact than anywhere else.
You’ve coached at a ton of places. What have been some of the biggest challenges in bringing this program back and in starting this program in general?
I think, first of all, just getting the administration and the school up to speed on what wrestling looks like it, what it entails — that was one of the challenges. Then, just the recruiting process, starting from scratch, going out and recruiting student athletes to Morgan State and believing in the journey and believing in the process of starting a program. … rest of story at … NCAA.com/news/Making-history-morgan-state-qa-wrestling-coach-kenny-monday
Hidlay and Orine Win It All, Team Finishes 4th at Cliff Keen Invitational
Las Vegas, Nev. – The second-ranked NC State wrestling team tallied six individual placements, including first place championships from Trent Hidlay and Kai Orine to secure the team fourth overall at the 41st annual Cliff Keen Invitational on Saturday, December 2nd.
NC State accumulated 115 team points, following behind Iowa State (130.5), Nebraska (125.5), and Ohio State (123.5). Six athletes for the red-and-white found themselves on the podium: Kai Orine at 133lbs (1st place), Trent Hidlay at 197lbs (1st place), Ryan Jack at 141lbs (2nd place), Ed Scott at 157lbs (3rd place), Dylan Fishback at 184lbs (7th place), and JacksonArrington at 149lbs (8th place).
Hidlay’s championship at 197lbs made him a back to back winner at this tournament, however, last season he won at 184lbs. Currently ranked fifth in the nation by FloWrestling, the team veteran dominated his bracket with four ranked wins: No. 6 Cardenas (Cornell), No. 8 Jaxon Smith (Maryland), No. 18 Bockman (Utah Valley), and No. 27 Rademacher(Oregon State).
Orine, also currently ranked fifth in the nation by FloWrestling, claimed his championship in the 133 class. His wins over the weekend included three ranked victories over No. 11 Evan Frost (Iowa State), No. 18 Derrick Cardinal (South Dakota State), and No. 25 Gabe Whisenhunt (Oregon State).
Seventh-ranked Jack placed second after coming up short, 2-5, in the finals to No. 5 Jesse Mendez of Ohio State. In the previous rounds he collected three ranked wins over No. 3 Lachlan McNeil (UNC), No. 17 Cael Happel (Northern Iowa), and No. 32 McKenzie Bell (Rider).
Despite losing in the second round to No. 17 Peyten Kellar of Ohio, eighth-ranked Scott battled back to claim his third place decision at 157lbs. He picked up four ranked wins: No. 5 Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech), No. 6 Will Lewan (Michigan), No. 12 Trevor Chumbley (Northwestern), and No. 16 Tommy Askey (App State). Other notable wins from the Pack include Fishback defeating No. 4 Trey Munoz (Oregon State), Troy Hohman defeating No. 25 Tucker Owens (Air Force), and Owen Trephan defeating No. 30 David Szuba (Rider). … rest of results at … GOpack.com/Hidlay-and-orine-win-it-all-team-finishes-4th-at-cliff-keen-invitational
Home / Featured / Here’s to the ‘kid sisters’ who never got a chance to wrestle
By Mike Finn
This column appeared in the latest issue of WIN Magazine. Click on the cover or call 888-305-0606 to subscribe.
An emotional Felicity Taylor worked to hold back her tears as she spoke about how great it was to be part of women’s wrestling history on Nov. 12, when the Iowa women’s wrestling team held its first-ever home event before a record 8,207 fans in Iowa City.
And considering what the 5-foot, 116-pound native of Spillville, Iowa, had gone through in her wrestling past to earn such a moment, it was not surprising to see her emotions. Sure, she won over 100 high school matches competing against boys, before earning All-American honors and a national title at McKendree in Illinois, before making history as part of the first-ever NCAA Div. I Power-5 team. There had to be plenty of tough times considering she started wrestling when few other girls did and dealt with plenty of doubters … as well as boy wrestlers who forfeited to, rather than wrestle her.
After spending four years at
McKendree, where Felicity Taylor (top) earned three All-American honors and
a national title, the Iowa native is part of Iowa’s first-ever varsity team. (John Johnson photo)
The Trailblazer Duals provided Taylor an opportunity to focus on what’s right about the growth of women’s wrestling … while also looking back at those before her who might have had a tougher time in gaining acceptance from others. “Our team motto is, ‘For Her,’,” Taylor said. ‘We are doing this for ‘her’, the people who paved the way for us and for the people who are to come after us. To see all these little girls wanting our autographs or just being here and supportive was amazing.”
Taylor is the oldest of three siblings. And as a former Level 8 competitive gymnast, she was strong enough to wrestle with her younger brother Zach until she took up wrestling. I’ve been covering wrestling for 35 years and the noise emitted from these fans was no different than if the legendary Hawkeye men were wrestling. … story at … WIN-magazine.com/Wrestling+News
‘It’s time that we join in’: Alfred State launches first women’s wrestling program in SUNY schools
ALFRED, N.Y. (WKBW) — Over the past few years, women’s sports has gained more popularity and recognition than it ever has. Just this year alone, we’ve seen multiple record-breaking events that caught the nation’s attention. Iowa Women’s Basketball — playing in front of over 55,000 fans, Nebraska Women’s Volleyball — selling out a crowd of over 98,000 fans and the WNBA Finals — breaking attendance and viewership records.
