Grizzlies get pins in final two matches to best Eagles, 27-19

CHADRON, Neb.- 184-pound sophomore Torben Walters (Olney Springs, Colo.) recorded his third fall in as many dual meets while senior Kyle Sand (Arvada, Colo.) delivered the biggest blow of the night with a pin of his own in the first period of the 197-pound finale as the Adams State College Grizzly wrestling team came from behind to win a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference dual over host Chadron State College, 27-19 Thursday evening here in the Eagles’ Nelson Physical Activity Center.

The Grizzlies, ranked 10th in the NCAA Division II National Wrestling Coaches Association Poll, also received shutout victories by both Josh Hensley (Alamosa, Colo.) and Joey Deaguero (Commerce City, Colo.) as they improved to 4-3 overall and to 2-1 in RMAC action. The Eagles, coached by ASC Athletics Hall of Famer Scott Ritzen, fell to 1-2 overall and to 0-2 in RMAC action despite taking a late 17-15 lead after a 10-0 major decision win by Justin Dekok at 165 pounds and a 174-pound forfeit win.

The teams traded the lead three times throughout the night as the Eagles, who have now dropped eight straight duals to the Jason Ramstetter coached Grizzlies, got off to the early lead when RJ Boylan scored a 3-2 decision over Grizzly senior Jeff Schossow (Fort Morgan, Colo.) in the opening heavyweight match.

The Grizzlies then answered right back as senior Arsenia Barksdale (Norfolk, Va.), ranked first in the nation at 125 pounds, scored a 7-2 decision over the Eagles freshman Dustin Stodola, who lead the squad with a 14-4 record coming in.

Fellow Eagle freshman Ryan Fillingame then gave the Eagles another lead as he pinned ASC’s A.J. Alexander (Pueblo, Colo.) at the 4-minute and 16-second mark of the 133-pound bout. Fillingame now sports the Eagles’ best mark at 14-4.

Trailing 9-3 at the time, Hensley and the Grizzlies then came roaring back as he true freshman Daniel Kelly (Parker, Colo.) and Deaguero, a senior, allowed just one total point in three straight Grizzly wins that put the visitors up 15-9.

Hensley, ranked fourth in the nation at 141 pounds, needed just 4:18 to score a 15-0 technical fall win over Lance Jeffries. Hensley, who is now a team-best 18-3 overall, has now scored bonus points in each of his last 13 wins, including all seven of the Grizzlies’ duals and has outscored his opponents by a whopping 66-5 margin in his last four matches, all technical fall wins.

Kelly, pulled out of redshirt less than a week ago, was nearly as impressive as he bested sophomore Jake Lords, wrestling for the Eagles for the first time this season, by a 10-1 major decision margin at 149 pounds. Kelly is now 15-5 overall.

That victory put the Grizzlies up 12-9 before Deaguero, ranked fifth in the country at 149 pounds, posted a 7-0 win over Brian Easterling in the 157-pound match-up.

However, the Eagles came back to take the lead once again with Dekok’s win over Grizzly freshman Anthony Gomez (Albuquerque, N.M.) and the forfeit taken by Cody Vasconcellos.

However, Walters, now 11-6 overall and 6-1 in dual meets, needed just 4:23 to pin Chris Leak, who is still a solid 11-9 on the year.

Sand, the defending national champion at 184 pounds who is currently ranked fifth in that weight class, then took out the Eagles’ Zac Sweeney, still looking for his first win of the year with 1:12 still showing on the first period clock to finish off the win. Sand, also 6-1 in dual meets, is now 16-5 overall.

The Grizzlies will continue their road trip on Friday night when they face Colorado Mines (0-3, 0-1 RMAC) in Golden, Colo. The Grizzlies are a perfect 10-0 against the Orediggers under Ramstetter.

That dual will begin at 7 p.m. in the Orediggers’ Volk Gymnasium.

Courtesy of Adams State Sports Information