WICHITA, Kan. – The Fort Hays State wrestling team finished the Kansas Cup with a second place finish for the first time in five years as the Tigers totaled 147.5 team points on the day. Newman took home the title with 153 team points. The Tigers had four individual champions and three runner-up finishers.
Conrad Cole finished the Kansas Cup with a third place finish in the 125-pound weight class. Cole ended the day with a 4-1 record, picking up three pins on the way.
No. 8 ranked Brandon Ball claimed his second straight title in 141-pound weight class. Ball finished the day 3-0, including two technical fall victories. Ball improved his overall record to 25-3 on the season, including a 15-2 clip against Division II foes.
Efe Osaghae took home the individual title in the 149-pound class as he also finished 3-0 on the day. Osaghae notched two major decisions and a technical fall victory on his way to the championship. He is the second Tiger to reach 20 wins on the season as he notched his 22nd victory in the title bout.
In the 165-pound weight class, Marty Verhaeghe claimed a runner-up finish equating to a 3-1 overall record in the Kansas Cup. Verhaeghe used a major decision and a fall on his way to a second-place finish.
Micquille Robinson claimed the third individual title for the Tigers on the day. Robinson went 3-0 in the 174-pound weight class and picked up a pin along the way.
Jordan Davis finished the day with a 2-1 record on his way to a runner-up finish in the 184-poound weight class. Davis picked up two pins before falling in the title bout.
Senior Rakim Dean captured the 197-pound weight class championship with two technical fall victories and a major decision in the title bout to end his day with a 3-0 record.
Dakota Gulley finished the Cup with a runner-up finish in the 285-pound weight class, picking up a technical fall victory on the way.
The Tigers will take a week off from competition and regroup before heading to Warrensburg, Mo. to take on Central Missouri on Friday (Feb. 2) in a conference clash with the Mules. The dual is set to commence at 7 p.m.