The idea that “no one watches women’s sports” is simply not true. As the advocacy for and commitment to excelling women’s sports reaches a national level, it’s helping pave the way for younger athletes to find their place in a sport. Alfred State is leading the charge in excelling women’s sports here in New York State as the school launched its women’s wrestling program, the first in the SUNY school system. Next year, Buffalo State will be joining the Alfred State as the second-active SUNY program. This a very unique program. Along with the team being the first of its kind in SUNY, there are a list of firsts with this team. First time wrestlers, like Sophomore Judiely Ventura.
She’s a transfer student from The Bronx and has never participated on an athletic team before. Neither has she lived away from home. The idea of joining a team of some sort, was just what she needed. “What better way to have a family away from family, a home away from home than joining a sports team,” Ventura said. “Now some of these girls have become my close friends here.” … story at … WKBW.com/Its-time-that-we-join-in-alfred-state-launches-first-womens-wrestling-program-in-suny-schools
Limestone Wrestling Picks Up 28-12 Conference Win Over Montevallo
GAFFNEY, S.C. – The Limestone University men’s wrestling team handed visiting Montevallo a 28-12 loss on Friday evening inside the Timken Center. The Saints improve to 2-0 at home this season and 3-2 overall. Limestone jumped out to an early 19-0 lead after wins in the first five weight classes. After earning decisions at 125, 133, and 141, the Blue and Gold received tech falls from seniors Brandon Seawright (Birmingham, Ala.) and Markeith Drakeford-Yegge (Fort Mill, S.C.) to push ahead of the Falcons. Montevallo made a bit of a push, taking 165 and 174 while trimming the deficit to 19-9, but graduate JaQuez Bostic (Columbia, S.C.) tallied an impressive 18-2 tech fall at 184 before freshman Jack Trautman III (Rochester, Wisc.) secured 197 with a 15-2 major decision, pushing the advantage to 28-9. The Falcons earned the victory in the heavyweight division, but it was too little, too late as Limestone took home the 28-12 conference win.
FINAL RESULTS
125: Trey Finnearty (LIME) over Colt Brown (UM) (Dec 6-2)
133: Jaqion Williams (LIME) over Cory Jones (UM) (Dec 5-4)
141: Kaleem Heard (LIME) over Chad Strickland (UM) (Dec 7-1)
149: Brandon Seawright (LIME) over Trent Gilham (UM) (TF 21-5 6:10) … story at … GOlimestonesaints.com/Wrestling-picks-up-28-12-conference-win-over-montevallo
Crusaders Earn Second Conference Win Over Emory & Henry
BELMONT, N.C. – The Belmont Abbey wrestling team earned its second straight Conference Carolinas victory thanks to a 48-3 win over Emory & Henry Thursday evening at the Wheeler Center.
Belmont Abbey earned three pins on the night, including two in consecutive bouts from Will Cline and Skyler Caban. Justin Wright closed out the match with a pin in the heavyweight division.
Brett Balzan improved to 3-0 in dual matches with his win via technical fall as the Crusaders won nine of the 10 bouts on the evening.
The Crusaders improved to 2-1 on the season and in conference play while the Wasps are 0-3 overall and in the league.
RESULTS
125 Brett Balzan (BAC) def. Tito Hernandez (E&H) (TF 24-7)
133 Logan Arnold (E&H) def. Max Buico (BAC) (Dec 13-7)
141 Will Cline (BAC) def. Avery Almany (E&H) (Fall 0:36)
149 Skyler Caban (BAC) def. Collin Davidson (E&H) (Fall 2:12) … story at … Abbeyathletics.com/Crusaders-earn-second-conference-win-over-emory-henry
Coker University Cobras Shutout Bluefield State at Home
The Coker wrestling team had an impressive performance against Bluefield State, winning by a dominant score of 53-0. Here is a recap of the individual matches:
– In the 125-pound weight class, Jonte Crumpton from Coker defeated Luke Roberts from Bluefield State by decision, with a final score of 9-6.
– Stephen Spitko from Coker had a strong showing in the 133-pound weight class, earning a technical fall victory over Sebastiano Spina from Bluefield State. The match ended with a score of 18-2, with the win coming at the 6:47 mark.
– Omar Armengol from Coker dominated his opponent, Enrique Sanchez from Bluefield State, in the 141-pound weight class. Armengol secured a technical fall victory, with a final score of 18-1. The match concluded after 5 minutes.
– In the 149-pound weight class, Trey Weinell from Coker won the match by forfeit, as Bluefield State did not have a competitor in this weight class.
– Noah Korenoski from Coker had a quick and decisive victory in the 157-pound weight class. He defeated Jacob Latorre from Bluefield State by technical fall, with a score of 18-2. The match ended in just 2 minutes and 37 seconds.
– The 165-pound weight class also resulted in a win for Coker, as their opponent from Bluefield State did not compete.
– Benjamin Newton from Coker showcased his strength in the 174-pound weight class, securing a pinfall victory over Sherman Franklin from Bluefield State. The pin occurred at the 4:20 mark of the match. – Duffy Mista from Coker had an impressive performance in the 184-pound weight class. He earned a technical fall victory over Landon Marquis from Bluefield State, with a final score of 25-8. The match ended after 4 minutes and 7 seconds. … story at … Cokercobras.com/sports/wrestling
TDR blog
After 20 seasons of publicizing wrestling The TakeDown Report’s (TDR) focus has changed to the collecting of college coaching records from North America since 1903. We will continue to recognize and reward successful wrestlers in eastern North Carolina (east of Raleigh & Fayetteville), assist with schools in starting or re-starting a team and this blog. Join us on our FaceBook Page – “The TakeDown Report” for photos and news. Please send results, stories, links and news to pass along. E-mail us at takedownreport@gmail.com
Martin Fleming, Editor
Takedown Report
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