Third-Ranked Battles in Las Vegas and Crete

Wrestling 12/5/2021 10:17:00 AM

Third-Ranked Battles in Las Vegas and Crete

Kearney, Neb. – The now 3rd-ranked Nebraska-Kearney wrestling team split up this weekend with eight Lopers in Las Vegas for the prestigious Cliff Keen Invitational and the rest of the squad competing in Saturday's Doane Conner/Oppenheim Open in Crete.

UNK was the only non-Division I team in Vegas and tallied 20 points to place 21st out of 26 teams. Facing top D1 competition, the Lopers recorded 11 wins and came in ahead of Kent (Ohio) State, Cal State Bakersfield, The Citadel, Sacred Heart (Conn.) and Cal Baptist. Ninth-ranked Nebraska won (125) with 8th-ranked Ohio State the runner up (104.5).

The Blue & Gold dominated in Crete having two crack the top six in the "Open Division" with 13 doing the same in the "Amateur Division." That large group included three winners and four runners up.

Winning multiple times in Vegas were super seniors Sam Turner (Colorado Springs) and Matt Malcom (Glenwood, Ka.) and redshirt juniors Austin Eldredge (McPherson, Kan.) and Lee Herrington (Kearney).

Turner (149 lbs.) majored Trey Kruse of Purdue, 8-0, picked up a medial forfeit against 16th-ranked Kanen Stoff of Michigan and then dominated Harvard's Lukus Stricker, 18-0. His run came to an end against 13th-ranked Legend Lamer of Cal Poly, 9-2. Two classes higher Malcom started his tournament with wins over Joe Grello of Oklahoma, 8-2, and Northwestern's David Ferrante, 14-4. He dropped his next two bouts including one against 2nd-ranked Evan Wick of Cal Poly.

Next, Eldredge (184 lbs.) had decisions over wrestlers from Northwestern, 13-10, and Northern Colorado, 6-2. He lost to two nationally-ranked individuals including No. 15 Darrien Roberts of Oklahoma by just a 10-8 score. Finally in Vegas, Herrington (285 lbs.) pinned Michigan's Blake Querlo at 2:02 and also rolled past Keaton Kluever of Minnesota, 10-4. His losses included one to 6th-ranked Tate Orndorff of Ohio State.

Winning in the Amateur Division in Crete were true freshmen Tyler Collins (157 lbs.), Dylan Vodicka (184 lbs.) and Jake Boley (285 lbs.) with Drew Arnold (133 lbs.), Beau Hostler (149 lbs.), Kaden Hart (165 lbs.) and Gavyn Brauer (184 lbs.) each coming in second. Junior newcomer Jacobi Deal (174 lbs.) was then third in the Elite bracket.

Collins (Wray, Colo.) had a tech fall and two falls en route to his first-place finish with Boley (Colorado Springs) having to work hard to win the 285 lbs. title. He had two wins in sudden victory and then got past York's Marce Vasquez, 3-1, in the finals. Next, Vodicka (David City H.S.) beat Brauer (North Platte) by a 6-3 score in the 184 lbs. finals. Vodicka went 4-0 with all three of Brauer's wins coming via fall.

At 133 pounds, Arnold (Beatrice H.S.) had four bonus point victories before falling to North Idaho's Brant Porter, 3-2, in the title match. Finally, Hostler (Kearney H.S.) and Hart (St. Peters, Mo.) each had four wins with Deal (Durham, N.C.) winning his final four bouts.

The Loper varsity heads to Chadron next Saturday to face the Eagles and San Francisco State.

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Players Mentioned

Lee Herrington: 285; Redshirt Junior

Austin Eldredge: 184; Redshirt Junior

Matt Malcom: 165; Redshirt Fifth Year

Sam Turner: 149; Redshirt Fifth Year

Drew Arnold: 133/141; Freshman

Jake Boley: 285; Freshman

Gavyn Brauer: 197; Freshman

Tyler Collins: 157/165; Freshman

Jacobi Deal: 174; Junior

Kaden Hart: 157/165; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Lee Herrington
: Redshirt Junior
: 285

Austin Eldredge
: Redshirt Junior
: 184

Matt Malcom
: Redshirt Fifth Year
: 165

Sam Turner
: Redshirt Fifth Year
: 149

Drew Arnold
: Freshman
: 133/141

Jake Boley
: Freshman
: 285

Gavyn Brauer
: Freshman
: 197

Tyler Collins
: Freshman
: 157/165

Jacobi Deal
: Junior
: 174

Kaden Hart
: Freshman
: 157/165