EDMOND – Four technical falls. Three falls. Two major decisions. The only match Central Oklahoma didn’t dominate on the mat was due to a forfeit as the Bronchos plastered MIAA rival Newman 52-0 Wednesday night at Hamilton Field House.
UCO — ranked seventh by the NWCA and No. 1 by The Open Mat — stretched its school-record home winning streak to 28 in a row while also posting its 28th consecutive league win with the lopsided rout. The Bronchos improved to 4-1 while staying perfect (21-0) against the outmanned Jets.
“I thought we came out ready to wrestle and did a great job staying aggressive,” head coach Todd Steidley said. “Our guys kept trying to score points, which is exactly what we want to do.”
UCO scored early and often, piling up 20 takedowns and nine near-falls in scoring 116 points in the nine matches contested. The Bronchos recorded technical falls of 20-2, 18-1, 17-2 and 16-1 in addition to major decisions of 13-5 and 9-0 to go along with the three pins.
Guy Clevenger got UCO going with a fall in the opening match at 125 pounds. Clevenger trailed 10-6 entering the final period, but quickly reversed Jaxson Newcomb to his back and ended it at the 5:40 mark.
Jason Henschel followed with a methodical 9-0 major decision, scoring two takedowns and a reverse while piling up more than four minutes of riding time. Josh Taylor struck for a takedown four seconds into his 141-pound bout, added a near-fall at the end of the opening period and then turned a reverse into a fall early in the second stanza.
The Bronchos added a forfeit at 149 and then continued their scoring onslaught at 157 as two-time defending national champion Gabe Johnson needed just 2:25 to register a 17-2 technical fall.
Johnson had three takedowns and two near-falls in that scoring clinic to pick up his 50th career bonus-point win. Johnson, now 96-16 for his career, has won 46 of his last 47 matches.
Bryce Dauphin cruised to a 16-1 rout at 165, scoring three takedowns and a near-fall in the process, then Hunter Jump followed his second takedown of the first period with a fall at the 2:06 mark.
Branson Britten racked up five takedowns and a near-fall in a 20-2 drubbing at 184 to keep the scoring bonanza going. Two-time All-American Garrett Wells followed that with UCO’s final technical fall, tallying two takedowns, two near-falls and three penalty points in an18-1 destruction at 197.
Ryan Nichols finished off the shutout with a 13-5 major decision at heavyweight, scoring 12 straight points after giving up an early takedown before allowing a pair of escapes.
UCO doesn’t return to action after Wednesday’s dual until going to Indianapolis, Indiana Dec. 13-14 for the prestigious Midwest Classic. The Bronchos host Maryville Dec. 19 to finish the first-semester schedule.
UCO 52, Newman 0
125 – Guy Clevenger, UCO, pinned Jaxson Newcomb, 5:40.
133 – Jason Henschel, UCO, major dec. Jevin Foust, 9-0.
141 – Josh Taylor, UCO, pinned Alex Rodriquez, 3:42.
149 – Jaxson Keoltzow, UCO, won by forfeit.
157 – Gabe Johnson, UCO, technical fall Elil Means, 17-2 (2:25).
165 – Bryce Dauphin, UCO, technical fall Jayden Ford, 16-1 (6:16).
174 – Hunter Jump, UCO, pinned Chris Mapp, 2:07.
184 – Branson Britten, UCO, technical fall Skyler Geer, 20-2 (6:26).
197 – Garrett Wells, UCO, technical fall Erik Tomanek, 18-1 (4:57).
Hvy – Ryan Nichols, UCO, major dec. De’Leon Freeman, 13-5.
UCO rolls over Newman
