By McKENZIE CUNNINGHAM
Coaches always tell wrestlers to leave it all on the mat.
That is what Fort Hays State University senior Micquille Robinson is planning to do for his final Bob Smith Open at 9 a.m. Sunday in Gross Memorial Coliseum.
“I have just been watching a lot of film so I can improve a lot of stuff out on the mat,” Robinson said. “My biggest goal isn’t to just get first, but to go out and wrestle like I am supposed to be and not hold anything back. If I lose a match because I went out and tried something new, I am definitely not gonna be mad about that.”
Robinson, a senior in the 184-pound weight class, has wrestled in the Baker University Open, Bethany College Open and the Nebraska-Kearney Open so far this year while building a 14-1 record.
With nearly 300 participants in the amateur and elite divisions expected this weekend, the tourney will be one of the biggest opens in the country.
FHSU coach Chas Thompson has high hopes for multiple placers in their first matches on home turf.
“I was very happy with how our guys wrestled this past weekend at the UNK Wrestling Open,” Thompson said. “We only had one champ, (Isaiah) Luellen, but there was lots of stiff competition.”
The tournament will have people from surrounding states, some attached, some unattached, some NCAA Division I and NCAA Division II.
“The goal is to obviously try to get as many champions as possible, but also to keep guys healthy going into the Christmas break here pretty soon,” Thompson said.
Throughout the month of November, there have been a few wrestlers who have had solid starts to the season.
Isaiah Luellen, a redshirt freshman in the 165-pound weight class, also wrestled at the Baker University Open, Bethany College Open and the Nebraska-Kearney Open. Luellen has finished first twice and third once while building a 14-1 record.
“I feel really good about how the season is going,” Luellen said. “I’ve been working hard, and there are guys here that help push me every day. If I just continue to do the right thing, keep working hard, and keep living a clean lifestyle, I feel like the rest of the season is gonna continue to go pretty smooth.”
Aryus Jones also has had a strong start with a 9-1 record after redshirting his entire freshman year. Jones completed his redshirt season at the 174-pound class and moved down a weight class to compete at the elite division to 165.
“I think I got off to a good start so far,” Jones said. “With only one loss so far, which you don’t ever want to lose, but I definitely feel like for my redshirt freshman year I’ve just gotten out there with the team and done pretty well so far.”