FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
OKLAHOMA CITY – Fort Hays State had an excellent showing on Sunday (Nov. 6) when it kicked off the season with three champions and 10 total placers at the Oklahoma City Open. All three Tigers that participated in the open division placed and Jon Inman won the 197-pound class. Brandon Ball (141 pounds) and Christian Lance (285 pounds) claimed titles in the Freshman/Sophomore Division, while five others placed.
Inman, the No. 4 ranked wrestler in the nation at 197 pounds, started the 2016-17 season the right way as he went 3-0 on his way to a first place finish in the Open Division. Inman defeated Oklahoma City’s Riley Fielder with a 12-1 major decision in the opening round. In the semifinals, he ousted Greg Wilson of Central Oklahoma with a 3-1 decision to secure a spot in the championship bout. In the finals, seven minutes was not enough to determine a winner as overtime ensued after a 1-1 tie. Inman got the better of Oklahoma State’s Derek White (formerly with University of Nebraska) as he managed an escape to seal the 2-1 win in the first tiebreak session.
Ball claimed first place in the Freshman/Sophomore Division at 141 pounds for FHSU after going 3-0 on the day. After a bye in the first round, Ball claimed a victory in the in the quarterfinal by pinning Oklahoma City’s Matt Landgraff with three seconds remaining in the match. Ball advanced to the semifinals where he defeated Cy Trindle of Central Oklahoma with a 6-0 decision. In the finals, Ball was in full command defeating Harrison Bamman of Ouachita Baptist by 14-3 major decision.
Lance took home the title in the Freshman/Sophomore Division heavyweight class. After a 7-3 decision in the first round, Lance went on to pin his next two opponents in 2:08 and 2:57 to advance to the semifinals. There he defeated Ouachita Baptist’s Austin Hailey with a 3-1 decision. In the championship bout, Lance got the better of Oklahoma City’s Korey Walker, the No. 3 ranked heavyweight wrestler in NAIA, with another 3-1 decision.
Jacob Kay took second place at 149 pounds in the Open Division by going 2-1 on the day. After a bye in the first round, Kay earned a technical fall over Texas A&M’s Brady Pitzer by shutting him out 17-0. In the semifinal, Kay claimed victory once again when he picked up the 12-8 decision over Central Oklahoma’s Will Steltzlen. In the finals, Kay ran into a Division I All-American Geordan Martinez from Oklahoma State, suffering a tech fall. Martinez was a two-time Pac-12 champ and national qualifier, and a 2015-16 All-America performer at Boise State before transferring to Oklahoma State.
Rakim Dean took fourth place in the Open Division at 184 pounds going 3-2 on the day. He started the day with a fall in 6:32 over Jacob King of Oklahoma City then cruised to a 10-3 decision over John Finn of Central Oklahoma. He dropped the semifinal match to Oklahoma State’s Andrew Marsden by fall. Dean received a forfeit in the consolation round only to drop the consolation final to Finn by an early first-period fall.
The Tigers had two placers in the Freshman/Sophomore Division at 157 pounds in Efe Osaghae and Greg Tooley. Osaghae took third, going 5-1 on the day, and Tooley was fourth with a 4-1 day. Tooley bowed out of the tournament and did not wrestle Osaghae in the third-place match. Tooley’s wins were impressive, racking up four tech falls (20-1, 18-2, 16-0, and 21-3). Osaghae had two decisions, a fall, a win by injury, and a forfeit win to his collection.
Austin Brandt and Micquille Robinson tied for third place at 174 pounds of the Freshman/Sophomore Division. They did not wrestle the third-place match. Conrad Cole took fourth in the 125-pound class going 4-1 with two falls and a major decision to his credit. He opted not to wrestle the third-place match.
The Tigers are scheduled to compete at the Northern Colorado Open in Greeley, Colorado next Sunday (Nov. 13).