LAS VEGAS, N.M. Western Colorado picked up pins from Cole Gray and Zachary Schraeder in a match dominated by the Mountaineers, who easily handled host N.M. Highlands University in a 36-10 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory Thursday night.
The win was Western's 16th consecutive victory over the Cowboys.
JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Western def. N.M. Highlands, 36-10
Records: Western 10-4 overall (5-1 RMAC), NMHU 3-7 (1-4)
Location: John A. Wilson Complex, Las Vegas, N.M.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Along with the pins from Gray and Schraeder, Western earned four other bonus point wins in addition to a pair of early decisions to roll to its 26-point advantage on the scoreboard.
- Gray was battling with Highlands' Zackary Small near the edge of the mat in the first period of the 184-pound match. Gray gained a lock on the Cowboy, picking Small up and rolling him over his shoulder straight to Small's back. In seconds the referee slapped the mat to signify the pin, Gray taking just 96 seconds to end the bout.
- Schraeder had a much tougher battle going on at 285 with Highlands' Jayden Johnson. After a scoreless first, Schraeder started the second in the down position and registered an escape for the only point in the period.
- Johnson started on the bottom to begin the third, and he, too, earned an escape to tie the match. But with a little more than 30 seconds to go in the third, Schrader locked on to Johnson, pushed him backward and down to the mat, and like with Gray's takedown and pin, Schrader earned the fall seconds later.
- Roberto Estrada at 125 and Noah Kasprowicz at 141 picked up the two decisions for Western, Estrada opening the match with a 12-9 win, and Kasprowicz earning a 5-0 decision to make up for Western's forfeit at 133 and tie the match at 6-6.
- From there it was bonus point win after bonus point win.
- Dean Noble earned an early-third period 15-0 technical fall at 149, Ryan Wilson added a 9-1 major decision at 157, and Walker Heckendorf piled up a 13-3 major at 165.
- Third-ranked Cole Hernandez rang up six takedowns in his 19-4 tech fall at 174, followed by Gray's quick pin at 184.
UP NEXT
The Mountaineers will hit the road for their next outing, an RMAC match on February 8 at Adams State University.
