Just got back from Western Kansas this afternoon.
Fort Hays could have won that dual against UNO. Younkin lost 3-2 on riding time in a match that somehow he didn't realize he was losing. So, there was minimal action on his part and certainly not an urgency in the last minute. Sometimes there is too much wax in the ears. If Glenn had some fire in his belly he would have beat Madison. Glenn scored the only takedown and had a very questionable fleeing call that cost him a point while trying to break hands. Madison did a little acting the UNO coaches did a little lobbying. He sat on bottom for two periods though. That is dang close to six wins. I realize some other matches could have gone the other way too, but FHSU is right there on the hip. I'm saying FHSU wins the next two duals, wins the RMAC, and finishes in the Top 5 at the National Tourney. This is a tough team with 5 legit AA candidates and two others that have potential to put themselves there. Rencountre wrestled like a beast. I thought the ref's in that match were hoping for a game of pattycake. Let the men wrestle, it's college. Grinding in a forearm from the top position is being mean, not illegal. What a nasty lateral Chase threw on him!
Overall great performance by a team not many gave a chance.
The thing about nationals is you can get help from other teams, or they can hurt you too. Just depends and that is what makes it hard to predict a top 5 finish for FHSU. It will come down to how many are still alive after the first day. For team like UNO they could have it all wrapped up at the end of Day 1 because they really don't need a lot of help. FHSU will need 5-7 alive and kickin' on the championship side to go Top 5. It will depend on what type of job their "Non-studs" do that first day.
It is down right amazing how many times UNO wins those type of 3-2 matches you describe. Mix those in with the almost always bonus points they get at 133, 141, 149, 157, 174, 197 and they become hard to beat. Look at yesterday for example. Bonus points at 133, 141,174, 197 add in those close wins like at 149 and 285 and they become hard to beat. 125, 157 & 184 were according to the rankings all upsets and it is hard to depend on upsets to win a dual. That is why in a national tournament format other teams helping beat the top team can boost a team like FHSU up to a Top 5, if they also help themselves.
#1 UNO 28, #15 Fort Hays State 12
125 - #4 Tommy Edgmon dec. #2 Terrell McKinney, 3-1 FHSU 3-0
133 - #2 Cody Garcia by fall Travis Kuhn, 1:59 UNO 6-3
141 - #3 Mario Morgan maj. dec. Aldon Isenberg, 17-8 UNO 10-3
149 - #3 Esai Dominguez dec. Levi Younkin, 3-2 UNO 13-3
157 - #4 Danny Grater dec. #2 George Ivanov, 3-2 UNO 13-6
165 - #7 Blake Malloy dec. Nathan Sigman, 2-1 UNO 13-9
174 - #2 Aaron Denson by fall Shawn Kuhlman, 1:11 UNO 19-9
184 - Chance Rencountre dec. #4 Austin Boehm, 13-9 UNO 19-12
197 - #1 Jacob Marrs by fall Steven Kyler, 1:52 UNO 25-12
285 - #2 Elijah Madison dec. Justin Glenn, 5-2 UNO 28-12
And since you mentioned the refs, were they all college refs or were some h.s. refs mixing in some college for the day? Seemed like a lot of uncertain issues on out of bounds, stalling and stalemates.
