RIVERSIDE, Calif. — The University of Wyoming wrestling team opened Big 12 Conference competition Saturday with a 28-12 win over Cal Baptist inside the Dale E. & Sarah Ann Fowler Events Center.
Lyman’s Sefton Douglass (125 pounds) gave the Cowboys a fast start, pinning Cooper Shore in 57 seconds to put Wyoming up 6-0.
“I’m super proud of Sefton with the way he reacted off the takedown,” head coach Mark Branch said. “That’s just hard-nosed wrestling that you want to see. He didn’t get taken down and drop his head. He wrestled through it and turned it into a big-time move. That was a great way to start the dual.”
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Luke Willochell (133) kept Wyoming rolling, earning a 19-13 decision over Remy Murillo. It marked Willochell’s first collegiate match, and he recorded three takedowns against the Cal Baptist redshirt freshman, who appeared in The Wrestling Report’s top-33 poll.
“Luke really put on a great performance until he hit the wall in the third period,” Branch said. “That’s just a tweak he needs to make to realize what this level of wrestling is. You’re going to have guys that are going to fight for the entire seven minutes. That was a wild match with crazy situations, and Luke wrestled extremely poised for most of that match.”
The Lancers responded with four straight wins from 141 through 165 pounds, taking a 12-9 lead.
Wyoming closed the dual in dominant fashion, winning the final four bouts and collecting bonus points in three of them.
No. 29 Riley Davis (174) started the comeback with a 7-3 decision over Mason Espinoza. It was Davis’ first match as a ranked wrestler, and he logged takedowns in both the first and third periods.
No. 11 Eddie Neitenbach (184) followed with a 17-2 technical fall over Adonis Bonar II, collecting three takedowns and two near falls.
No. 5 Joey Novak (197) bounced back from a loss at the National Duals Invitational, pinning Eli Sheeran in 1:43 to clinch the team victory.
No. 26 Christian Carroll (HWT) capped the night with a 21-6 technical fall over Tristan Kemp, powered by seven takedowns.
“Our three big guns stepped out and wrestled and made a statement, ‘Don’t get too excited because we are going to put an exclamation point on this,’” Branch said. “All three of those guys, Eddie, Joey and Christian, really came out and took care of business, which is what you want to see from those three guys.”
Wyoming is off next weekend before heading to the Cliff Keen Invitational, scheduled for Dec. 5-6 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Wyoming 28, Cal Baptist 12
125: Sefton Douglass (Wyoming) fall Cooper Shore (Cal Baptist), 0:57
133: Luke Willochell (Wyoming) dec. Remy Murillo (Cal Baptist), 19-13
141: Jesse Vasquez (Cal Baptist) dec. John Alden (Wyoming), 6-1
149: Paul Kelly (Cal Baptist) dec. No. 23 Gabe Willochell (Wyoming), 17-15
157: Drayden Morton (Cal Baptist) dec. No. 16 Jared Hill (Wyoming), 5-4
165: Gabe Schumm (Cal Baptist) sv. Sloan Swan (Wyoming), 7-4
174: No. 29 Riley Davis (Wyoming) dec. Mason Espinoza (Cal Baptist), 7-3
184: No. 11 Eddie Neitenbach (Wyoming) tech. fall Adonis Bonar II (Cal Baptist), 17-2 (1:35)
197: No. 5 Joey Novak (Wyoming) fall Eli Sheeran (Cal Baptist), 1:43
HWT: No. 26 Christian Carroll (Wyoming) tech. fall Tristan Kemp (Cal Baptist), 21-6 (2:38)
