Las Vegas, New Mexico - The Cowboys dropped a 32-10 decision to visiting Western Colorado on Friday evening in the Wilson Complex. With the loss, New Mexico Highlands moves to 6-5 overall and 0-4 in RMAC play, while Western Colorado improves to 8-4 overall and 2-1 in the conference. Both teams entered the match up among those receiving votes in the most recent NWCA Division II Top 25.
New Mexico Highlands earned three individual wins on the night, highlighted by victories from
Terrell Kinlicheenie at 141 pounds and
Ivan Smith at 165, along with a dramatic come-from-behind decision by
Devin Kinlicheenie at 197.
Devin Kinlicheenie delivered the Cowboys' most thrilling performance of the evening, erasing a 13-1 deficit to claim a 17-16 decision at 197 pounds. Kinlicheenie scored the final three points in the closing seconds to complete the remarkable comeback.
RV Western Colorado 32, RV New Mexico Highlands 10
125: Devin Gomez (WCU) over
Diego Camarillo (NMH) (Dec 8-5)
133: Zachary Bates (WCU) over
James Romero-Montoya (NMH) (MD 13-2)
141:
Terrell Kinlicheenie (NMH) over Celestino Gonzales (WCU) (Dec 7-4)
149: Eyan Chavez (WCU) over Samuel Eveland (NMH) (MD 14-4)
157: #11 Vincent Cabral (WCU) over
Reed McCarty (NMH) (TF 20-4 4:55)
165: #8
Ivan Smith Jr. (NMH) over Jacob Blandford (WCU) (MD 12-2)
174: Miles Harris (WCU) over
Naithan Gurule (NMH) (Fall 3:35)
184: Hunter Richardson (WCU) over MIchael Santos (NMH) (Fall 2:33)
197:
Devin Kinlicheenie (NMH) over Sage Harrison (WCU) (Dec 17-16)
285: Riley Dean-Butt (WCU) over Phillip Chobot (NMH) (MD 13-5)
*Individual Rankings from NWCA
The Cowboys are off until February 11th when they travel to Alamosa to face Adams State at 6:00 pm.
