Wrestlers Battle To A Tie In Black & Gold Scrimmage
Nov. 1, 2007
The Fort Hays State wrestling squad kicked off its season with the annual FHSU Black & Gold Scrimmage at Gross Coliseum Thursday evening (December 1). Nine Tigers competed for each team in the intrasquad scrimmage, with 165 pounds being the only match not wrestled with both teams open at the weight. The Black and Gold squads wrestled to a 15-15 tie.
The 125-pound weight class started the evening with senior Kyle Patton (Black) against freshman Dustin Dooley (Gold). Both found it hard to score points, with Patton eventually winning 3-2 gaining the deciding point by riding time. Black took an early 3-0 lead.
At 133 pounds, redshirt freshman Blake Fisher (Gold) went up against freshman Brad Esterl (Black). Both battled tough early, but Fisher would slowly pull away in the match with a few takedowns resulting in an 8-2 decision. The result knotted the dual at 3-3.
At 141 pounds, junior James Annon (Black) faced redshirt freshman Dylan Loyd (Gold). Annon, like Fisher, would slowly pull away in the match off a few takedowns. Annon won by a 7-3 decision, putting the Black back on top 6-3.
At 149 pounds, senior Josh Pfannenstiel (Gold) faced senior transfer Eric Johnson (Black). Pfannenstiel won by a 9-3 decision, making the see-saw effect stay in tact for the dual putting dual in a 6-6 tie.
The 157-pound weight class featured the #6 ranked wrestler in NCAA Division II, sophomore Danny Grater (Gold), against freshman Aaron Berscheidt (Black). Grater showed why he is one to watch at 157 pounds this year with a fall coming at 2-minutes, 25-seconds. The pin put the Gold squad up six points at 12-6.
After no match at 165 pounds, the Black would storm back in the dual by claiming the next two matches.
At 174 pounds, junior Blake Malloy (Black) defeated freshman Kyle Hudgins (Gold) by a 6-1 decision, putting the dual score at 6-1. Then at 184 pounds, sophomore Shawn Kuhlman (Black) defeated freshman Michael Baker (Gold) by a 6-4 decision. Baker made it interesting late, but ran out of time. The dual score tied back up at 12-12.
The 197-pound match might have been the most eye-opening of the night. Sophomore Tyler Gonzales (Black), preseason #4 ranked wrestler in NCAA Division II, faced freshman Ben Evans (Gold). Evans showed why he was one of the premier high school wrestlers in the state of Kansas last year, battling Gonzales to a 4-4 tie at the end of regulation. In overtime, Gonzales grabbed a sudden victory with a takedown, winning 6-4. Black moved back on top 15-12.
At 285-pounds, senior Dustin Martin (Gold) defeated senior Lyndon Wagner (Black) by a score of 8-5, ending the match in a 15-15 draw between the teams.
One of the most intriguing stats of the evening was that the only points scored by wrestlers were on takedowns and escapes. There were no back points awarded in the dual (there would have been in the Grater vs. Berscheidt match if Grater would not have pinned his opponent before the points were awarded). Also, there were no points awarded for stalling or off cautions, making for an exciting night of action.
Fort Hays State opens its dual season next Friday (November 9) with a dual against NCAA Division I opponent Stanford University. The teams will meet in Topeka, Kan., at Shawnee Heights High School. After that, the Tigers will wrestle in several tournaments before getting back to dual action on January 4 against Colorado Mines in Hays.
