Mesa State wrestling team won 6 of 10 dual matches on the way to their first home dual victory since the sport was reinstated three seasons ago. The Mavericks defeated Colorado School of Mines 27-14 Saturday night at Brownson Arena.
MSC posted three decisions (133#, 157#, 165#), two forfeits (125#, 184#) and one fall (285#) to improve their record to 2-1-1 in dual action. MSC defeated CSU-Pueblo, tied at New Mexico Highlands and lost to nationally ranked Adams State.
The evening started with forfeit for the Mavericks at 125 pound weight class. The first match of the night featured Rhett Breed (133#) who entered the match 7-4 overall. Breed won a 6-4 decision over Mines' Kellen Costelow. Breed started the 3 period down 1-3 but recorded a reversal, a takedown and tallied a point for riding time for the 6-4 win.
Mines closed the team score gap to 8-9 with a decision win at 141 pounds and a technical fall victory at 149 pounds. Mines' 141 and 149 weight class participants boast the most victories on the squad's team.
MSC pushed the team lead to 15-8 with back-to-back wins at 157 and 165. Nationally ranked (#4) Chase Walker (157#) won a 9-7 decision over Travis Wokasch. Walker had 3 takedowns, 2 escapes and picked up a riding point in the 3 period to notch his 16th win of the season (16-3).
Veteran Cole Johnson (15#) took a 3-0 lead in to the 3 period of his match with Jordan Larsen. Larsen scored an escape and Johnson added 1 riding point on his way to a 4-1 decision.
Mesa State and Colorado Mines split the next four matches. Mines' Ryan Swanson won a tight 3-2 decision over Kyle Brightman at 174#. Brightman and Swanson each scored 2 points in the first period and remained tied until Swanson won the match late on an escape in period 3. The win pulled the Orediggers to within 11-15.
Andrew Laiminger's forfeit win at 184# extended the Mavs lead to 21-11.
James Breidel (197#) fell in overtime, 6-4, to Patrick Ryan. After a scoreless first period Ryan entered the 3rd period with a 3-2 lead. Breidel took a 4-3 lead with an escape and a takedown only to have Ryan tie the dual late in the match with an escape. Ryan was able to carry the momentum into the overtime period and score a takedown and the victory.
In the final match of the evening with the Mavericks holding a 21-14 team lead, Trevor Stapp clinched his seventh win of the season with a pin over Mines' Bryan Stansbury. Despite Stansbury taking a 6-4 lead in to the 3 period, Stapp recorded a takedown to tie the match and moments later pinned (5:30) Stansbury for the victory.
Mesa State will host Western State College Wednesday night, January 21, at 7 p.m.
