Warriors Host Pair of Duals Against GPAC Foes
FREMONT, Neb. – Midland University hosted Hastings College and Doane University wrestlers for a pair of conference duals on Thursday night inside the Wikert Event Center. In the first Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) dual of the night Hastings defeated Midland, 35-18. In the second dual of the evening No. 5-ranked Doane shut out Midland, 56-0.
Hastings 35, Midland 18
The Hastings Broncos gained points over Midland in the first two weight classes as the Warriors were open. Justin Rodriguez earned the win at 125 pounds and Creel Weber did so at 133. Midland got on the scoreboard at 141 pounds as freshman Trevin Arlt earned a victory. Arlt pinned the Broncos Logan Hackman in 3:49 to make the score 12-6, Hastings, after three bouts.
At 149 pounds, Midland's Zion Amerson put up a strong fight, wrestling up in weight, but dropped a 7-6 decision at the hands of Jack Morton. Midland was open at the 157-pound weight class, allowing Hastings' Alex Alcala to earn the victory, putting the Broncos ahead 21-6.
The visitors would extend the lead at 165 pounds as Jake Patterson defeated Midland's Jabez Anderson by technical fall, 17-1, at 2:20. Alex Mainor saw the mat for the first time this season at 174 pounds. However, the freshman suffered a loss to Naim Abualjubain due to injury at 3:58.
The next two bouts went in the direction of the Warriors. At 184 pounds, Connor Rinn defeated Trevor Leon by fall, in 2:07. Hastings led 32-12. Then, at 197 pounds, freshman Nate McDonald defeated Dallas Paxton by fall in 1:56. The final bout of the dual at 285 pounds saw Matheson Rodriquez defeat Midland's Ryan Kocovsky by decision, 4-1. The final tally was Hastings- 35, Midland- 18.
Between duals, Midland recognized former All-GPAC wrestler, Petrow Award winner, and NAIA National Champion David "Joe" Berg. At 141 pounds, Berg won the National Title in 2019, capping off a stellar career that saw him claim All-American status three times, plus being named the GPAC Wrestler of the Year, in 2016 and 2019. Berg was presented a framed singlet by Warriors' coaches Doyle Trout and Abel Avila alongside Midland Athletic Director, Courtney Thomsen.
No. 5 Doane 56, Midland 0
Like the Hastings dual, Midland was open at the first two weight classes. Hunter Bennett took the win for the Tigers at 125 and Russell Nickerson did so for Doane at 133, putting the visitors ahead, 12-0. At 141 pounds, Tristen Brown defeated the Warriors Trevin Arlt by decision, 10-4. The result pushed Doane ahead 15-0.
In the 149-pound weight class, Adrian Delgado of Midland took on Nathan Lendt. Lendt defeated Delgado by fall at 0:26, pushing the Tigers ahead 21-0. Zion Amerson wrestled for Midland at 157 pounds. Amerson suffered the loss to Gavin Smith, by fall, in 2:24. At 165 pounds, Preston Gautier defeated Midland's Trey McDougald by fall at 4:55. The result put the Tigers ahead 33-0.
Midland was open at 174 pounds, giving Doane's Terungwa Unongo the win. Nate McDonald wrestled for the Warriors at 184 pounds. Chase Stieb of Doane recorded the win via fall at 2:05, putting the Tigers ahead 45-0. In the penultimate bout of the evening, Connor Rinn battled Doane's Tyson Beauperthuy at 197 pounds. Beauperthuy recorded the win by technical fall, 22-7, at 3:56. In the final bout of the night, Kasten Grape of Doane defeated Ryan Kocovsky of Midland by fall at 0:16.
Midland (0-5, 0-5 GPAC) will be back on the mat on Saturday, December 16 at the 918 Open. The meet, hosted by Oklahoma Wesleyan, will be held inside the Mueller Sports Center, in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.