Pins help Blue Hawks topple Jimmies
JAMESTOWN — Pins can make a world of difference in college wrestling, and ninth-ranked Dickinson State proved that on Thursday.By: Chris Aarhus, Forum News Service
- Sean Elkins
JAMESTOWN — Pins can make a world of difference in college wrestling, and ninth-ranked Dickinson State proved that on Thursday.
Holding a 16-10 lead, Jon Morales (174), Jesse Hellinger (184) and Kevin Keisler (197) reeled off consecutive falls to secure the Blue Hawks’ 37-10 win over Jamestown College at the Hansen Center.
“It’s huge, especially in a dual when you only have 10 matches,” DSU coach Thadd O’Donnell said. “If you (give up) one pin, you have to win two matches to make up for (it). We talk about bonus points a lot and not giving them up.”
DSU won eight of 10 matches, flexing its muscles in the upper weights where most of its experience lies. After Jamestown’s Michael Nord pinned T.J. Poole at 165, the Blue Jays won the final four matches.
“We knew that was the case going in,” said Jamestown coach C.J. Campbell, who started six freshmen. “We were anxious to see how we could hang with some of these ranked kids in these tough weight classes.”
O’Donnell said he figured the upper weights would go his team’s way.
“That’s where most of our veterans are at this year,” he said. “They’ve done a good job. Jamestown’s young in the upper weights. It just kind of matched up that way.”
Jamestown wasn’t without its bright spots, however, as senior Sam Brown trailed DSU’s Brad Steele — ranked fourth in the NAIA —1-0 in the final five seconds before Steele converted a takedown and two-point nearfall to come away with a 5-0 decision.
“We’re doing more than just trying to stay off our back in that match,” said Campbell, whose team competes at the Hastings (Neb.) Open on Saturday. “Sam Brown is a quality kid for us. He’s flying under the radar right now. We felt that not only would he not get pinned, but that he’d try to score some points and see how close he could make it, and maybe pull off an upset.”
According to O’Donnell, DSU tried to do the same thing with Nord, who took a quick 5-0 lead over T.J. Poole. Nord eventually won by pin in 1 minute, 48 seconds.
“We know that Michael Nord probably pins everybody he wrestles,” O’Donnell said. “Jamestown did a really good job with Brad Steele because they did the same thing we were trying to do with Michael Nord.
“Brad is like Nord just in the aspect that he’s real dangerous. They did a good job in that match.”
The Jimmies’ other win came at 141, where Dillon Kifer defeated Elias Armendariz by 18-4 major decision, but the dual did end with a rather close match between DSU’s Jose Lopez — ranked second in the NAIA — and Antonio Lopez. The Blue Hawks won by 6-2 decision, scoring a takedown in each of the final two periods.
“We knew we were going to have an exciting match at heavyweight,” Campbell said.
125: Bryden Lazaro, DSU, tech. falled Joey Murillo, 5:33. 133: Matt Chambers, DSU, maj. dec. Eddie Wilson, 10-2. 141: Dillon Kifer, JC, maj. dec. Elias Armendariz, 18-4. 149: Brad Steele, DSU, dec. Sam Brown, 5-0. 157: Sean Elkins, DSU, maj. dec. Tyler Schnaubert, 17-5. 165: Michael Nord, JC, pinned T.J. Poole, 1:48. 174: Jon Morales, DSU, pinned Tucker Davison, 3:46. 184: Jesse Hellinger, DSU, pinned Jacob Tilley, 1:30. 197: Kevin Keisler, DSU, pinned Austin Were, 0:28. 285: Jose Lopez, DSU, dec. Antonio Lopez, 6-2.
Tags: dsu blue hawks, blue hawks, college wrestling, jamestown college jimmies, sports, wrestling
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