Cloud County Wrestling Returns to Action at Bob Smith Open in Hays
Returning to action following their first off week of the season, the Cloud County Community College men's wrestling team would see nine wrestlers take part in the 2023 Bob Smith Open hosted by Fort Hays State University inside Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays, Kansas on Saturday, December 2nd.
Over 325 wrestlers would compete in the open tournament with 20 total collegiate teams in attendance which included NCAA Division I Air Force Academy, Oklahoma State University, and Colorado State University. The tournament would also feature a large number of NCAA Division II Universities from Kansas and surrounding states as well as a few NCAA Division III, NAIA, and NJCAA programs.
Of the nine wrestlers competing for Cloud County, four would finish the day with multiple wins including a three-win day from 141-pound freshman Patrick Foxworth who would see all three wins come with bonus points. After a first-period fall over Jarret Mader of Barton Community College, Foxworth would drop a first-period decision to Cael Hughes of Oklahoma State University before getting another first-period fall over Ku Chow (unattached). Advancing again with a 17-7 major decision over Skyler Geier-Dodson of Chadron State College, Foxworth would then see his day end with an 8-6 decision loss to Corbin White (unattached).
The trio of Daniel Vines (133 pounds), Wyatt Powell (174 pounds), and Macallistair Chambers (174 pounds) would all record two wins each with Vines seeing both of his wins come in his opening two matches and by decision as a 14-9 decision over Eastin Redetzke (Barton) would be followed by a 4-2 decision over Tyler Hamm (unattached). Facing NCAA Division I wrestler Gavin Caprella of Air Force, Vines would drop a 9-0 major decision to fall to the consolation bracket before having his day end with a 12-1 major decision defeat to unattached wrestler David Saenz.
Powell would also win his first two matches of the day, earning a second-period fall over Leo Kubelka (Schreiner University) along with a 16-15 win over Juan Urbina of Fort Hays State before dropping a match to Trenton Munoz (Nebraska-Kearney). In his final match of the day, Powell would fall by a score of 8-4 to Hunter Richardson (unattached). As for Chambers, a second-period fall over Dante Brown of Colby would be followed by a 19-6 defeat to Josh Palacio of Air Force Prep before seeing the Salina, Kansas native bounce back with a 9-2 decision win over Dane Donigan of Newman University. Facing a second-straight NCAA Division II wrestler, Chambers would have his day end in his next match with Josh Coon of Adams State University earning an 8-5 decision win.
CCCC's remaining two wins on Saturday would come at the 165-pound weight class from Easton Boone (first-period fall over Kyan Ensign of Colby) and 285-pound weight class as Gavin Nutting would earn a 17-0 technical fall win in his opening match of the day against Nathan Agudzi-Addo of Barton. Against NJCAA foes on the day, Cloud County would go 5-1 with three wins by fall and one by technical fall.
What's Next?
Dual action will officially begin for Cloud County on Thursday, December 7th as Cloud County takes part in a four-team quad dual hosted by Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colorado. The T-Birds will start their day at 11 AM (MST) against top-ranked and defending National Champion Western Wyoming Community College followed by duals against Trinidad State Junior College at 1:30 PM (MST) and host Northeastern Junior College at 2:45 PM (MST). Western Wyoming is off to a 2-1 start to their dual season with their lone loss coming against NCAA Division I University of Wyoming while Trinidad State is 1-1 and Northeastern Junior College is 1-3 overall with their lone dual win coming against Otero Junior College.