Mavericks Roll Past No. 3 Central Oklahoma, 26-9
EDMOND, Okla. -- The second-ranked UNO Maverick wrestling team won seven of 10 bouts, using a pair of major decisions and a Jacob Marrs' pin to capture a, 26-9, victory over third-ranked Central Oklahoma in a non-conference dual Friday night at Hamilton Fieldhouse.
UNO, which beat the Bronchos 25-13 on Jan. 13 at the NWCA National Duals, improved to 5-2 in duals on the year and will finish up their weekend road trip with a stop in Kearney, Neb. to take on in-state rival Nebraska-Kearney Saturday night at 8.
After battling injuries and illness for a majority of the season, Friday night’s match against UCO marked the return of a number of UNO wrestlers. No. 1-ranked Cody Garcia (125), and All-American Sim Bribieseca (141) were in the Maverick lineup after sitting out last weekend's duals against Augsburg and St. Cloud State with injuries, while No. 2 Ross Taplin (174) returned to the mat after an illness forced him to watch from the sidelines in Minnesota.
"It was good to get everyone in the lineup," said Maverick junior Todd Meneely. "It was really exciting."
Garcia, wrestling in a dual for the first time since an injury forced him out of the UNO lineup almost two years ago, got things going for the Mavericks early, dominating Broncho freshman Nick Rice at 125 pounds, and cruising to a 15-2 major decision.
The Bronchos took the next two bouts at 133 and 141 to move into the lead, 6-4, but held on to it only briefly. Meneely put he Mavericks back out in front, 8-6, with a 14-4 major decision at 149 pounds.
The Mavericks dropped a tough, 6-5, overtime decision at 157 pounds and fell behind the Bronchos by the slimmest of margins, 9-8, at the half-way point in the match.
But it was all UNO from there. The Mavericks dominated the second half of the match, winning all five of the bouts and pulling away from the defending national champs.
No. 3 Aaron Denson topped Paul Mayfield, 5-1, at 165 pounds, No. 2 Ross Taplin rebounded from his illness to capture an 8-4 decision at 174, while 184-pound No. 3 Brent Pankoke won a, 6-1, decision over No. 4 Heath Jolley. Jacob Marrs, ranked second at 197, jumped out to an early lead over Jarrett Edison only to suffer a late takedown that tied the bout. Knotted at 10-all in overtime, Marrs was able to get Edison on his back and record a fall just 19 seconds into sudden victory.
Heavyweight Tony Lewis put the exclamation point on the Maverick victory Friday night, avenging an earlier 4-2 loss at the NWCA National Duals. Lewis, ranked No. 8, upset fifth-ranked Dustin Finn, 5-3, and pushed the final score to 26-9.
Saturday's dual in Kearney, Neb. will once again be webcast live free of charge via the UNO athletic website, Jim Bayly will be calling the action live from the Nebraska-Kearney campus beginning at 8 p.m.
Results
125: Cody Garcia (UNO) major dec. Nick Rice (UCO), 15-2
133: Tim Elliott (UCO) dec. Mario Morgan (UNO), 9-3
141: Trey Branscum (UCO) dec. Sim Bribieseca (UNO), 8-5
149: Todd Meneely (UNO) major dec. Colby Robinson (UCO), 14-4
157: Jason Leavitt (UCO) dec. Henry Wahle (UNO), 6-5 (TB)
165: Aaron Denson (UNO) dec. Paul Mayfield (UCO), 5-1
174: Ross Taplin (UNO) dec. Daniel Morrison (UCO), 8-4
184: Brent Pankoke (UNO) dec. Heath Jolley (UCO), 6-1
197: Jacob Marrs (UNO) pinned Jarrett Edison (UCO), 7:19 (SV)
285: Tony Lewis (UNO) dec. Dustin Finn (UCO), 5-3
UNO, which beat the Bronchos 25-13 on Jan. 13 at the NWCA National Duals, improved to 5-2 in duals on the year and will finish up their weekend road trip with a stop in Kearney, Neb. to take on in-state rival Nebraska-Kearney Saturday night at 8.
After battling injuries and illness for a majority of the season, Friday night’s match against UCO marked the return of a number of UNO wrestlers. No. 1-ranked Cody Garcia (125), and All-American Sim Bribieseca (141) were in the Maverick lineup after sitting out last weekend's duals against Augsburg and St. Cloud State with injuries, while No. 2 Ross Taplin (174) returned to the mat after an illness forced him to watch from the sidelines in Minnesota.
"It was good to get everyone in the lineup," said Maverick junior Todd Meneely. "It was really exciting."
Garcia, wrestling in a dual for the first time since an injury forced him out of the UNO lineup almost two years ago, got things going for the Mavericks early, dominating Broncho freshman Nick Rice at 125 pounds, and cruising to a 15-2 major decision.
The Bronchos took the next two bouts at 133 and 141 to move into the lead, 6-4, but held on to it only briefly. Meneely put he Mavericks back out in front, 8-6, with a 14-4 major decision at 149 pounds.
The Mavericks dropped a tough, 6-5, overtime decision at 157 pounds and fell behind the Bronchos by the slimmest of margins, 9-8, at the half-way point in the match.
But it was all UNO from there. The Mavericks dominated the second half of the match, winning all five of the bouts and pulling away from the defending national champs.
No. 3 Aaron Denson topped Paul Mayfield, 5-1, at 165 pounds, No. 2 Ross Taplin rebounded from his illness to capture an 8-4 decision at 174, while 184-pound No. 3 Brent Pankoke won a, 6-1, decision over No. 4 Heath Jolley. Jacob Marrs, ranked second at 197, jumped out to an early lead over Jarrett Edison only to suffer a late takedown that tied the bout. Knotted at 10-all in overtime, Marrs was able to get Edison on his back and record a fall just 19 seconds into sudden victory.
Heavyweight Tony Lewis put the exclamation point on the Maverick victory Friday night, avenging an earlier 4-2 loss at the NWCA National Duals. Lewis, ranked No. 8, upset fifth-ranked Dustin Finn, 5-3, and pushed the final score to 26-9.
Saturday's dual in Kearney, Neb. will once again be webcast live free of charge via the UNO athletic website, Jim Bayly will be calling the action live from the Nebraska-Kearney campus beginning at 8 p.m.
Results
125: Cody Garcia (UNO) major dec. Nick Rice (UCO), 15-2
133: Tim Elliott (UCO) dec. Mario Morgan (UNO), 9-3
141: Trey Branscum (UCO) dec. Sim Bribieseca (UNO), 8-5
149: Todd Meneely (UNO) major dec. Colby Robinson (UCO), 14-4
157: Jason Leavitt (UCO) dec. Henry Wahle (UNO), 6-5 (TB)
165: Aaron Denson (UNO) dec. Paul Mayfield (UCO), 5-1
174: Ross Taplin (UNO) dec. Daniel Morrison (UCO), 8-4
184: Brent Pankoke (UNO) dec. Heath Jolley (UCO), 6-1
197: Jacob Marrs (UNO) pinned Jarrett Edison (UCO), 7:19 (SV)
285: Tony Lewis (UNO) dec. Dustin Finn (UCO), 5-3
