Cloud County Wrestling Team Falls at #2 Pratt, 40-6
Facing their third fourth-straight ranked opponent in dual action, the Cloud County Community College wrestling team could not overcome wrestling on the road at number two ranked Pratt Community College in a 40-6 loss inside the Dennis Lesh Sports Arena in Pratt, Kansas on Monday, January 22nd.
Giving up an open weight at 133 pounds and seeing the host Beavers field a top-10 ranked wrestler in six of the remaining nine weight classes, CCCC only mustered to earn decision victories at 157 pounds by Dylan Ancheta and 285 pounds from Gavin Nutting while giving up bonus point victories in six of the remaining seven matches. With the dual starting at 125 pounds, Cloud County's Brady Foster fell into a 5-0 hole after one period of action and eventually 8-0 before scoring a reversal and getting on the scoreboard to trail 12-2 heading into the third. Earning an escape and takedown to get back within four at 12-8, Ancheta was forced to cut fifth-ranked Kaden Spragis loose and give up an escape point in hopes of getting additional points from takedowns and managed to do so by scoring one more before seeing the match end with Spragis adding a riding time point to earn a 14-9 decision.
Following the open weight forfeit at 133 pounds and a 17-1 technical fall at 141 pounds, Cloud County saw a 14-0 deficit climb to a 20-0 hole as a first-period takedown by PCC's fourth-ranked Gabe Maki gave the Beavers a fourth win on the evening with the T-Birds starting to see their opportunities become slim. In the 157-pound match, Dylan Ancheta of CCCC and Nick Carlson of Pratt wrestled a scoreless opening period before an escape for Carlson to go up 1-0 in what was the lone point of the period. Returning the favor with an escape of his own to tie things at 1-1 in the opening seconds of the third, Ancheta claimed the lead for the first time in the match with a takedown before allowing an escape to work with a 4-2 advantage and made the most of Carlson being in a must score situation to add one more takedown for his fifth win in a dual match this season.
Returning to action from the intermission break at 165 pounds, Pratt's top-ranked Cayleb Atkins was able to make quick work of Easton Boone with a 17-1 technical fall as the Beavers followed things up with a second-period fall at 174 pounds with Wyatt Powell dropping to 5-3 in dual matches this year. The final ranked wrestler of the dual in third-ranked Blake Jouret at 184 pounds added a 13-4 major decision for Pratt over Macallistair Chambers following a 9-2 lead after three minutes of wrestling. Making his dual debut for the T-Birds at 197 pounds, D.J. Gillins managed a first-period takedown over Kaden Glass before giving up 17 straight points as part of a 20-5 technical fall defeat that ended early in the third period to give PCC a 40-3 lead in the dual. Trying to bounce back from two difficult losses last week, Nutting forced an early stall warning against Cayden Winter before being taken down towards the end of the first period but managed to take the lead with a late second-period takedown and two near fall points right before time expired in the period to go up 5-3 heading into the third. Protecting the lead by having his choice of starting position, Nutting chose the down position and scored an escape before working the remaining time off the clock in the match to pick up his 10th win of the season.
What's Next?
Still seeking their first Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference dual win of the season, Cloud County will see their final three duals of the season come at home beginning this Wednesday, January 24th when the T-Birds host Cowley Community College in a 7 PM dual from Arley Bryant Gymnasium. In seven all-time duals between the Tigers and T-Birds, Cloud County has earned just one dual win with the victory coming last season with a 26-21 score at the KJCCC Duals hosted in Salina, Kansas. Six of the seven duals have come in KJCCC action, with Cowley set to make their third all-time trip to Concordia.