RENO, Nev. (Dec. 17, 2017) – Thanks to five top-three finishes, the University of Wyoming wrestling program took second place at the 2017 Reno Tournament of Champions on Sunday.
 
"We started off aggressive this morning and picked up bonus points," head coach Mark Branch said. "At that point, I was happy with the way things were going and the direction we were headed. From then on I thought we stayed consistent and our guys fed of each other."
 
Senior Bryce Meredith (141 pounds), junior Branson Ashworth (165 pounds) and redshirt freshman Montorie Bridges (133 pounds) led the Pokes with first-place finishes at their respective weights, while seniors Archie Colgan (157 pounds) and Chaz Polson (184 pounds) took third for the Brown and Gold. UW racked up 140 points to finish behind No. 6 North Carolina State (192 points) in the team standings. Of Wyoming's 19 wrestlers that competed on Sunday, 14 recorded a bonus-point victory in their opening round match.
 
"To have that many guys competing that late in the day in the semifinals was great," Branch added. "Montorie (Bridges), Bryce (Meredith) and Branson (Ashworth) had outstanding tournaments. They each had big wins that will help with seeding in the tournaments later in the season. Overall, we did well and I hope we can continue with that momentum as the season progresses."
 
Bridges posted a perfect 5-0 mark at the tournament to capture his crown. He flew past the competition early with bonus-points in his first three bouts. Bridges would ultimately earn a solid 10-4 decision over Tariq Wilson of NC State in the finals.
 
Meredith ran through the competition to earn his title at 141 pounds. Meredith's first three wins came via pins to push him to the semifinals. He then earned a 3-2 decision over No. 5 Jaydin Eierman (Missouri) before upsetting former teammate and No. 2 Kevin Jack (NC State) in the finals.
 
As expected, Ashworth went 5-0 and finished first at 165 pounds with a 6-1 decision over Conner Flynn of Missouri. He appeared ahead of the game with up two impressive pins in his first two matches of the day, and then followed with a tech fall in the quarterfinals.
 
Colgan had a standout afternoon for the Pokes. He went 4-1 with two bonus-point victories to finish third at 157 pounds. Colgan, who currently has 96 career victories, moved into 20th all-time in wins at Wyoming. Polson was 4-1 to finish third at 184 pounds for the Brown and Gold. He claimed third-place with an 11-6 decision of Bob Coleman on Sunday night. Pope, who had three bonus-points victories to take fourth with a 3-2 record in Reno. Pope tried to match Polson and Colgan with a third-place finish, but fell to Danial Bullard (NC State) to end the day.
 
Freshman Hayden Hastings was one of five Pokes to wrestle unattached on Sunday. He led the way with a sixth-place finish at 165 pounds. Hastings picked up four wins at the tournament, three of those bonus-points. His first loss came to teammate Ashworth in the quarterfinals and then dropped a decision to Brian Hamann (NC State) in the fifth-place bout.
 
The Pokes will be back in action on Tuesday as they meet No. 3 Oklahoma State in Cheyenne for a 7 p.m. dual at Storey Gym.
 
Wyoming Results
Drake Foster, 3-2
Foster fall Robert Garcia (unattached), 4:09
Foster dec. Josiah Seaton (CSU-Pueblo), 10-3
Daton Fix (unattached) major Foster, 19-5
Foster no contest Paul Bianchi (NDSU)
Robert Garcia (unattached) dec. Foster, 3-2
 
Trent Olson, 2-2
Olson dec. Paul Bianchi (NDSU), 803
Dack Punke (unattached) dec. Olson, 3-1
Olson tech. Tanner Kukertz (CSU-Pueblo), 16-0
Brandon Courtney (unattached) fall Olson, 5:00
 
Montorie Bridges, 5-0 – First Place
Bridges fall Austin Dodson (Providence), 2:15
Bridges fall Chris Sandoval (unattached), 5:47
Bridges major McGwire Midkiff (NDSU), 13-5
Bridges dec. Jamel Morris (NC State), 12-5
Bridges dec. Tariq Wilson (NC State), 10-4
 
Bryce Meredith, 5-0 – First Place
Meredith fall Brandon Hertz (Pacific), 0:27
Meredith fall Josh Solomon (unattached), 1:24
Meredith fall Zach Barnes (unattached), 1:48
Meredith dec. No. 5 Jaydin Eierman (Missouri), 3-2
Meredith dec. No. 2 Kevin Jack (NC State), 4-2
 
Sam Turner, 2-2
Turner tech. Joseph Alexander (Simpson), 15-0
Turner dec. Josh Cortez (Cal Poly), 2-1
Boo Lewallen (unattached) major Turner, 19-4
Mitch Bengtson (NDSU) fall Turner, 0:50
 
