Avila Splits KCAC Duals with Friends, York
WICHITA, Kan. and YORK, Neb. – Avila men's wrestling closed out the dual portion of the 2023-24 campaign by competing against two KCAC foes in road dual contests this week. The Eagles first fell to Friends in a razor-thin contest on Wednesday before recovering to defeat York in convincing fashion on Thursday.
Avila's match against Friends Wednesday was about as close as a dual can get. Both teams fully stocked the ten weight classes and split those evenly, five wins per side. The difference was four of Friends' five wins came via tech fall or pin, while the Eagles received only two pins against three decisions – and the Falcons eked out a 26-21 victory.
Friends got the night started strong with victories in three of the first four weights to build up a 15-3 lead. Luke Ward got the Eagles on the board with a bruising 6-0 decision in his return to the lineup at 133, and the middleweights helped the visitors climb out an early hole with three straight wins: Karter Brink (a 2-1 decision at 157), Jake Callahan (5-2 decision at 165) and Corey Holmes (a pin of Payton Douglas at 174) all were victorious, evening the score at 15 apiece with only three matches to go.
That's where the Falcons capitalized. Jason Bowers earned an 18-3 tech fall at 184 and Gustavo Renteria got a second-period pin at 197, and even a pinfall victory for Gavin Howes at heavyweight couldn't save the team result for the Eagles: Friends pulled out the 26-21 victory.
Less than 24 hours later, the Eagles had made the trip up to Nebraska to take on the York Panthers in a match that was rescheduled from earlier in January. York has been a KCAC contender in the past, but this season's Panther team was no match for the Eagles: Avila won eight of the ten bouts to cruise past the Panthers 38-9.
Forfeit victories at the start and the end of the afternoon for Tyler Johnson and Blake Becker paved the way, and it was smooth sailing for the Eagles for pretty much the entire afternoon. Avila won the first six bouts, including wins for Ryan McNeel, Jacob Ramirez, Terrell Carter-Williams, Brink and Callahan, before York finally won its first match at 174.
The Panthers got one more decision win at heavyweight but not before Joshua Martinez earned his first dual victory since the first dual of the year against William Woods, a 13-3 major over Nash Crane, to punctuate a resounding 38-9 victory for the Eagles in their final dual of the year.
Up next, Avila men's wrestling will compete in its final event of the regular season this Saturday, February 3, at the Missouri Valley Open in Marshall, Missouri. For details on how to watch and follow along, stay tuned to Avila Athletics on social media and avilaathletics.com.
