Trio Places at Cliff Keen Invitational
December 06, 2014 05:13 PM | General
 |
| Jake A. Smith wrestled to an 8th-place finish. |
| Photo courtesy of Larry Slater |
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Michael Morales downed No. 8/9 Joe Spisak of Virginia as a trio of grapplers represented the West Virginia University wrestling team on the podium at the 33rd Annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Saturday.
Morales led the way for the Mountaineers with a sixth-place finish at 141 pounds. Zeke Moisey took eighth place at 125, as did Jake A. Smith at 197. It marks the first time since at least 2006 that more than two Mountaineers have reached the podium.
West Virginia is currently in 16th place with 44 points. Minnesota is the overall leader with six active wrestlers and 137 points, followed by Virginia Tech in second with 110 points and three wrestlers alive in the championship bracket. Ohio State is in third place with four active wrestlers and 107 points. Should the Mountaineers hold on to their 16th-place finish, it would mark the best finish at the event since 2007 when they took 12th place.
“We started off the day with some big wins and finished with some inconsistencies,” said WVU head coach Sammie Henson. “I’m proud of the improvements we continue to make while knowing losing is unacceptable. We need to keep working on our ‘consistency wins’ philosophy.”
After defeating Harvard’s Todd Preston with a late takedown for a 6-3 decision, Morales faced No. 2 seed Spisak in advancing in the consolation bracket. He dominated Spisak, taking a 14-5 major decision, moving onto the consolation semifinals. Morales then dropped a 15-6 major decision to No. 3 seed Nick Dardanes of Minnesota, to move to the fifth-place match. He lost an 8-4 decision to Boise State’s Gio Martinez to take sixth place in the tournament.
No. 11 seed Zeke Moisey won his first match of the day, using a late takedown to earn a 14-10 decision over Chasen Tolbert of Utah Valley. He went on to lose a 6-2 decision to Trey Andrews of Northern Colorado, dropping to the seventh-place match. Moisey suffered a 12-6 setback to Ronnie Bresser of Oregon State to finish in eighth place at 125 pounds.
Jake A. Smith also advanced within the consolation bracket, winning a 10-4 decision over North Dakota State’s Thomas Petersen.
Bubba Scheffel finished out competition with a 4-0 loss to No. 9 seed Timothy Dudley of Nebraska.
“We beat some nationally ranked guys that should move us up in the individual rankings,” said Henson. “We come to these tournaments because the ups-and-downs are the best way we can simulate the NCAA Tournament.
Following a two-week hiatus, the Mountaineers will travel to Lock Haven on December 20 for a 7 p.m. dual with the Bald Eagles.
125 pounds
Zeke Moisey (WVU) dec. Chasen Tolbert (UVU), 14-10
Trey Andrews (NC) dec. Zeke Moisey (WVU), 6-2
Ronnie Bresser (OSU) dec. Zeke Moisey, 12-6
141 pounds
Michael Morales (WVU) dec. Todd Preston (Harvard), 6-3
Michael Morales (WVU) major dec. No. 3 Joe Spisak (UVa), 14-5
No. 3 Nick Dardanes (Minn) major dec. Michael Morales (WVU), 15-6
Geo Martinez (BSU) dec. Michael Morales (WVU), 8-4
184 pounds
No. 9 Timothy Dudley (NU) dec. Bubba Scheffel (WVU), 3-0
197 pounds
Jake A.Smith (WVU) dec. Thomas Petersen (NDSU), 10-4
Trent Noon (NC) dec. Jake A. Smith (WVU), 8-2
Lucas Sheridan (IU) pinned Jake A. Smith (WVU), 1:06
Andrew Powdrell | April 15
Thursday, April 16
Coach Pat Kirkland | April 15
Thursday, April 16
Coach Rich Rodriguez | April 15
Thursday, April 16
Alumni Series | Louisa Morgan Hoogduin
Wednesday, April 15
