Park City, Kan. – Five Mounties were in action on day one of the NAIA Men’s Wrestling Championships in Hartman Arena out in Park City, Kansas. The team kicked off the tournament going 8-5 accumulating 16 team points to end the day sitting 12th overall. Hunter Sparks is the only Mountie still in contention after earning a bye in the first round and earning a major decision victory over 14-seeded and No. 13-nationally-ranked Nathan Rizek of Doane University.
Eastern started the first round off undefeated with all five grapplers advancing to the second championship round. Braden Carson, AJ Rockwell, Kyle Knudtson, and Jay Smith all won their first matches as expected based on seeding.
In the second round the Mounties ran into stiff competition as Carson, Rockwell, and Smith all matched up against top-5 seeded opponents. Knudtson was the lone Mountie to fall to a lower ranked/seeded opponent as Cumberlands’ Thomas Ketchen-Carter edged out the junior in a high scoring 19-15 decision.
The Mountaineers return to action tomorrow morning when wrestling resumes at 11 a.m. CST in Hartman Arena.
DAY 1 RESULTS
NAIA 125
3 Hunter Sparks’s place is unknown and has scored 3.0 team points.
- Champ. Round 1 – 3 Hunter Sparks (Eastern Oregon) received a bye () (Bye)
- Champ. Round 2 – 3 Hunter Sparks (Eastern Oregon) won by major decision over 14 Nathan Rizek (Doane) (Maj 10-1)
NAIA 133
13 Braden Carson’s place is unknown and has scored 3.0 team points.
- Champ. Round 1 – 13 Braden Carson (Eastern Oregon) won by tech fall over Jarrod Gilliam (Briar Cliff ) (TF 22-4)
- Champ. Round 2 – 4 Thaddeus Long (Life) won by tech fall over 13 Braden Carson (Eastern Oregon) (TF 19-3)
- Cons. Round 2 – 13 Braden Carson (Eastern Oregon) won in sudden victory – 1 over Roman De La Cruz (Saint Mary) (SV-1 4-1)
NAIA 149
14 AJ Rockwell’s place is unknown and has scored 2.5 team points.
- Champ. Round 1 – 14 AJ Rockwell (Eastern Oregon) won by tech fall over Gunnar Henderson (Friends) (TF 19-3)
- Champ. Round 2 – 3 Chase Zollmann (Missouri Valley) won by tech fall over 14 AJ Rockwell (Eastern Oregon) (TF 18-0)
- Cons. Round 2 – Dallas Koelzer (Baker) won by decision over 14 AJ Rockwell (Eastern Oregon) (Dec 13-12)
NAIA 184
8 Kyle Knudtson’s place is unknown and has scored 5.0 team points.
- Champ. Round 1 – 8 Kyle Knudtson (Eastern Oregon) won by fall over Jordan Lomeli (Ottawa) (Fall 1:17)
- Champ. Round 2 – Thomas Ketchen-Carter (Cumberlands) won by decision over 8 Kyle Knudtson (Eastern Oregon) (Dec 19-15)
- Cons. Round 2 – 8 Kyle Knudtson (Eastern Oregon) won by tech fall over Tobias Garrison (Cumberlands) (TF 19-3)
NAIA 197
14 Jay Smith’s place is unknown and has scored 2.5 team points.
- Champ. Round 1 – 14 Jay Smith (Eastern Oregon) won by decision over Gentry Smith (Southeastern) (Dec 4-2)
- Champ. Round 2 – 3 Owen Braungardt (Grand View ) won by fall over 14 Jay Smith (Eastern Oregon) (Fall 4:54)
- Cons. Round 2 – 14 Jay Smith (Eastern Oregon) won by major decision over John Lovett (Reinhardt) (Maj 10-0)
