Bronchos Crown Six Champs At Kansas Tourney

BALDWIN CITY, Kan. (Nov. 7) – No. 4-ranked Central Oklahoma opened the 2021-22 wrestling season in impressive fashion Sunday at the Dan Harris Open as the Bronchos crowned six champions in the all-day tournament.

UCO took 28 individuals to the event and 17 placed in the top four. The Bronchos had a 91-32 record for the day and recorded 46 bonus-point wins.

Winning titles were 125 Paxton Rosen, 141 Nate Keim, 149 Brik Filippo, 157 Gabe Johnson and 184 Alex Kauffman, while heavyweights Braden Morgan and Judson Rowland were named co-champs after both made the finals.

Tanner Cole was runner-up at 133 and UCO also got third-place showings from 141 Peter Rolle, 165 Anthony DesVigne and 197 Emmanuel Skillings, with 141 Von Gray, 149 Kobi Gomez, 165 Hunter Jump and 285 Christian Arriola taking fourth. Studd Morris and Garrett Steidley shared third place after they didn't wrestle in the consolation finals at 125.

"It was a pretty good day for us," head coach Todd Steidley said. "We had a bunch of guys get some quality mat time that we really needed and everybody was excited about getting started. I saw a lot of good things, but we still have a long ways to go."

Rosen opened the day with a 19-3 technical fall before recording a first-period pin and14-1 major decision, then squeezed past Baker's Tristan Stafford 5-3 in the semifinals.

The junior All-American downed Pratt's Jason Henschel 4-1 in the finals to wrap up a 5-0 performance, scoring a first-period takedown before adding an escape and riding time point.

Keim marched into the finals with a trio of lopsided wins, following a first-round bye with a second-period fall, 10-1 major decision and 7-0 shutout.

The junior capped his perfect day with a 4-3 upset of No. 9-ranked Peter Kuster of Drury. Keim's takedown with 30 seconds left in the match broke a 2-2 tie, with Kuster getting a last-second escape.

Filippo dominated a quartet of outmatched foes in cruising into the title bout. He started with a 12-1 major decision, then notched back-to-back falls before securing a 16-1 technical fall in the semifinals.

The junior claimed the gold medal with a 4-2 triumph over Northeastern Oklahoma A&M's Dylan Brown, a returning junior college All-American, with Filippo's first-period takedown the difference.

Johnson, a national qualifier at 149 last year, started the season up a weight and had little trouble making the finals. He drew an opening-round bye, then had consecutive first-period falls before posting a 6-0 shutout in the semifinals.

The second-year freshman clipped unattached entry Zach Porter 6-5 in the finals, finishing with 1:05 in riding time to earn the winning point.

Kauffman rolled into the finals with four wins. He started the day with a 9-3 decision, followed with falls in the next two matches and then notched a 7-0 shutout in the semifinals.

A senior transfer making his UCO debut, Kauffman had four takedowns and a near-fall in overwhelming Pratt's Deston Miller 14-3 in the finals.

Morgan followed a first-round bye with a 19-0 technical fall before pulling out a tough 3-2 quarterfinal win. He advanced to the finals with a 12-1 major decision.

Rowland drew an opening-round bye and followed with a first-period fall before earning two tough wins. The second-year freshman prevailed 4-3 in the quarterfinals, then got a takedown early in the first sudden-victory period to knock off returning junior college All-American Dan Baker of NEO 3-1.

Cole breezed through his three first matches with a first-period fall, 10-1 major decision and easy 8-1 victory before pulling out a tight 8-7 semifinal triumph over Baker's Breden Morrill

The junior All-American dropped a tough 7-6 decision to NEO's Dalen Moore in the title bout. Cole trailed 6-3 after two periods and tied it with an escape and takedown in the final stanza, but Moore got loose in the final minute to earn the winning point.

UCO had two wrestlers at one weight reach the six-match limit before they had a chance to place as both Garrett Messimore and Ryder Ramsey went 5-1 at 149 before being forced to withdraw in the consolation semifinals.

And at 174, Kalin Winkler opened the tournament with a first-period fall and 13-1 major decision to make the semifinals before pulling out with injury.

The Bronchos make its home debut Wednesday with a pair of duals. The junior varsity will take on Carl Albert State College at 5 p.m., with the varsity hosting near-by NAIA rival Oklahoma City at 7.

Championship Finals
125 – Paxton Rosen, UCO, dec. Jason Henschel, Pratt, 4-1.
133 – Dalen Moore, NEO, dec. Tanner Cole, UCO, 7-6.
141 – Nate Keim, UCO, dec. Peter Kuster, Drury, 4-3.
149 – Brik Filippo, UCO, dec. Dylan Brown, NEO, 4-2.
157 – Gabe Johnson, UCO, dec. Zach Porter, Unattached, 6-5.
184 – Alex Kauffman, UCO, major dec. Deston Miller, Pratt, 14-3.
Hvy – Braden Morgan, UCO, by medical forfeit over Judson Rowland, UCO.

Consolation Finals
125 – Studd Morris, UCO, by medical forfeit over Garrett Steidley, UCO.
141 – Peter Rolle, UCO, dec. Von Gray, UCO, 5-0.
149 – Dallas Koelzer, Baker, dec. Kobi Gomez, UCO, 7-3.
165 – Anthony DesVigne, UCO, dec. Hunter Jump, UCO, 4-3.
197 – Emmanuel Skillings, UCO, dec. Malachi Karibo, Baker, 6-3.
Hvy – Dan Baker, NEO, pinned Christian Arriola, UCO, 1:12.

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Players Mentioned

Christian Arriola: 6' 3"; Sophomore; 285

Tanner Cole: 5' 6"; Junior

Anthony DesVigne: 5' 11"; Sophomore

Brik Filippo: 5' 8"; Junior; 149

Kobi Gomez: 5' 11"; Redshirt Freshman; 141

Von Gray: 6' 0"; Junior; 141

Gabe Johnson: 5' 8"; Freshman

Hunter Jump: 6' 2"; Redshirt Freshman

Nate Keim: 5' 7"; Junior; 141

Garrett Messimore: 5' 6"; Redshirt Freshman

Players Mentioned

Christian Arriola
: 6' 3"; Sophomore; 285

Tanner Cole
: 5' 6"; Junior

Anthony DesVigne
: 5' 11"; Sophomore

Brik Filippo
: 5' 8"; Junior; 149

Kobi Gomez
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Freshman; 141

Von Gray
: 6' 0"; Junior; 141

Gabe Johnson
: 5' 8"; Freshman

Hunter Jump
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Freshman

Nate Keim
: 5' 7"; Junior; 141

Garrett Messimore
: 5' 6"; Redshirt Freshman