Arkansas Wrestle
(All images via obutigers.com)
JONESBORO, Ark. — The Ouachita wrestling team overpowered Williams Baptist in Wednesday’s 43-3 dual win. The Tigers won nine of 10 matches, earning three first-period pinfalls and two technical falls to control the dual from the opening bout to the final whistle.
At 125 pounds, junior Justin Shaw wasted no time pinning his opponent in just 32 seconds. Freshman Michael Brennan followed up with a dominant 12-2 major decision at 133 pounds, collecting two takedowns to give the Tigers a 10-0 team lead.
After Ouachita suffered a slight setback, 149-pound junior Caleb Andrews battled through three periods before using a near-side cradle in sudden victory to edge Caiden Saavedra 4-1. Freshman 157-pounder Johnny White used a fireman’s carry, followed with three clinical tilts to earn a 15-0 tech fall in just 1:38.
At 165, junior Sam Schmidt dove for a low single leg and scrambled to seize his first takedown, then ran an arm bar and flipped his opponent to his back to earn a first-period fall at 1:55.
At 174, sophomore Hunter Baber caught his opponent in a front headlock and turned the corner to seize the first takedown, then ran through his opponent with a blast double to take a 8-0 lead after the first period. Baber earned a 16-7 major decision win at 174 to give the Tigers a 28-3 lead to secure the win with three weight classes left.
Freshman Ethan Day moved up to 184 and rallied back down 10-1 and lit up the scoreboard with a flurry of three straight takedowns. Day scored a reversal to take a 13-12 lead early in the second period, then used an arm bar and a tilt to roll his opponent to his back for consecutive near falls to earn a 28-14 tech fall. Day put on a clinic with a 27-4 scoring run to not just complete the comeback, but earn bonus points to give the Tigers a 30-point lead.
Sophomore 197-pounder Cayden Byrd opened his bout with a high crotch and turned the corner to secure a late first-period takedown. He grabbed an inside single-leg, followed by a slick ankle pick to score consecutive takedowns and earn an 11-2 major decision victory. Byrd, who was named Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association Wrestler of the Week on Tuesday, has won five consecutive bouts for the Tigers.
At 285, BK Seago pummeled with his opponent early on before he muscled through a knee block to drive his opponent to the edge and kept his feet inside to score the first takedown. It took just 15 seconds from the bottom position for Ouachita’s junior heavyweight to score a reversal and flatten his opponent to his back to deliver a first-period pinfall at 1:19 in the final bout.
Ouachita improved to 2-1 and continues its road trip at Oklahoma City on Sunday, with the dual meet scheduled to start at 2 p.m.
