Lopers Top Tigers In Final Dual Of The Season
Feb. 19, 2008
The Fort Hays State wrestling squad hosted #4 ranked Nebraska-Kearney in its final dual of the 2007-08 season. The Tigers battled tough all night, but too many close matches swung in Kearney’s favor, giving the Lopers a 27-12 win in Hays on Tuesday night (February 19).
The dual began at 125 pounds. Michael Abril put UNK on the board first with an 11-7 decision over Kyle Patton. Then FHSU took the lead from the Lopers at 6-3, with Kearney open at 133 pounds, giving Blake Fisher the forfeit win.
Then, the Tigers looked hungry for a win after James Annon upset #3 ranked Jeff Rutledge at 141 pounds with a 6-5 decision. Annon and Rutledge were tied with less than 30 seconds remaining, and Rutledge had enough riding time to score a point after time expired. Annon needed a takedown to have any chance of winning the match and got it in the last 15 seconds. The win gave FHSU a 9-3 lead.
The lead would be short lived, though, with Josh Pfannenstiel losing to #6 Ryan Etherton of Nebraska-Kearney by fall at 2:08 in the 149-pound match. The dual was tied at 9-9.
At 157 pounds, Danny Grater nearly had #2 ranked Joe Ellenberger pinned twice and built a 9-1 lead by the end of the second period. But Ellenberger would somehow find a way to come all the way back and pass Grater for a 13-11 decision, getting three back points and a point for riding time just before time expired. The decision swung the momentum back in Kearney’s favor, with the Lopers leading 12-9.
Then, at 165 pounds, FHSU was on the verge of six points again when Troy Lussenhop had #8 ranked Keenan McCurdy in a near-pin position for about 20 seconds. But, McCurdy would fight back and nearly pin Lussenhop on a reversal. McCurdy came away with an 8-3 decision in the match to give UNK a 15-9 lead.
The 174 pound match was another thriller, as Blake Malloy and #3 ranked Marty Usman went to overtime. Each wrestler scored one escape point in regulation. Usman finally broke through with a takedown to score a 3-1 sudden victory in the extra period. It gave UNK an 18-9 lead.
At 184 pounds, Paul Sutton gave UNK a 21-9 lead with a 10-3 decision over Shawn Kuhlman.
The last thriller of the night came at 197 pounds with FHSU’s Tyler Gonzales against Derek Ross of UNK. Like the 174-pound match, the wrestlers each scored one escape point and were looking for a takedown inside the final minute of the match. Gonzales would get that takedown with just under 15 seconds remaining to score a 3-1 decision and put the dual score at 21-12. However, the decision was not enough to keep the Tigers in the dual.
At 285 pounds, #1 ranked and undefeated Tervel Dlagnev of UNK faced Dustin Martin. Martin gave a gutty effort, but Dlagnev would finally win by fall at 4:35 to give Nebraska-Kearney a 27-12 win in the dual.
The Tigers finished the dual season at 6-6 overall and 4-4 in the RMAC. Nebraska-Kearney went to 12-6 overall and 6-2 in the RMAC.
Five Fort Hays State seniors were recognized before the match with it being their last year in the program. Those wrestlers included Eric Johnson, Dustin Martin, Kyle Patton, Josh Pfannenstiel and Lyndon Wagner.
