The team was split up into two squads, one coached by defending national champion Angel Escobedo and the other headed by three-time NCAA Qualifier and 2007 All-American Andrae Hernandez. Team Escobedo included Geno Capezio, Danny Monaco, Nick Walpole, Ryan Konz, Matt Coughlin, Kyle Samuels, Trevor Perry, Matt Powless, Chandler Coffey and Justin Kuhn. Team Hernandez consisted of Matt Ortega, Scott Kelly, Alex Warren, Vince Ramos, Kurt Kinser, Paul Young, Nick Avery, Eric Cameron, George Malone, and Nick Cook.
In the end, it was a 16-16 stalemate between Team Escobedo and Team Hernandez with each side winning five bouts apiece.
Scott Kelly vs. Danny Monaco
Scott Kelly and Danny Monaco began the night with a 141-pound showdown. Monaco was the first to light the scoreboard, recording a takedown just over a minute into the match. Kelly would then take the next four points with a pair of escapes and a second-period takedown. Monaco began the final period in the down position and got away from Kelly's grasp with 55 seconds remaining in the match to trim his deficit to a lone point at 4-3. The two remained neutral the rest of the way, however, and Kelly added a point for riding time to win the bout, 5-3.
Geno Capezio vs. Matt Ortega
This match remained scoreless heading into the third period, but Ortega held a two-minute riding time advantage after wrangling Capezio from the top position for the entire second stanza. Ortega combined an instant escape to start the third period with a quick single-leg takedown for a 3-0 lead. He later added another takedown and the riding time bonus for a 6-1 victory.
Ryan Konz vs. Vince Ramos
Konz and Ramos started out slow before a Konz takedown with thirty seconds left in the first broke the scoreless tie. Following a second-period escape, Konz gave away a free penalty point with two stalling calls against him to make the score 3-1. Ramos got away moments later for his second point of the match. Konz held on, however, and added a riding time point for the 4-2 win.
Nick Walpole vs. Alex Warren
Following a scoreless first period, Walpole chose the down position to begin the second. He wasted little time escaping in just 22 seconds for the early 1-0 advantage. A minute later, Walpole earned a takedown on the edge of the mat in scramble for the 3-0 advantage. It was Warren's choice in the final period, and he elected to go neutral after coming close on a few shot attempts earlier in the match. Warren got in deep on a few more shots, but Walpole defended each shot before pressing the action in the final 10 seconds for a 3-0 decision.
Nick Cook vs. Justin Kuhn
It was then time for the big boys to go at it in the heavyweight bout. Cook chose to go down in period number two with score tied at 0-0, and Kuhn made him pay. Kuhn twice turned him for three-point near-falls and a 6-0 edge. Kuhn added on an escape and the riding time bonus point for an 8-0 triumph.
Chandler Coffey vs. George Malone
The battle between two true freshmen was one of the most aggressive matches of the night as both Hoosiers were pushing the action in the early goings. An unsuccessful granby roll attempt by Coffey caused him three points as Malone caught him on his back for a near-fall. Leading 3-0 with two minutes of riding time, Malone chose to start on the bottom in the final frame. Malone escaped quickly to go up 4-0, but remained on the attack. He nearly snagged a takedown with 20 seconds left before a stalemate was called. Malone kept coming though, getting a takedown at the buzzer to go along with the riding time point for a 7-0 winner.
Kyle Samuels vs. Paul Young
Young, the first of two Bloomington, Ind., natives to wrestle on the night, was very impressive in the 165-lbs. match-up. He grabbed his first takedown at the two-minute mark of the first period and rode Samuels tough the rest of the way. Young added an escape and takedown in the second period to go ahead 5-0. Samuels then elected to go neutral in the final round. Young was able take him down once again to go up 7-0. After Samuels scored an escaped, the Bloomington South H.S. product went on a five-point flurry at the end that included a takedown and three near-fall points. With a riding time advantage of over three minutes, Young added a bonus point for the 13-1 win.
Nick Avery vs. Trevor Perry
The 0-0 score was no indication of the actual action in the first period, as both grapplers were quite aggressive despite the lack of a takedown. At one point a powerful shot by Perry forced Avery off the mat and onto the hardwood. The action slowed down a bit in the next two periods. Both Avery and Perry notched escapes from the down position for the only scores of regulation, heading to overtime at 1-1. The match was eventually decided in the second overtime as Avery decided to kick-out Perry and go for the takedown. Perry was able to defend several shot attempts though, and hold on for the 4-3 victory.
Eric Cameron vs. Matt Powless
In arguably the most exciting bout of the night, Powless took the lead with just 42 seconds left in the contest. Powless's first takedown of the third period tied the score at three points apiece. Cameron was then able to regain the lead with an escape just 28 seconds later. With no riding time advantage for either wrestler, Powless needed to make a move a get a takedown in the final minute. He did just that ... sliding down for a great single-leg to propel himself ahead, 5-4. That score proved to be the final as Powless gave Team Escobedo three points.
Matt Coughlin vs. Kurt Kinser
With Team Escobedo leading 16-13, it all came down to the marquee match-up of the night; pitting 2007 All-American Matt Coughlin versus NCAA Qualifier Kurt Kinser in a 157-pound contest. There was little action early on. Both Hoosiers were attempting to gain upper body control, causing a stalemate. In fitting fashion, the match eventually was decided in an overtime period. Coughlin nearly got a takedown with five seconds left in regulation, but Kinser fended it off to force the extra time. The first seven minutes weren't enough to determine a winner, but it only took Kinser 25 seconds in OT to claim the win. Kinser converted a front headlock into a takedown on the very edge of the mat. Kinser's win knotted the team score at 16-16 for the night.
Indiana begins their regular season on Nov. 9 with the Michigan State Open. The Hoosiers' first home event will be the Hoosier Duals, scheduled for Nov. 29 when Liberty, Ohio, Rutgers, South Dakota State and the University of the Cumberlands visit Assembly Hall.
Recommended Comments
There are no comments to display.
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now