No Rest for the Weary as Wrestling Takes on a Pair of Ranked Teams

Wrestling | 2/12/2015 1:06:00 AM

FEB. 12 at WESTERN STATE: LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
FEB. 12 at WESTERN STATE: LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO


GUNNISON and GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The New Mexico Highlands wrestling team (10-6, 2-4 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) will go right from the frying pan into the fryer when they travel north to battle #7 Western State (9-2, 5-1 RMAC) Thursday (Feb. 12) and #6 Colorado Mesa Friday (Feb. 13). Both duals are set for 7 p.m.
 
"We have two two ranked opponents in the RMAC to finish off the season. We have our work cut out for us, but we'll go in there and battle and do the best that we can," head coach Doug Moses explained. "We'll get through this weekend and prepare for the regional tournament. We will finish this week strong and go in there and get some more experience.
 
"Steel is forged by heat, so the more we wrestle, it will help us at the regional tournament. All we can do is go in there and hope for the best," Moses added.
 
With the two matches against ranked squads, it will conclude a stretch of nine dual matches in 15 days. Through the first seven matches, the Cowboys are 4-3 with huge wins against conference rivals – and the first since the program's reinstatement – Adams State and Chadron State. So far, weights 165+ are 23-11 combined, including 13-2 in the last three dual matches alone. It was a sweep of those weights, and a major at 157, that propelled the Cowboys to erase a 9-4 deficit to beat Wayland Baptist in Texas, 30-9.
 
"Down 9-8 at intermission, we took the team back in the locker room and collected our thoughts and got these guys ready to go," Moses said. "We told them they have to come out with a purpose and they did. We have been pretty solid at the upper weights with Cody at heavyweight. Jermey has done a good job filling in and Easton has been solid the last few weeks. We are really balanced up there and makes for a good run and makes things look close at first, but we come on strong. Those guys have done a good job."
 
To read more about the win against Wayland Baptist, click here.
 
Senior Easton Hargrave, who is 17-9 this season overall and 5-1 in RMAC matches, is has been stellar since the calendar has turned to 2015. He is 14-2 and is on a seven-match winning streak.
 
Redshirt sophomore Jermey Misailegalu has wrestled in the last four duals for Highlands at 197 and is 2-2 during that time. That includes a second period pin against Wayland Baptist.
 
"Jermey has not had a lot of experience wrestling as he wrestled in high school and here. He is very athletic. Against Wayland, he pitched the guy to his back and he had a throw late against Chadron to seal the match. Willson from Colorado Mines is solid, but Jermey battled. Technically, he is a light 197 so he has hung in there and he has come through for us," Moses said.
 
The 10 team dual wins on the season is the most wins in a year since the program was reinstated a decade ago.
 
"This year we have a good balance and a good mix," Moses said. "Easton is our lone senior but Tre Humphrey, Juan Alvarado and Dan Gaylor are in their fourth year being here. We have some young freshman like Reis Humphrey and Kellen Pelzel so we have a good mix. Cody is a redshirt sophomore, so we have balance at every weight class to be competitive. That is what it takes to win duals. I am real pleased how we have wrestled as a team throughout the duals this whole year."
 
Probable Starters
 
New Mexico Highlands
125 – freshman Victor Munoz or redshirt freshman Trevor Perez
133 – redshirt junior Tre Humphrey
141 - redshirt junior Dan Gaylor
149 - redshirt freshman Reis Humphrey
157 – freshman Kellen Pelzel
165 - redshirt junior Juan Alvarado
174 – junior JB Bechtloff
184 – senior Easton Hargrave
197 - redshirt sophomore Jermey Misailegalu
285 – redshirt sophomore Cody Marquez
 
 
Western State Probable Starters
 
125 – Trent Piatt              
133 – Zach Shank             
141 – Corbin Bennetts  
149 – Ian Steen
157 – Shawn Beiriger
165 – Austin Harris or Travis Bradford
174 – #2 Elliott Copeland
184 – #5 Kyle Piatt          
197 – #6 Sam Mangum
285 – Peter Anguiano    
 
 
Colorado Mesa Wrestling Probables
 
125 – Colby Christensen
133 – Jonathon Stelling
141 – Daniel Salazar
149 – Drew Schumann or Nick Swanson
157 – #3 James Martinez
165 – Jessie Hoffschneider or Bruno Nicoletti
174 – Randy Boerner
184 – Mitch Wyatt or Willy Holdren
197 – Paco Retana
285 – #8 Jordan Passehl
 
 
Next Up
 
The Cowboys wrestlers will have two weeks off before returning to action at the NCAA West Regional (Feb. 27-28) in Pueblo, Colorado.