FHSU Athletics
No. 19 Fort Hays State took a five-point lead into the final two matches of the day, but couldn’t hold on as No. 10 Lindenwood escaped Gross Memorial Coliseum with a 17-16 victory over the Tigers on Sunday, Jan. 4.
Each team won five matches, but it was the Lions’ three bonus points (compared to the Tigers’ one bonus point) that decided the match.
Noah Killip started the day at 141 pounds with a victory over No. 2 Kyle Webb, giving the Tigers an early 3-0 lead in the team score. Two first period takedowns gave Killip an early advantage, and after a battle through the second period, the two wrestlers headed to the third in a 4-4 tie. In the third, Killip notched a reversal early in the period to move his riding time over a minute. Though Webb escaped inside a minute to go, a late takedown from Killip sealed the match for the Tigers.
The Lions took a 5-3 lead at 149 pounds, as third-ranked Terrel Wilbourn (LWU) knocked off the Tigers’ Matt Ziegler by technical fall, 19-4, in 6:40.
Bradley Little (157 pounds) moved the Tigers back in front in the team score, 6-5, with an overtime decision (3-2) over Derrick Weller. Tied 1-1 after the first sudden victory period, Weller was awarded a stalling point to take a 2-1 lead, though Little maintained advantage time through the first tiebreaker. In the second of the two 30-second periods, Little picked up a reversal with 10 seconds to go in the match to snag a victory.
At 165 pounds, Lindenwood’s Kyle Jolas used a second period reversal and nearfall points in the third period to win by decision, 7-2, over Bryce Lewis, moving the Lions back into the team score lead, 8-6.
No. 6 Josh Rodriguez (FHSU) controlled his match at 174 pounds versus Jake Landals, winning 6-0 with over two minutes of riding time. Rodriguez scored a takedown in the first, then picked up three points in the second to lead, 5-0. From there, Rodriguez sat on top for the final period, trying for nearfall points but couldn’t turn Landals, settling for a decision.
No. 7 Jon Inman (FHSU) followed Rodriguez with another dominant performance for the Tigers, knocking off John McArdle (LWU) by major decision, 15-6. Inman scored six points in the second period to take control, scoring three takedowns in the match while racking up over a minute of riding time. Inman and McArdle were both NCAA Championship participants last season.
Holding a 13-8 advantage with four matches to go, FHSU saw its lead shrink at 197 pounds as No. 2 Kenny Breaux (LWU) defeat FHSU’s Cash Drylie by decision, 7-3. Trailing 3-1 after the second, Drylie picked up a third period escape but couldn’t complete the comeback as Breaux sealed the win with a takedown inside a minute to go.
No. 6 Trey Page continued with his winning ways at 285 pounds, picking up his 17th consecutive victory with a 4-0 decision against Jacob Borgmeyer (LWU). Page picked up an early escape before scoring a takedown inside 30 seconds to go in the second, taking a 3-0 lead. In the third, Page was granted a stalling point and hung on for the victory, sending the Tigers to the final two matches with a five-point lead, 15-11.
With two matches to go, FHSU looked to put the match away at 125 pounds, but fifth-ranked Marco Tamayo (LWU) scored a third period escape to narrowly defeat the Tigers’ Adam Ludwin by decision, 3-2.
It was winner-take-all at 133 pounds, as FHSU held a one-point lead over the Lions with Garrett Jones (FHSU) taking on Hunter Haralson. Though the match was scoreless through the first two periods, Haralson’s two minutes of riding time gave Lindenwood the advantage headed into the final period. Jones couldn’t pull off a takedown in the third, dropping a 1-0 decision.
Complete results of Sunday’s dual are below…
141 – Noah Killip (FHSU) wins by decision (9-5) over No. 2 Kyle Webb (LWU) … FHSU leads 3-0
149 – No. 3 Terrel Wilbourn (LWU) wins by technical fall (19-4, 6:40) over Matt Ziegler (FHSU) … LWU leads, 5-3
157 – Bradley Little (FHSU) wins by decision (TB-1, 3-2) over Derrick Weller (LWU) … FHSU leads, 6-5
165 – Kyle Jolas (LWU) wins by decision (7-2) over Bryce Lewis (FHSU) … LWU leads, 8-6
174 – No. 6 Josh Rodriguez (FHSU) wins by decision (6-0) over Jake Landals (LWU) … FHSU leads, 9-8
184 – No. 7 Jon Inman (FHSU) wins by major decision (15-6) over John McArdle (LWU) … FHSU leads, 13-8
197 – No. 2 Kenny Breaux (LWU) wins by decision (7-3) over Cash Drylie (FHSU) … FHSU leads, 13-11
285 – No. 6 Trey Page (FHSU) wins by decision (4-0) over Jacob Borgmeyer (LWU) … FHSU leads, 16-11
125 – No. 5 Marco Tamayo (LWU) wins by decision (3-2) over Adam Ludwin (FHSU) … FHSU leads, 16-14
133 – Hunter Haralson (LWU) wins by decision (1-0) over Garrett Jones (FHSU) … LWU wins, 17-16