By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
The No. 12 ranked Fort Hays State wrestling team captured their fifth Kansas Cup title in six years inside Gross Memorial Coliseum on Sunday (Jan. 13). The Tigers won the event with 137 team points. No. 4 ranked Efe Osaghae claimed his second individual title of the season in the 165-pound weight class. Sophomore A.J. Cooper (285 pounds) captured his first individual title this year.
Broderick Green (125 pounds), Ryne Cokeley (149 pounds), No. 9 ranked Marty Verhaeghe (174 pounds), Micquille Robinson (184 pounds) and Jordan Davis (197 pounds) all earned runner-up finishes. Reese Cokeley (141 pounds) and Jonathan Ball (157 pounds) claim third-place finishes and Conrad Cole (133 pounds) finishes in fourth-place.
Osaghae went 2-0 on the day with a 9-3 decision over Noah Perkins of Newman in the semifinals and a narrow 3-2 decision over Nick Lucas of Pratt CC to claim the individual title. Cooper topped off a 2-0 day with his first title this season and going 2-0 in the tournament. Cooper earned a fall over Lexington Plummer of Kansas Wesleyan in the semifinals before using a 9-2 major decision over Thor Balavage of Newman in the title match.
Green defeated Brayan Balderrama (Pratt CC) by fall in the first round before pinning Logan McDowell of Bethany in the semifinals. Green dropped the title match to Emmanuel Brown (Baker) by a 7-3 decision. Ryne Cokeley went 1-1 in the tournament with a fall over Cody Wuthnow (Cloud County CC) in the semifinals before falling to Kameron Frame (Newman) by a 9-6 decision in the title match.
Verhaeghe finished 1-1 on the day with a pin in the semifinals over Kobryn Mann (Cloud County CC) and dropping the title match to Lucas Lovvorn (Baker) by a 10-2 major decision. Robinson finished 2-1 in the tournament with a 9-7 sudden victory over Joshua Wilson (Bethany) in the first round. Robinson then defeated Matthew Cruickshank (Cloud County CC) with a 15-3 major decision, before falling to Jacob Smith (Baker) in a 3-2 decision in the title bout.
Davis picked up two wins on his way to the runner-up finish after picking up a major decision (10-2) over Sean Jackson (Colby CC) and a 6-5 decision over Chris Henderson (Pratt CC) in the semifinals. Davis dropped the title bout to David Dow (Baker) by major decision (17-3). Reese Cokeley saw his first action on the mat as a Tiger with a solid third-place finish. Cokeley went 1-1 on the day, including a 10-1 major decision over Caysen Smith (Bethany) in the consolation championship.
Jonathan Ball also earned a third-place finish after earning a pin in the first round over Luke Culbertson (Pratt CC) and earning another fall over Isaiah Frederick (Kansas Wesleyan) in the consolation semifinals. Ball defeated Victor Monarrez (Bethany) with a 10-0 major decision. Conrad Cole picked up two wins on the day with a fall over Brady Lowell (Cloud County CC) and a 4-2 decision over Joshua Crager (Kansas Wesleyan).
Fort Hays State won the team title with 137 team points. Baker finished second with 125 points, while Newman (121 points) earned a third place finish.
The Tigers are back in action Thursday (Jan. 17) when they host Colorado School of Mines for a non-conference dual. The Tigers and Orediggers will battle it out inside Gross Memorial Coliseum, beginning at 7 p.m.