DES MOINES, IOWA – Thursday night started off the dual season for your top ranked Vikings as they hosted a tri-dual in Sisam Arena. Grand View faced off against #21 ranked Central Methodist University (CMU) and the Chargers of Briar Cliff University. The Vikings show dominance in their early bought with large victories over both schools.
#1 Grand View University vs. #21 Central Methodist
Grand View started the night receiving forfeits at 125 and 133. This had No. 4 Carson Taylor leading off the night. Taylor came out with wonderful offensive attacks and showed he is adjusting well into the 141-pound weight class. Taylor received a Tech Fall (TF) over No. 23 Arojae Hart. No. 3 Cole Ferguson followed with an impressive match, but fell just short of a TF, defeating Alex Walker 20-6. Easton Larson gets the first decision of the night, wrestling freshman Drake Jenkins to an 11-4 match. At 165 pounds, Cam Robinson makes his debut in Sisam Arena to battle Jace Brownlow. Robinson was all smiles on the night as he earned five team points for the Vikings in a 24-8 TF. Our first loss of the night came at 174 pounds as No. 10 Braden Anderson took on No. 6 Roman Garcia. Anderson was stalking and pressuring Garcia the entire match. He gave up a takedown on the edge earlier in the match and couldn't recover in time. Though Anderson didn't get it done; his pace stood out tonight as he looks to get into a rhythm moving forward. At 184 pounds, we may have had the biggest roar of the night. Lucas Hageman represented the red and black to face No. 22 Sincere Hall-Osbourne of CMU. Hageman's relentless pace was the key factor in this one. He continued to move forward and wear on Hall-Osbourne, and eventually cracked the wall. Hageman gets a win over a ranked opponent in 11-5 decision. Defending national champion No. 1 Garavous Kouekabakilaho (GK) took on Jake Henson at 197 pounds. GK showed complete control the whole match, finding his turns on top. GK didn't let up a point in this one, finding a tech fall early into the second period, 17-0. Rounding the Vikings off in dual one of the night was Carter Smuck. Smuck bumped up to heavyweight, but CMU had the same idea, having Jacob Ruff wrestle the 285 bought tonight. Smuck showed fight all match, leading most of the way. Ruff found a takedown as the buzzer sounded to take them into overtime. Smuck couldn't find any attacks through the tough hand fighting and the match went into a second overtime. Smuck chose down for his first 30 seconds but was not able to escape, leaving Ruff with 30 seconds of riding time. The coaches decide to give Ruff the escape to start the second 30 and try to find a takedown to win the match. Smuck came up just short but with a great effort. Grand View finished on top 37-6.
RESULTS
125, Gabe Gonzales over Unknown (For.)
133, Jackson Cockrell over Unknown (For.)
141, Carson Taylor over Arojae Hart (Central Methodist) (TF 19-2 6:51)
149, Cole Ferguson over Alex Walker (Central Methodist) (MD 20-6)
157, Easton Larson over Drake Jenkins (Central Methodist) (Dec 11-4)
165, Cam Robinson over Jace Brownlow (Central Methodist) (TF 24-8 3:47)
174, Roman Garcia (Central Methodist) over Braden Anderson (Dec 7-4)
184, Lucas Hageman over Sincere Hall-Osbourne (Central Methodist) (Dec 11-5)
197, Garavous Kouekabakilaho over Jake Henson (Central Methodist) (TF 17-0 3:24)
285, Jacob Ruff (Central Methodist) over Carter Smuck (TB-1 8-4)
FINAL
GVU – 37 | CMU – 6
#1 Grand View University vs. Briar Cliff
Grand View continued their winning ways into the second dual of the night versus the Chargers. Braden Graff got us started at 125 pounds, but injury defaulted out of the match at about the mid-way point of the second period. Graff looked great until then and we hope to see him on the mat soon. At 133 pounds, Cockrell did have an opponent this go around, defeating Dariuz Black in a 20-4 TF. The two represent the same hometown of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Taylor was in the lineup again for this one, and didn't need long at all! Taylor found a fall in 35 seconds over Evan Fuchs and showed some emotion as he exited off. Ferguson kept the energy flowing as he rolls over Tyler Fouts by tech fall and gives a bow to the crowd at Sisam. This started train, as Grand View finds three more technical falls in a row. Easton Larson finds a 19-4 tech over Brandon Harris. No. 4 Dylan Whitt matches Larson with a 19-4 victory over Jackson Balmer. And defending national champion, No.1 Alex Reynolds tacks on 18 points to a TF over Erik Lessears. Hageman turned it on again for the Vikings at 184, breaking his opponent with pace yet again. Hageman found a pin in the second period over Ethan Gregg and was 2-0 for the night. GK joined the fun, winning his second match of the evening with a first period fall. Smuck ended the night for the Vikings at 285 and showed some toughness. He matched up against No. 9 Alton Allen and the weight difference was hard to compete with. Smuck went out with no excuses though, fighting every second of the match. He came up short with a major decision victory for Allen to end the dual. Your Vikings won with a final score of 43-9.
RESULTS
125, Dante Rigal (Briar Cliff (Iowa)) over Braden Graff (Inj. 4:01)
Unsportsmanlike conduct (-1 team point BCU)
133, Jackson Cockrell over Dariuz Black (Briar Cliff (Iowa)) (TF 20-4 5:23)
141, Carson Taylor over Evan Fuchs (Briar Cliff (Iowa)) (Fall 0:35)
149, Cole Ferguson over Tyler Fouts (Briar Cliff (Iowa)) (TF 17-1 3:57)
157, Easton Larson over Brandon Harris (Briar Cliff (Iowa)) (TF 19-4 7:00)
165, Dylan Whitt over Jackson Balmer (Briar Cliff (Iowa)) (TF 19-4 4:24)
174, Alex Reynolds over Erik Lessears (Briar Cliff (Iowa)) (TF 18-3 2:29)
184, Lucas Hageman over Ethan Gregg (Briar Cliff (Iowa)) (Fall 4:40)
197, Garavous Kouekabakilaho over Nathan Adras (Briar Cliff (Iowa)) (Fall 2:41)
285, Alton Allen (Briar Cliff (Iowa)) over Carter Smuck (MD 11-3)
FINAL
GVU – 43 | BCU - 9
