By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The No. 19 Fort Hays State wrestling team placed 24th in a loaded field at the 41st annual Midwest Classic Saturday and Sunday (Dec. 14-15). A.J. Cooper was the lone Tiger to reach the podium, placing seventh at 285 pounds.
The Tigers collected 26 team points over the weekend, good for 24th place in the 37-team field.
Cooper battled his way through the consolation bracket to earn a spot on the podium. He won his first match of the weekend with a 7-2 decision before moving to the backside after a 6-3 loss. The junior then rattled off three-straight wins in the consolation bracket, including one pin and a sudden victory takedown against Tristen Weirich, the eighth-ranked heavyweight in Division II. Cooper dropped his next match in an 8-2 decision before winning the seventh-place match via medical forfeit.
Aryus Jones (184 pounds) and Marty Verhaeghe (174 pounds) were both victorious in their first two bouts to advance to the quarterfinals before finishing the weekend 2-2. Jones had a pair of big wins before suffering an injury in the quarterfinals against Aidan Pasiuk of Ashland, ranked sixth in DII at 184 pounds. Jones won his opening round early in the second period thanks to an 18-2 tech fall before capturing a 12-2 major decision in the second round.
Verhaeghe picked up a pair of narrow decisions in the first two rounds, 4-3 and 3-1, before coming up short against a pair of nationally-ranked opponents. The junior dropped a 9-2 quarterfinal decision to Robert Gambrell of Colorado School of Mines, ranked No. 6 at 174 pounds, before losing 9-5 to Caleb Spears of Newberry ranked 12th in the nation.
Anthony Scantlin compiled 3.5 team points thanks to a 17-2 tech fall victory in the preliminary round. The sophomore moved to the back side after suffering a fall against Nathan Hensley of Wisconsin-Parkside before picking up another tech fall win. Scantlin dominated Adrian Salazar-Rivera of Ouachita Baptist in the first round of the consolation bracket, winning 16-0. His weekend came to a close after a close 12-10 decision against Cole Houser of Urbana.
Dy’Juan Carney earned a pair of wins after losing via pin late in his opening match. Carney bounced back to record a 14-4 major victory over Caleb Craig of Kentucky Wesleyan before holding on to defeat Blaine Martinez of Lindenwood, 3-2. The senior’s weekend wrapped up after a 19-7 major decision loss to Baylor Smith of Newman.
Jonathan Ball won his first match at 149 pounds before wrapping up the weekend 1-2. Ball recorded a 10-6 decision against Tylan Tucker of host Indianapolis before dropping an 8-5 decision to Carson Speelman of Ashland, ranked 10th in the country. The sophomore bowed out via injury default midway through the first period of his next match.
Conrad Cole was the only other Tiger to record a pin on the weekend, winning via first-period fall in the opening round of the consolation bracket. He had a tough draw in the opening round, dropping a 19-7 major decision to Tanner Hitchcock of Lindenwood, ranked No. 7 in the country at 133 pounds. He then pinned Richetshaye Puente of Tiffin with five seconds left in the first period before suffering a fall against Robert Altland of Davenport.
Tyler Boone faced off with the fourth-ranked wrestler at 197 pounds in the first round, losing via fall to Nicholas Mason of Tiffin before dropping another match via pin to Keaton Fogler of Lindenwood.
The Tigers will return to action after the new year when they host UNC Pembroke for a non-conference dual on January 8. Action is set to begin inside Gross Memorial Coliseum at 6 p.m.
