CONCORDIA – Wrestling in the first of four consecutive home duals over the course of the next two weeks, the number 20-ranked Cloud County Community College wrestling team would win five of the seven contested matches to total eight wins as part of a 44-5 home dual victory over number 23-ranked Otero Junior College inside Arley Bryant Gymnasium on Saturday.
The victory moves Cloud County to 2-1 overall on the season to finish their opening week of action while the Rattlers fall to 0-1 on the year as Saturday served as their season opener.
Otero would get off to a strong start as number five ranked Mac Martinez would knock off CCCC's Aiden Connors by a score of 8-2 to put the Rattlers on the board. The 133-pound match would see a similar outcome as Marquis Kemp of Otero would take on Toby Gavette of Cloud County with Kemp taking a 10-3 decision victory to make it a 6-0 Rattler lead after two matches.
141-pound freshman Michael Barfuss would get the T-Birds in the scoring column with a second-period pin of Joseph Wicker as the Bancroft, Idaho native would choose the bottom position and reverse into a quick pin at the 3:17 mark. Jonny Crome would follow up at 149 pounds with a pin of his own by scoring a takedown and four-point near fall before turning Juan Telles for good to end the match just 1:02 into the contest.
The 12-6 Cloud County lead would continue to grow as Tristin Hauck would manage to earn a 10-2 major decision at 157 pounds before seeing Cooper Mosier land a 15-3 major decision at 165 pounds with the Rattlers being deducted a team point for unsportsmanlike conduct following the 165-pound match. Open weights by Otero at 174, 182, and 184 pounds with the T-Birds filling those weights with Keegan Caudillo, Brian Paxton, and Thomas Orr to go up 38-5 with one match remaining. In the final contested bout (285 pounds), Zach Ferris would hold a 7-2 lead over Roger Valdilles at the end of the first period and quickly add to his lead to start the second period. Following an escape and takedown, Ferris would end the dual by earning a pin at the 4:43 mark for six more team points for CCCC to close out the 39-point victory.
What's next?
The T-Birds will continue a four-match homestand on Tuesday with a Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference double dual against number-17 ranked Labette Community College and number 11-ranked Northwest Kansas Tech inside Arley Bryant Gymnasium. Action will begin at 4 p.m. with a dual between Labette and NW Kansas Tech while the T-Birds will get their action started at 6 p.m. against Labette. Cloud County and Northwest Kansas Tech will then close the night out with an 8 p.m. dual between the KJCCC West Division foes.
--cloudtbirds.com--