“I thought the crowd was great and loud, we have been all over the state and this will stand out as one of my favorite place to come,” head coach Mark Branch said. “I think the match on Friday was so emotional and I feel like I was summoning some emotion and I feel like our guys felt that too. I thought we came out a little bit flat.”
The Cowboys reached double-digit dual wins for the fifth time under head coach Mark Branch. It is the first double-digit win total for the Cowboys since recording 10 wins in 2011-12.
The Pokes opened the dual with a pin by junior Austin Breckenridge at 149 pounds. He earned his fall at 2:40 over Boise State’s Jake Velarde to give the Cowboys a 6-0 lead right off the bat. Senior Brandon Richardson appeared in his first dual action of the season at 157 pounds picking up a major decision over the Bronco’s Lucas Somera, pushing the Pokes to a commanding 10-0 advantage.
Senior No.18 Dakota Friesth extended the Pokes’ lead to 13-0 with a 7-4 decision over Boise State’s Taylor West at 165 pounds. McCulley, a native of Rock Springs, who ranks No.14 in the nation, earned a point for riding time to defeat BSU’s Austin Dewey for his 100th career win.
“Andy was wrestling a little tight tonight, but in the long run he will remember winning his 100th match in his hometown and that is a milestone that not too many wrestlers get to,” Branch said.
Sophomore No.19 Benjamin Stroh picked up another pin for the Pokes at 184 pounds downing Holden Packard at the 1:41 mark. It was his seventh pin of the season and the second fastest of the season, as he gave the Cowboys a 22-0 lead.
Senior No.14 Shane Woods remained perfect on the season at 13-0 in dual matches after a 5-1 decision over the Bronco’s Cody Dixon. In the heavyweight match senior Leland Pfeifer earned a 6-2 decision over Boise State’s Gaylen Demo. The Pokes held a 28-0 lead after the 197 pounds and heavyweight matches.
“It was a dominating victory, but what I really like the most was wrestling a couple of seniors in Richardson and Pfeifer and it was nice for both of them to get wins,” Branch said.
Senior No. 15 Tyler Cox defeated Carson Kuhn, 14-12 at 125 pounds. Cox trailed 9-3 after two periods, but ended with 11 points in the final frame to earn the comeback win that gave the Pokes a 31-0 lead. Sophomore Drew Templeman earned six points for the Pokes on a forfeit at 133 pounds. In the final match of the night No. 6 Geordan Martinez of Boise State defeated Cole Mendenhall in a 10-3 decision.
“Tyler’s match was exciting, but as a head coach those are the ones that make my head hurt,” Branch said.
The Pokes return to action in their final dual of the season against Northern Colorado next Sunday at 2 p.m. in Greely, Colo.
Results:
149: Austin Breckenridge (WYO) Pin (2:40) Jake Velarde (Boise State) – Pin (2:40) – 6-0 WYO
157: Brandon Richardson (WYO) Major Dec. 10-1 Lucas Somera (Boise State) – 10-1 – 10-0 WYO
165: No. 18 Dakota Friesth (WYO) Dec. 7-4 Taylor West (Boise State) – 7-4, 13-0 WYO
174: No.14 Andy McCulley (WYO) Dec. 2-1 Austin Dewey (Boise State) – 2-1, 16-0 WYO
184: No. 19 Benjamin Stroh (WYO) Pin (1:41) Holden Packard (Boise State) – Pin (1:41) – 22-0 WYO
197: No. 14 Shane Woods (WYO) Dec. 5-1 Cody Dixon (Boise State) – 5-1 – 25-0 WYO
285: Leland Pfeifer (WYO) Dec. 6-2 Gaylen Demo (Boise State) – 6-2 – 28-0 WYO
125: No. 15 Tyler Cox (WYO) Dec. 14-12 Carson Kuhn (Boise State) – 14-12 – 31-0 WYO
133: Drew Templeman (WYO) Forfeit Open (Boise State) – Forfeit – 37-0 WYO
141: No. 6 Geordan Martinez (Boise State) Dec. 10-3 Cole Mendenhall (WYO) - 10-3 – 37-3 WYO
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