Mountaineers sweep at Tracy Borah Duals

GUNNISON, Colo. Western Colorado swept all four of its matches Saturday in the 32nd Tracy Borah Duals, winning by an average score of 35-10 over Simon Fraser University, University of Findlay (Ohio), San Francisco State University and Minot State (ND) University.

The Mountaineers hosted the event – ​​which also included nearly 300 high school wrestlers – in the Mountaineer Field House.

Cole Hernandez, No. 9 in the 174-pound weight class of the National Wrestling Coaches Association’s national Division II rankings, recorded a first-period fall in each of his four matches.

JUST THE FACTS

Final scores: Western def. Simon Fraser, 38-12; Western def. Findlay, 39-9; Western def. SF State, 28-12; Western def. Minot State, 35-9

Location: Mountaineer Field House, Gunnison, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Western vs. Simon Fraser

• The Mountaineers opened with an 11-0 lead, earning a forfeit at 125 followed by Alex Alvarez’ 19-2 tech fall at 133.
• The Red Leafs cut into their deficit with a first-period fall at 141, but Jason Hanenberg initiated a string of six bouts with which Western put away the match. Hanenberg earned a second-period fall at 149, followed by Ryan Wilson’s 9-5 decision at 157.
• A 16-0 tech fall for Hunter Mullin at 165 increased the gap, and Hernandez padded the lead with a first-period pin at 174.
• And finally, Pratt Williams at 184, with a 5-2 decision, and Porter Fox’ 9-0 major at 197 capped the six-bout win streak.

Western vs. Findlay

• The Oilers earned the opening match points in a 13-12 sudden victory at 125, but Western took control with four consecutive falls.
• Alex Alvarez got things going with a first-period fall at 133, and Dean Noble did the same at 141. Hanenberg recorded the fastest fall of the four-bout string, finishing his match at the 2-minute mark with a pin. Wilson closed out the streak with a fall one minute into the second period.
• Although it wasn’t a pin, Mullin made it five consecutive wins with a 5-1 decision at 165, followed by yet another pin at 174 with Hernandez earning the fall in the closing seconds of the first period.
• Findlay won decisions at 184 and 285, sandwiched around an early third-period fall for Fox at 197 that finished off the Mountaineers’ scoring.

Western vs. SF State

• The Gators took a bite out of Western at both 125 and 133 with a tech fall and a decision that opened up an 8-0 lead, but Western roared back with majors at 141 and 149.
• Noble led 3-2 after one, 6-2 after two, and with the riding time point earned an 11-3 win at 141. And Hanenberg led only 4-0 after two before adding four points and the riding point in the third to make it two majors in a row with his 9-1 victory.
• The lead grew again with Wilson’s 6-1 decision at 157 and again with Mullin at 165 when he recorded a 20-4 tech fall that doubled up the Gators on the scoreboard, 16-8. Hernandez made it five in a row for Western by recording a fall with one second remaining in the first period of the 174 bout.
• SF State halted the streak with a major at 184 but Fox clinched the match a 6-1 decision at 197. Zachery Schraeder put the icing on the cake with an 8-2 decision at 285, his first win of the day.

Western vs. Minot State

• The Beavers secured the first points of the match with a narrow two-point decision at 125, only to have Western respond with six consecutive victories, including two falls and two majors.
• Alvarez earned a wild 15-13 decision for the Mountaineers at 133 and Noble sparred to a 13-3 major at 141 to elevate Western in front.
• The first pin of the match came at 149 from Hanenberg, who registered his third fall of the Duals, just 2:11 into the first period.
• Wilson took an 8-3 decision at 157 to continue the Crimson Wave, with Mullin earning the other major, 16-7, at 165.
• Hernandez at 174 made it a perfect 4-for-4 on the day, recording his fourth pin in four matches, quickly earning the fall against Minot at the 1:21 mark.
• Fox trailed 9-5 after the first period at 197, but outscored his Beaver opponent 16-5 over the next two periods for the come-from-behind 21-14 decision.
• Minot forfeited the 285 match to give Schraeder his second win in the Duals.

MAT POINTS

• All four of Hernandez’ pins came in the first period, the fastest coming his final match of the day against Minot State’s Brody Mohr – 81 seconds.
• Hanenberg’s pair of first-period pins came at roughly the same time in each of the respective matches, at 2:00 and at 2:11.
• Noble, who led 6-0 in his opening match but surrendered a fall on a reversal and pin, bounced back with three commanding victories, pinning his Findlay opponent at the 2:56 mark, then followed with majors in SF State and Minot State. duals.

LOOKING AHEAD

Western will travel to Kearney, Nebraska, for the UNK Midwest Duals on Saturday, January 21.