Many may have looked at Stanford to repeat what it did last year to CBU, and after the Lancers trailed 14-3 after the first five weights, many thought a rout was on.
After Chauncey Philipps scored the only win in the first five weights, Benny Garcia began fueling a little life to CBU with a triple overtime victory to make it 14-6. Then came the turning point of the night. With 2009 national qualifier Jarell Price scheduled to go at 157-pounds, CBU head coach John Petty called an audible. Nikko Cataline, who has already qualified for the 2010 national tournament, was asked to get a big win. Cataline trailed 2-0 after the first period and 7-1 after the second. He then recorded an escape to start the third, and less then a minute later he stuck Lucas Espericueta for a fall in 5:56.
The pin brought the Lancers within two at 14-12 with Preston Brown stepping on the mat at 165 and eyes were opened wide. Brown led from start to finish, grabbing a 3-2 decision over Kyler Hasson to give CBU its first lead at 15-14. The Cardinal picked up a win at 174 to retake the lead at 17-15, but Enock Francois was the ace in the hole for the Lancers as he scored a 9-4 decision over Spence Patrick to give the Lancers the win
"Nikko stepped in and stepped up," said Petty. "What he may lack in fundamentals, he makes up for with his ability to get pins, and that was a huge one tonight. We needed one, and it worked out. That was definitely the turning point in the match. It gave us a mental boost, and the momentum affected the other matches that followed it. That pin gave us life, energy and confidence."
Despite having an NCAA Division I team come into Van Dyne Gym, most of the guys on the team would agree that the dual against No. 10 Embry-Riddle is just as important. In just two years, these two rivals have wrestled each other four times with the Lancers winning three times.
The Eagles got off to a great start with a pin at 197, but the Lancers got on the board at heavyweight with 6-0 decision by Alex Evers. Philipps then picked up his second win with a pin in 5:54 over John Garza to put the Lancers up 9-6. The Eagles answered right back scoring a decision at 133 and a major at 141.
Ian Millan picked up six points with a fall at 149 to put CBU back up by two at 15-13, but ERAU scored a decision at 165 to lead 19-15. C.J. Knowland tied the dual with an 11-1 major decision leaving it all up to Francois who put it away with a 22-10 major decision at 184.
After starting the season 1-1 last year, the 2-0 start to the 2009-10 season is the best dual start in school history. The Lancers are back in action tomorrow at the Fullerton Open.
Results:
197: Richard Kessler (S) maj. dec. Michael Grijalba (C), 14-2 (STAN 4, CBU 0)
HWT: Dylan Rush (S) dec. Josh Marquez (C), 8-6 (STAN 7, CBU 0)
125: Chauncey Philipps (C) dec. Ryan Mango (S), 2-0 (STAN 7, CBU 3)
133: Justin Paulsen (S) maj. dec. Landon Saldana (C), 14-5 (STAN 11, CBU 3)
141: Bret Baumbach (S) dec. Ian Miller (C), 10-6 (STAN 14, CBU 3)
149: Benny Garcia (C) dec. Mike Kent (S), 4-3 (3OT) (STAN 14, CBU 6)
157: Nikko Cataline (C) fall Lucas Espericueta (S), 5:56 (STAN 14, CBU12)
165: Preston Brown (C) dec. Kyler Hasson (S), 3-2 (STAN 14, CBU 15)
174: Jake Johnson (S) dec. C.J. Knowland (C), 5-1 (STAN 17, CBU 15)
184: Enock Francois (C) dec. Spence Patrick (S), 9-4 (STAN 17, CBU 18)
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