Jaron Jensen, 3-2
Jensen major Connor Noonan (Oregon State), 9-1
Jensen fall Marquell Parks (unattached), 4:39
Jason Tsirtsis (ASU) dec. Jensen, 4-0
Jensen dec. Gavin Mendez (CSU-Pueblo), 11-4
Khristian Olivas (Fresno State) dec. Jensen, 6-5
 
Archie Colgan, 4-1 – Third Place
Colgan major Casey Dobson (Providence), 13-3
Colgan fall Nick Megen (NDSU), 3:16
Colgan dec. Alex Mossing (Air Force), 3-2
Joey Lavelle (Missouri) dec. Colgan, 4-2
Colgan over Dayton Racer (Clackamas), medical forfeit
 
Ben Hornickle, 3-2
Hornickle fall Jasiah Williams (Clackamas), 1:30
Requir van der Merwe (Stanford) fall Hornickle, 6:30
Hornickle tech. Blake Boswell (unattached), 18-3
Hornickle dec. Doug Gudenburr (Citadel), 6-4
Jamal Moss (NC State) major Hornickle, 11-3
 
Dewey Krueger, 5-2
Rian Burris (Citadel) dec. Krueger, 9-6
Krueger tech. Isaiah Diggs (Clackamas), 17-2
Krueger fall Hunter Hodges (Southern Oregon), 1:38
Krueger dec. Parker Simington (Air Force), 11-4
Krueger forfeit Kyle Fanitn (CSU-Pueblo)
Krueger fall Sam McLikian (NC State), 0:28
Alex Mossing (Air Force) dec. Krueger, 9-8
 
Branson Ashworth, 5-0 – First Place
Ashworth fall Michael Lopouchanski (Citadel), 0:52
Ashworth fall Beau Colombini (unattached), 0:52
Ashworth tech. Hayden Hastings (unattached), 19-3
Ashworth dec. Quentin Perez (Campbell), 8-1
Asworth dec. Connor Flynn (Missouri), 6-1
 
Kyle Pope, 3-2 – Fourth Place
Pope tech. Patrick Romero (Colorado Mesa), 16-1
Pope fall Matt McGillick (Citadel), 4:18
Pope major Brandon Martino (unattached), 11-3
Kimball Bastian (unattached) dec. Pope, 6-5
Danial Bullard (NC State) major Pope, 14-6
 
Chaz Polson, 4-1 – Third Place
Polson fall Chasen Blair (unattached), 5:12
Polson tech. Angel Solis (Fresno State), 16-0
Polson tech. Trevor Senn (unattached), 16-0
No. 3 Peter Renda (NC State) fall Polson, 0:48
Polson dec. Bob Coleman (unattached), 11-6
 
Cody Vigoren, 3-2
Vigoren fall Adam Rateb (Oregon State), 3:46
Vigroen major Keavon Buckley (unattached), 8-0
Cordell Eaton (NDSU) dec. Vigoren, 9-4
Vigoren fall John Hensley (Providence), 2:40
Dalton Robertson (unattached) major Vigoren, 11-0
 
Hunter Mullins, 1-2
Mullins fall Jack Farley (Pacific), 5:29
Jere Heino (Campbell) dec. Mullins, 8-1
Trevor Rasmussen (Stanford) dec. Mullins, 8-3
 
Unattached
Carless Looney, 0-2
Luke Funck (Campbell) fall Looney, 1:27
Austin Harris (unattached) dec. Looney, 8-1
 
Casey Randles, 3-2
Dominic Kincaid (Fresno State) dec. Randles, 4-0
Randles major Myles Terry, 10-2
Randles tech. Matt McGillick (Citadel), 20-5
Randles dec. Conner Small (ASU), 11-4
Bruno Nicoletti (Colorado Mesa) dec. Randles, 5-3
 
Hayden Hastings, 4-2 – Sixth Place
Hastings tech. Kolsem Welham (unattached), 16-0
Hastings fall Aaron Olmos (unattached), 2:54
Branson Ashworth (Wyoming) tech. Hastings, 19-3
Hastings major Jake Disher (unattached), 9-0
Hastings over Isaiah Holt (Fresno State), medical forfeit
Brian Hamann (NC State) dec. Hastings, 10-6
 
Jed Loveless, 3-2
Parker Simington (Air Force) dec. Loveless, 11-5
Loveless dec. Greg Gaxiola (Fresno State), 4-1
Loveless fall Dom Mandarino (unattached), 6:05
Loveless dec. Oliver Pierce (ASU), 3-2
Hunter Willits (Oregon State) major Loveless, 9-1
 
Ronnie Stevens, 2-2
Sawyer Degen (unattached) dec. Stevens, 2-0
Stevens major Balagso Christian (Southwest Oregon), 12-3
Stevens dec. Landon Bailey (MSU-Northern), 8-4
Chris Sandoval (unattached) dec. Stevens, 3-2