Morningside Mustangs ‘Ride’ Out Win Over Panthers

When Morningside wrestlers got the advantage, they locked up their legs and rode their opponent to a win in several of the matches Tuesday night at the Freeman Center.

What first year York College head coach Jordan Nichols learned about his team was a few things, the biggest that they needed to work on not allowing their opponent to lock up with their legs and ride out the period for points.

"They killed us with their legs," said Nichols after the 36-7 loss to Morningside Tuesday night. "It's like they threw a saddle on us and just rode us. There were some matches that could have gone either way, but I'm glad that this happened to us now, so we learn from it."

It appeared York 125 pounder Kevin Gray was going to send the York College students into a frenzy early as he jumped all over his opponent, Bradley Gustafson.

Gray was inches from a pin, but Gustafson reversed the momentum, and with 15 seconds left in the second period, Gustafson picked up the win with a pin and six points for the Mustangs.

One of York's wins came right after the short intermission when Ryan Kromer of Garden City, Kan., at 165 pounds, took a 3-0 lead after the second period and didn't allow his opponent Erin Hume to make up any ground.

"Ryan is a very hard worker and he gives everything he has all the time," commented Nichols. "He believes in his conditioning and he never gives up."

The other York win was a major decision by Bryan Irsik at 197, a freshman from Garden City. Irsik got out to an early cushion of 4-0 in the first period, opened the lead to 6-0 entering the third and won the match by the final score of 9-2.

"Bryan just works hard, and he has a lot of confidence in what he can do on the mat," stated Nichols. "Some of our problems tonight came down to conditioning, and I really thought we were in a lot better shape so we will be concentrating on that a lot more."

York had its chances in several other matches, but when it came down to it, the third period was not good to the Panthers.

At 141 pounds, Panther Brandon Pigorsch of Herington, Kan., was locked up in a close battle with Jared Pickett of David City. The score was tied at 2-2 entering the third period, when Pickett scored three points in the first 35 seconds and held on for the 5-2 win.

At 157 pounds, Weston Fleming was tied with Matt Gustafson at 4-4, but with 34 seconds to go in the match, Gustafson scored an escape and takedown and held off the York College sophomore 8-4.

York's Trey Jackson, a sophomore from Neosho, Mo., wrestling at 174, was tied at 2-2 in the third, but Weston Frahm took a 4-2 lead with a takedown, and after Jackson cut the lead to 4-3 with an escape, Frahm was able to hold on for the 4-3 win.

"I hope the guys saw tonight what we need to do, to be able to finish in those matches," said Nichols. "We have time to work on those things, and now is the time to do that."

The Panthers will be off for 10 days before traveling to Northfield, Minn., for the St. Olaf dual. York will not wrestle at home again until January 19, when they host the Bacone Dual.

Match results

125- Brad Gustafson (MS) pinned Kevin Gray (YC)

133- Chris Utesch (MS) pinned Matt Cimmino (YC)

141- Jared Pickett (MS) def. Brandon Pigorsch (YC) 5-2

149- Mitch Peterson (MS) maj. dec. Jaltheaus Palmer (YC) 18-0

157- Matt Gustafson (MS) def. Weston Fleming (YC) 8-4

165- Ryan Kromer (YC) def. Erin Hume (MS) 3-0

174- Weston Frahm (MS) def. Trey Jackson (YC) 4-3

184- Jake Stevenson (MS) maj. dec. Tony Ponce (YC) 15-0

197- Bryan Irsik (YC) maj. dec. Cole Wilson (MS) 9-2

285- Matt Kastl (MS) pinned Jamie Brisbin (YC)

By Ken Kush

York News Times

Sports Editor