Complete Fort Hays State results from the 41st annual Midwest Classic:
Conrad Cole – 133 pounds – 2.5 team points – 1-2
Champ. Round 1 – Tanner Hitchcock (Lindenwood (Mo.)) 14-5 won by major decision over Conrad Cole (Fort Hays State) 8-7 (MD 19-7)
Cons. Round 1 – Conrad Cole (Fort Hays State) 8-7 won by fall over Richetshaye Puente (Tiffin) 4-11 (Fall 2:55)
Cons. Round 2 – Robert Altland (Davenport) 9-6 won by fall over Conrad Cole (Fort Hays State) 8-7 (Fall 4:28)
Dy’Juan Carney – 141 pounds – 2.0 team points – 2-2
Champ. Round 1 – Devinaire Hayes (Queens) 9-7 won by fall over Dy’Juan Carney (Fort Hays State) 6-5 (Fall 5:32)
Cons. Round 1 – Dy’Juan Carney (Fort Hays State) 6-5 won by major decision over Caleb Craig (Kentucky Wesleyan ) 7-6 (MD 14-4)
Cons. Round 2 – Dy’Juan Carney (Fort Hays State) 6-5 won by decision over Blaine Martinez (Lindenwood (Mo.)) 3-2 (Dec 3-2)
Cons. Round 3 – Baylor Smith (Newman) 14-7 won by major decision over Dy’Juan Carney (Fort Hays State) 6-5 (MD 19-7)
Jonathan Ball – 149 pounds – 1.0 team points – 1-2
Champ. Round 1 – Jonathan Ball (Fort Hays State) 12-4 won by decision over Tylan Tucker (Indianapolis) 3-7 (Dec 10-6)
Champ. Round 2 – Carson Speelman (Ashland) 18-4 won by decision over Jonathan Ball (Fort Hays State) 12-4 (Dec 8-5)
Cons. Round 2 – Jared Ford (Urbana) 8-4 won by injury default over Jonathan Ball (Fort Hays State) 12-4 (Inj. 1:54)
Anthony Scantlin – 157 pounds – 3.5 team points – 2-2
Prelim – Anthony Scantlin (Fort Hays State) 17-7 won by tech fall over Jacob Catagas (Emmanuel) 10-9 (TF-1.5 4:13 (17-2))
Champ. Round 1 – Nathan Hensley (Wisconsin-Parkside) 7-4 won by fall over Anthony Scantlin (Fort Hays State) 17-7 (Fall 1:11)
Cons. Round 1 – Anthony Scantlin (Fort Hays State) 17-7 won by tech fall over Adrian Salazar – Rivera (Ouachita Baptist) 7-11 (TF-1.5 4:39 (16-0))
Cons. Round 2 – Cole Houser (Urbana) 12-2 won by decision over Anthony Scantlin (Fort Hays State) 17-7 (Dec 12-10)
Marty Verhaeghe – 174 pounds – 2.0 team points – 2-2
Champ. Round 1 – Marty Verhaeghe (Fort Hays State) 15-8 won by decision over Hunter Moore (Ohio Valley) 8-7 (Dec 4-3)
Champ. Round 2 – Marty Verhaeghe (Fort Hays State) 15-8 won by decision over Sam Greco (Davenport) 4-4 (Dec 3-1)
Quarterfinal – Robert Gambrell (Colorado School of Mines) 10-1 won by decision over Marty Verhaeghe (Fort Hays State) 15-8 (Dec 9-2)
Cons. Round 4 – Caleb Spears (Newberry) 11-7 won by decision over Marty Verhaeghe (Fort Hays State) 15-8 (Dec 9-5)
Aryus Jones – 184 pounds – 4.5 team points – 2-2
Champ. Round 1 – Aryus Jones (Fort Hays State) 12-6 won by tech fall over Connor Dixon (Urbana) 7-2 (TF-1.5 3:46 (18-2))
Champ. Round 2 – Aryus Jones (Fort Hays State) 12-6 won by major decision over Sherman Dixon (Wisconsin-Parkside) 6-4 (MD 12-2)
Quarterfinal – Aidan Pasiuk (Ashland) 12-6 won by injury default over Aryus Jones (Fort Hays State) 12-6 (Inj. 3:15)
Cons. Round 4 – Michael Aldrich (McKendree) 10-9 won by medical forfeit over Aryus Jones (Fort Hays State) 12-6 (M. For.)
Tyler Boone – 197 pounds – 0-2
Champ. Round 1 – Nicholas Mason (Tiffin) 19-6 won by fall over Tyler Boone (Fort Hays State) 4-3 (Fall 0:26)
Cons. Round 1 – Keaton Fogler (Lindenwood (Mo.)) 10-7 won by fall over Tyler Boone (Fort Hays State) 4-3 (Fall 3:36)
A.J. Cooper – 285 pounds – 7th place – 10.5 team points – 5-2
Champ. Round 1 – A.J. Cooper (Fort Hays State) 20-7 won by decision over Caleb Carpenter (Findlay) 14-10 (Dec 7-2)
Champ. Round 2 – Gavin Nye (CSU-Pueblo) 8-6 won by decision over A.J. Cooper (Fort Hays State) 20-7 (Dec 6-3)
Cons. Round 2 – A.J. Cooper (Fort Hays State) 20-7 won by decision over Jack Williams (Indianapolis) 4-11 (Dec 1-0)
Cons. Round 3 – A.J. Cooper (Fort Hays State) 20-7 won by fall over Cameron Coffman (Lander ) 9-5 (Fall 2:14)
Cons. Round 4 – A.J. Cooper (Fort Hays State) 20-7 won in sudden victory – 1 over Tristen Weirich (Ashland) 16-6 (SV-1 6-4)
Cons. Round 5 – Caleb Gossett (McKendree) 16-7 won by decision over A.J. Cooper (Fort Hays State) 20-7 (Dec 8-2)
7th Place Match – A.J. Cooper (Fort Hays State) 20-7 won by medical forfeit over Ramon Correa (Coker) 6-3 (M. For.)