LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Nov. 30, 2018) – The Wyoming wrestling team finished off day one at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Friday at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
 
After day one, Wyoming is tied for sixteenth on the team scoreboard with 36.5 points and five wrestlers still alive in the wrestlebacks. The Cowboys put five grapplers into the round of 16 and three into the quarterfinals on the event's first day.
 
The day opened with a successful round of pigtails in which the Pokes went 3-1. Cowboys Cole Verner—seeded 11^th—and Dewey Krueger opened their tournaments with pins. Verner recorded a fall over Fresno State's Robert Garcia in sudden victory, while Krueger decked Campbell's Matthew Dallara in 3:31. Jaron Jensen also picked up a 4-3 decision over Harvard's Brock Wilson. At 197, Cale Davidson faced a tough challenge against third ranked and top-seeded Kollin Moore of Ohio State, dropping a 17-5 major decision.
 
Five Cowboys were victorious in the round of 32, highlighted by a pair of upsets from Sam Turner and Jeramy Sweany. Turner edged 16^th-ranked Yahya Thomas of Northwestern, 2-0, in his first bout of the tourney. Andrews picked up a late takedown and ride-out to lock up the first ranked win of his career over No. 11 Jeramy Sweany. Also victorious was Verner, who snagged his second win of the day in an 11-6 decision over Northern Colorado's Sean Cannon. Krueger added another bonus point win in a 16-1 technical fall over Duke's Brandon Leynaud, and Branson Ashworth handled Aidan Monteverdi of Binghamton, 10-3.
 
Ashworth picked up the 100^th win of his career in his round of 16 match to move on to the quarterfinals. The senior picked up a 15-0 technical fall in the third period to claim his spot in the quarters. Sam Turner advanced to the quarterfinals as well, moving on after No. 8 Matt Findlay of Utah Valley was forced to medically forfeit. Andrews added his name to the list of Cowboys in the quarters, taking down Deuce Rachal of Illinois.
 
The Pokes finished off the tournament's opening session with wins from Krueger, Davidson and Montorie Bridges. After a tough start in his first match of the day, Bridges picked up a 15-4 major decision over Western Wyoming's Joey RevellI before an 8-3 decision over Oregon State's Kegan Calkins. Krueger bounced back from a loss in the round of 16 with a 4-3 win against Isaiah Hokit of Fresno State. Davidson kept it rolling with a pair of wins over Minnesota's Dylan Anderson and Central Michigan's Landon Pelham.
 
With six wrestlers alive, Wyoming got to the end of the first session with a team score of 33.5 points, good for a tie for fourth with Northern Iowa and Virginia Tech.
 
In the quarterfinals, the Cowboys couldn't get a win against a trio of top-15 opponents. Turner fell in a 14-3 major to No. 7 Michael Carr of Illinois. No. 14 Mekhi Lewis of Virginia Tech scored a decisive takedown on Ashworth in the third period to take the 3-1 win, and Brian Andrews dropped a 6-2 decision to No. 15 David Tate Orndorff of Utah Valley.
 
A bright spot in the second session was impressive wins from Bridges and Davidson. Bridges dropped No. 19 Ben Thornton of Purdue, 6-3, while Davidson decked Izaak Shedenhelm of Northern Iowa to stay alive.
 
The second day of action at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational begins Saturday at 10 a.m. MT.
 
Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational – Day One Results
Nov. 30, 2018  |  Las Vegas Convention Center  |  Las Vegas, Nev.
 
Round of 64
125: No. 20 Cole Verner (WYO) fall Robert Garcia (FS) 7:35, SV1
149: Jaron Jensen (WYO) dec. Brock Wilson (Harvard) 4-3
157: No. 19 Dewey Krueger (WYO) fall Matthew Dallara (CAMP) 3:31
197: No. 3 Kollin Moore (OSU) MD Cale Davidson (WYO) 17-5
 
Round of 32
125: No. 20 Cole Verner (WYO) dec. Sean Cannon (UNCO) 11-6
133: Noah Gonser (CAMP) dec. No. 11 Montorie Bridges (WYO) 4-0
141: Sam Turner (WYO) dec. No. 16 Yahya Thomas (NW) 2-0
149: No. 20 Jared Prince (NAVY) TF Jaron Jensen (WYO) 17-2, 5:39
157: No. 19 Dewey Krueger (WYO) TF Brandon Leynaud (DUKE) 16-1, 6:47
165: No. 6 Branson Ashworth (WYO) dec. Aidan Monteverdi (BING) 10-3
174: Gregg Harvey, Jr. (PITT) dec. Hayden Hastings (WYO) 4-3
184: Owen Webster (MINN) dec. Carless Looney (WYO) 5-4
HWT: Brian Andrews (WYO) dec. No. 11 Jeramy Sweany (CORN) 3-2
 
Round of 16
125: No. 11 Travis Piotrowski (ILL) dec. No. 20 Cole Verner (WYO) 9-7
141: Sam Turner (WYO) MFF No. 8 Matt Findlay (UVU)
157: No. 8 Taleb Rahmani (PITT) dec. No. 19 Dewey Krueger (WYO) 7-3
165: No. 6 Branson Ashworth (WYO) TF Joshua Kim (HARV) 15-0, 5:41
HWT: Brian Andrews (WYO) dec. Deuce Rachal (ILL) 2-0
 
Quarterfinals
141: No. 7 Michael Carr (ILL) MD Sam Turner (WYO) 14-3
165: No. 14 Mekhi Lewis (VT) dec. No. 6 Branson Ashworth (WYO) 3-1
HWT: No. 15 David Tate Orndorff (UVU) dec. Brian Andrews (WYO) 6-2
 
Consolation Round of 32 #2
174: Hayden Hastings (WYO) TF Kettner Fields (HC) 17-2, 6:13
197: Cale Davidson (WYO) dec. Danny Salas (FS) 3-0
 
Consolation Round of 16 #1
133: No. 11 Montorie Bridges (WYO) MD Joey Revelli (WWCC) 15-4
149: Jaron Jensen (WYO) MD Davion Jeffries (OKLA) 15-3
174: Hayden Hastings (WYO) dec. Lorenzo De La Riva (NDSU)
184: Carless Looney (WYO) dec. Dylan Wisman (MIZZ) 7-6
197: Cale Davidson (WYO) dec. Dylan Anderson (MINN) 6-3
 
Consolation Round of 16 #2
125: Trey Keeley (BROWN) dec. No. 20 Cole Verner (WYO) 15-9
133: No. 11 Montorie Bridges (WYO) dec. Kegan Calkins (ORE ST) 8-3
149: Requir van der Merwe (STAN) dec. Jaron Jensen (WYO) 3-1
157: No. 19 Dewey Krueger (WYO) dec. Isaiah Hokit (FS) 4-3
174: No. 18 Kimball Bastian (UVU) dec. Hayden Hastings (WYO) 3-2
184: Jackson Hemauer (FS) MD Carless Looney (WYO) 12-2
197: Cale Davidson (WYO) dec. Landon Pelham (CMU) 7-3
 
Consolation Round of 8 #1
133: No. 11 Montorie Bridges (WYO) dec. No. 19 Ben Thornton (PUR) 6-3
157: No. 5 KeShawn Hayes (OSU) MD No. 19 Dewey Krueger (WYO) 12-3
197: Cale Davidson (WYO) fall Izaak Shedenhelm (UNI) 8:27, TB1