Fort Hays State bolted out to a quick 6-0 lead with the dual beginning at 197 pounds. FHSU Redshirt-freshman Ben Evans pinned Zach James in 1:05 to give the Tigers the early edge. Evans moved to 14-5 with the win.
Central Oklahoma would come back to win the next three matches. At heavyweight, No. 1-ranked Dustin Finn of UCO defeated redshirt-freshman Justin Glenn with a 6-2 decision. Glenn moved to 4-6 on the season. The Bronchos took the dual lead 9-6 after No. 4-ranked Tim Elliott pinned junior Tommy Edgmon in 5:28 at 125 pounds. It was Edgmon's first loss of the year and is now 6-1 overall. UCO extended the lead to 12-6 at 133 pounds with Scott Berens scoring a 7-0 decision over redshirt-freshman Travis Kuhn. Kuhn is now 5-6 this season.
FHSU senior James Annon, ranked No. 2 in the nation at 141 pounds, pulled the Tigers back within three with a 4-2 sudden victory in overtime over No. 3-ranked Colby Robinson. Annon moved to 13-5 on the season. Levi Younkin almost pulled the Tigers even in the dual at 149 pounds, but lost by sudden victory in the second overtime to No. 6-ranked Luke Elmore by a score of 8-6. Younkin is now 19-11.
At 157 pounds, No. 4-ranked Danny Grater pulled the Tigers back to within three points of the Bronchos with a 5-2 decision over Kelly Henderson. Grater moved to 17-6 with the win.
Senior Troy Lussenhop would shift the whole momentum of the dual at 165 pounds by pinning No. 3-ranked Mikey Morgan in the second period in 3:25. Morgan nearly had the fall in the first period, but Lussenhop shocked the arena by putting the Tigers back on top 18-15 with two matches to go. Lussenhop is now 13-6.
Junior Shawn Kuhlman would play a big role in setting up the drama for the final match by avoiding a pin at 174 pounds to No. 5-ranked Tommy McCarty. McCarty had Kuhlman on his back but could not get the pin. Kuhlman lost by a 15-1 major decision, but UCO was only able to take a 19-18 lead in the dual with the result. It put everything on the final match of the evening. Kuhlman moved to 21-6 on the season.
Junior Tyler Gonzales would be up to the challenge at 184 pounds to deliver the Tigers a huge dual win on the road. In the fading seconds of the third period, he scored a takedown that would lead to his 4-1 win over Daniel Morrison. Gonzales is now 13-9 overall.
Fort Hays State grabbed just its second dual win in history over Central Oklahoma. The Bronchos had won 27 of 28 dual meetings with the Tigers before Thursday evening. The only other win for FHSU over Central Oklahoma came during the 1999-2000 season (Bob Smith's final season as head coach) by a score of 21-20 in Hays.
The Tigers are now 3-0 in dual action this season. The Tigers are currently unranked, but have received votes for the top 20 poll in each of the last three national ranking releases. The Tigers have two more ranked teams to face this weekend in Warrensburg, Mo., which includes No. 19 Minnesota State-Moorhead and No. 10 Wisconsin-Parkside.
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