By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
The No. 17 ranked Fort Hays State wrestling team kicks off its 2018-19 campaign at 7 p.m. on Thursday (Nov. 1) with the annual Black and Gold Scrimmage held inside Gross Memorial Coliseum. The event gives Tiger fans an opportunity to come out and watch FHSU wrestlers take on each other as a catalyst for the upcoming season. The scrimmage is free to all fans.
Here is a preview of the projected match-ups Thursday evening from Coach Thompson…
149 – Redshirt-freshman Jonathan Ball and newcomer Jonathan Green square off in the opening bout for the Tigers. Ball joined his older brother Brandon on the squad last year, taking a redshirt in 2017-18. Ball did see action on the mat as he compiled an 11-7 record with three falls and two technical falls. Jonathan Green comes to FHSU from Frisco, Texas. Green was a four-time state qualifier at Liberty High School, including a runner-up finish his junior season. He finished his prep career with a 164-4 overall record.
197 – At 197 pounds, newcomer Cody Collins will face off with Jordan Davis. Collins makes his way to FHSU from Denton, Kan. He was a two-time state placer at Doniphan West High School, earning a runner-up finish as a senior. Davis returns for his second season with the Tigers as he compiled a 12-11 record as a junior.
125 Exhibition – Newcomers Mason Turner and Collin Cole square off for the Tigers at 125 pounds. Turner is a freshman from Kansas City, Kan. Turner wrestled at Schlagle High School where he compiled an overall record of 154-7. Turner finished at least third all four years with a state championship his senior season. Cole is the younger brother of Conrad. Cole was a two-time state qualifier at Brush High School in Brush, Colorado.
125 – Two more newcomers to the Tiger wrestling program will also be competing at 125 pounds, Payton Sadowski and Broderick Green. Sadowski comes to Hays as a four-time state qualifier at El Dorado High School, finishing runner-up his sophomore year. Green is a freshman from Frisco, Texas where he was a three-time state qualifier at Liberty HS. Green went 136-25 in his prep career, finishing runner-up as a senior.
133 Exhibition – This bout will face off with two more newcomers to the squad, Cole Zebley and Devin Onwugbufor. Zebley comes from Omaha, Neb. where he was a four-time state qualifier at Millard West High School. Zebley compiled an overall record of 109-34, while placing fourth as a senior. Onwugbufor is a native of Maize, Kan. where he completed his prep career with a 106-16 overall record. Onwugbufor finished second as a sophomore, third as a junior and won the state title as a senior.
133 – In the other 133-pound bout, freshman Riley Tubbs will face-off with junior Conrad Cole. Tubbs makes his way to Fort Hays State from Alma, Kan. where he captured a 169-11 overall record and top-3 finishes every year (Runner-up as freshman, Champion as sophomore and senior, and third-place as junior). Conrad Cole finished last season with a 16-17 overall record. Cole led the team in pins (10), and recorded one technical fall and one major decision.
141 Exhibition – This 141-pound bout features senior Dy’Juan Carney and freshman Josh Lenker. Carney returns this season after finishing his junior year with a 19-16 overall record. Carney recorded nine pins and one technical fall. Lenker comes to from Phillipsburg, Kan. where he was a three-time state qualifier for Phillipsburg HS, including a fourth-place finish as a senior.
141 – In the other 141-pound match, two returners compete against each other in Wyatt Alvis and Pedro Ordonez. Alvis was the 2016-17 starter as a true freshman and has a 9-14 record to go with it. Ordonez is coming off his redshirt season. The Hugoton, Kan. native saw some action on the mat as he finished 3-4 in two open tournaments.
157 – The 157-pound bout features two returners, redshirt-freshman Anthony Scantlin and sophomore Efe Osaghae. Scantlin redshirted the 2017-18 season, but did see some action on the mat with a 14-6 overall record. Scantlin recorded seven pins and two technical falls. Osaghae is coming off his best year so far at Fort Hays State with an All-America Honor last season in the 149-pound weight class. Osaghae finished the season as the West regional freshman of the year and compiled an overall record of 31-14 with two falls, five technical falls and five major decisions. Osaghae ranked third on the squad a year ago in tech falls and major decisions.
165 – In the 165-pound match, returners Aryus Jones and Conrad Vajnar face off against each other. Jones redshirted as a freshman, but did see some action on the mat as he compiled a 10-4 record. He led the team in technical falls (six). Conrad Vajnar also redshirted his freshman season and saw little action on the mat with a 3-6 record.
165 Exhibition – Either Christopher Ball or Nathan Dotson will face off against Isaiah Luellen at 165 pounds. All three wrestlers are true freshmen this season. Ball joins both of his older brothers on the squad from Great Bend, Kan. Ball captured a 163-10 overall record at Hoisington High School, winning the state title his sophomore, junior and senior campaigns. Dotson comes to Hays from Arlington, Texas. He was a two-time state qualifier for Arlington Martin High School. On the other side, Luellan makes his debut for the FHSU wrestling team as a newcomer from Rossville, Kan. Luellen was a four-time state placer at Rossville HS, where he finished fourth as a freshman, runner-up as a sophomore and won the state title as both a junior and senior in front of fans inside Gross Memorial Coliseum at the KSHSAA 3-2-1A State Championships.
174 – This match pits returning sophomore Marty Verhaeghe and incoming transfer Nick Meck. Verhaeghe posted a 20-24 overall record last season, recording seven falls, one technical fall and three major decisions. Meck comes to Hays, Kan. from York College where he was third in NAIA in 2017. Meck is a native of Topeka, Kan.
184 – Senior Micquille Robinson will face off with newcomer Tyler Boone in the 184-pound bout. Robinson went 15-14 overall as he recorded four falls and three major decisions. Boone comes to Fort Hays State from Valley Center, Kan. where he was a four-time state qualifier, finishing runner-up his senior season. He compiled a 124-67 record in his prep career.
141 Exhibition – In the 141-pound weight class, Brandon Ball will face off against Jonathan Green. Ball returns for his junior season ranked No. 4 at 141 pounds. The Great Bend, Kan. native finished one round shy of All-American status at the NCAA Championships.
285 Exhibition – A.J. Cooper and Jordan Davis will battle in the final match of the evening. Cooper is in his second year with the Tiger wrestling team after playing for the Tiger football team prior.
Below is the full schedule for the 2018 Black and Gold Scrimmage…
| Black | Weight | Gold |
| Jonathan Ball | 149 | Jonathan Green |
| Cody Collins | 197 | Jordan Davis |
| Mason Turner | 125 Exhibition | Collin Cole |
| Payton Sadowski | 125 | Broderick Green |
| Cole Zebley | 133 Exhibition | Devin Onwugbufor |
| Riley Tubbs | 133 | Conrad Cole |
| Dy’Juan Carney | 141 Exhibition | Josh Lenker |
| Wyatt Alvis | 141 | Pedro Ordonez |
| Anthony Scantlin | 157 | Efe Osaghae |
| Aryus Jones | 165 | Conrad Vajnar |
| Christopher Ball or Nathan Dotson |
165 Exhibition | Isaiah Luellen |
| Marty Verhaeghe | 174 | Nick Meck |
| Micquille Robinson | 184 | Tyler Boone |
| Brandon Ball | 149 Exhibition | Jonathan Green |
| A.J. Cooper | Exhibition | Jordan Davis |