Wrestling | 2/9/2015 8:22:00 PM
PLAINVIEW, Texas – The Cowboys found themselves in a 9-8 deficit heading to the upper weights, but New Mexico Highlands wrestling team (10-6) took control at the upper weights, earning a five-match sweep and rolling to a 30-9 win on Monday night (Feb. 9) against Wayland Baptist (12-11).
After the first five matches, it all started with redshirt junior
Juan Alvarado at 165. Holding a slim 4-1 lead near the end of the second, Alvarado gets the takedown to take a 6-1 advantage into the third. He was able to get back points and takedowns at will in the third and got the tech fall and five team points to put Highlands in the lead, 13-9. As high scoring as the first matches were, junior
JB Bechtloff rode his opponent in the second and quickly escaped for the 2-0 win against Taylor Wattenbarger.
Senior
Easton Hargrave gave the Cowboys even more breathing room at 184. He got the first period takedown of Mitch Napier. Both wrestlers traded escapes the next two periods as Hargrave claimed the 3-1 win and Highlands went up 19-9.
Hargrave is 14-2 in 2015.
The match was clinched at 197 by redshirt sophomore
Jermey Misailegalu against Nik Gates. With Misailegalu up 6-2 in the third, he drove Gates to the mat and put Gates on his back. After some work, Misailegalu got the fall in 4:32 and the Cowboys 25-9 lead.
Redshirst sophomore
Cody Marquez ended the match in style with the Cowboys second tech fall. Tim McCutcheon got the early takedown, but Marquez got the reversal and hit back points from there. Marquez rode three reversals in the match to win 21-5 to give Highlands the 30-9 win.
In the first half of the match, Wayland Baptist took advantage of sudden victory to take the lead, but bonus points limited the deficit to just 9-8. Freshman
Victor Munoz had a wild match at 125 with Jacob Campa full of back points and reversals that saw neither wrestler take advantage. Tied at 11 going to sudden victory, Campa got the takedown for the 13-11 SV1 win and the Pioneers 3-0 lead. At 133, redshirt junior
Tre Humphrey went up with a first period takedown and two back points, but both wrestlers scored big as Humphrey's lead was cut to 10-8. However, Humphrey was able to get the takedown, back points and riding time to get the major, 18-8. Highlands led 4-3.
The Pioneers answered back with a pair of wins at 141 and 149, including a 3-1 SV1 win for Victor Thomas against redshirt freshman
Reis Humphrey at 149. However, a close match heading to the third period turned into a major for freshman
Kellen Pelzel against Kane Lovvorn at 157. He scored nine points in the third thanks to back points and riding point to get the 13-5 major and cut the deficit to 9-8.
The Cowboys return to action Thursday against Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference-foe Western State. First match is scheduled for 7 p.m.
125 – Jacob Campa (WB) won by decision vs
Victor Munoz (NMHU), 13-11 SV1 WB 3-0
133 –
Tre Humphrey (NMHU) won by major vs Andrew Porras (WB), 18-8 NMHU 4-3
141 – Chris Hart (WB) won by decision vs
Dan Gaylor (NMHU), 10-8 WB 6-4
149 – Victor Thomas (WB) won by decision vs
Reis Humphrey (NMHU), 3-1 SV1 WB 9-4
157 –
Kellen Pelzel (NMHU) won by major vs Kane Lovvorn (NMHU), 13-5 WB 9-8
165 –
Juan Alvarado (NMHU) tech falls Kyzer Delbusto (WB), 20-3 NMHU 13-9
174 –
JB Bechtloff (NMHU) won by decision vs Taylor Wattenbarger (WB), 2-0 NMHU 16-9
184 –
Easton Hargrave (NMHU) won by decision vs Mitch Napier (WB), 3-1 NMHU 19-9
197 –
Jermey Misailegalu (NMHU) pins Nik Gates (WB), 4:32 NMHU 25-9
285 –
Cody Marquez (NMHU) tech falled Tim McCutcheon (WB), 21-5
NMHU wins 30-9
