USAFA, Colo. (Nov. 16, 2019) – The Wyoming wrestling team opened up its 2019-20 dual season and Big 12 action Saturday night as the Cowboys rode a hot start on the way to a 21-12 victory over Air Force in Colorado Springs.
The Pokes opened the dual winning the first four bouts and 5-of-6. UW had three bonus-point victories in those first four bouts. Starting at 174 pounds, No. 14 Hayden Hastings opened the night with a major decision victory over Cody Surratt, 9-1. Hastings jumped on Surratt early, gaining a first period takedown to take an early 2-0 lead into the second. After an escape from Surratt in the second, Hastings took control with two more takedowns in the period, followed by another in the third. Hastings also grabbed the Riding Time bonus in the win.
At 184, No. 18 Tate Samuelson took care of Jake Thompson 5-1. The first two periods of the bout were pretty uneventful other than a penalty point in the second rewarded to Samuelson. Samuelson opened things up in the third with an escape, followed quickly with a takedown to go up 4-0. Thompson only scored on an escape late in the match and Samuelson was also rewarded a Riding Time point.
Stephen Buchanan at 197 continued his impressive beginning to the season, winning 15-3 over Casey Jumps. After Jumps opened the contest with a takedown, Buchanan quickly went to work, making the score 2-1 with an escape before taking the lead for good with a takedown and led 3-2 heading into the second period. In that period, Buchanan took control with a four-point nearfall before busting the match wide open, scoring seven points in the final period, including the Riding Time bonus. With the win, Buchanan improves to 9-0 on the young season.
At heavyweight, Brian Andrews grabbed Wyoming's third bonus-point victory, winning 12-1 over Kayne Hutchison. Andrews went to work early in his matchup, leading 6-1 at the end of the first period, thanks to a takedown and three-point nearfall. Andrews was workmanlike the rest of the match, grabbing a takedown in each of the second and third periods to go along with an escape and riding time.
After a loss at 125, Montorie Bridges got the Cowboys back on track with a 3-2 win at 133 over Jared Van Vleet. After a scoreless first, Bridges' second period escape gave him a 1-0 lead. However, Bridges would give up an escape early in the third to make the bout 1-1 before a takedown reclaimed the lead, 3-1 and he was able to hold on from there after a Van Vleet escape.
Leading 18-3 at that point, AFA got a win at 141 as Lenny Petersen defeated Chase Zollmann, 5-3 to make the dual 15-6. Jaron Jensen would get a big 6-4 win at 149 over AFA's Dylan Martinez. Jensen would win behind the strength of a first and third period takedown and a pair of escapes in the second period.
Jensen's win would be the final of the evening for the Cowboys as the Falcons took decisions at both 157 and 165 pounds as Logan Jensen and Dewey Krueger, respectively, were defeated.
The win marks the second consecutive season that the Pokes have won their season-opening dual. It also makes the Cowboys 12-0 all-time against the Falcons under Head Coach Mark Branch. UW will return to action Friday as it travels to face the fifth-ranked Huskers.
Wyoming 21, Air Force 12
Nov. 16, 2019 | Colorado Springs, Colo.
174: No. 14 Hayden Hastings (WYO) MD Cody Surratt (AF) 9-1
184: No. 18 Tate Samuelson (WYO) dec. Jake Thompson (AF) 5-1
197: Stephen Buchanan (WYO) MD Casey Jumps (AF) 15-3
HWT: No. 14 Brian Andrews (WYO) MD No. 24 Kayne Hutchison 12-1
125: No. 16 Sidney Flores (AF) dec. No. 18 Cole Verner (6-3)
133: No. 7 Montorie Bridges (WYO) dec. Jared Van Vleet (AF) 3-2)
141: No. 25 Lenny Petersen (AF) dec. Chase Zollmann (WYO) 5-3
149: Jaron Jensen (WYO) dec. Dylan Martinez (AF) 6-4
157: Trey Brisker (AF) dec. Logan Jensen (WYO) 6-3
165: No. 30 Randy Meneweahter (AF) dec. Dewey Krueger (WYO) 4-2
-WYO-
