Pioneers wrestlers come from behind to defeat NW Tech

The No. 19-ranked Wayland Baptist men's wrestlers received what coach Aaron Meister described as "a wake-up call" Wednesday night in the Pete & Nelda Laney Center against the Northwest Kansas Tech Mavericks.
 
After three matches, the Mavericks were ahead 13-0.
 
"We were kind of shell-shocked," Meister said. "They had all the momentum."
 
The Pioneers got their boost in the fourth match from 149-pound senior Kane Lovvorn, who defeated Wes Poke.
 
"Kane got the ball rolling for us," Meister said.
 
With that momentum change, the Pioneers took another match thanks to senior Victor Thomas at 157 pounds over Victor Haro.
 
The Pioneer comeback was completed after three consecutive wins – senior Mich Napier at 184 and freshmen David Willoughby at 197 and Isaiah Olugbemi at 285 —all by pin. They were necessary points Meister knew they needed to win the match. 24-21.
 
"He (David) got the crowd into it," Meister said.  "Without those three pins, we would have lost the dual."
 
Meister was impressed with his team's effort and unwillingness to give up.
 
"It's not how you start, but how you finish," he said.
 
Next for the Pioneers will be the Bacone Warrior Duals Nov. 14 in Muskogee, Okla. In the duals, the Pioneers will face the Central Baptist College (Ark.) Mustangs, Bacone College (Okla.) Warriors and Doane College (Neb.) Tigers.  

Midway through the dual, WBU wrestlnig presented a check of approximately $1,300 to Jack Barnes, President, Board of Directors for the American Fallen Warrior Memorial Foundation, U.S. Navy Ret., and Sgt. Reas Axtell, USA Ret. The Pioneers raised money through the sale of zipline tickets at Palo Duro Adventure Park and through sacking at United Supermarket of Plainview and Wal-Mart of Canyon.