PRESCOTT, Ariz. – Wayland Baptist won its final dual after dropping its first three while participating Sunday in the Embry-Riddle Eagle Duals here.
Ranked the equivalent of 44
th in the NAIA Coaches' Top 20, Wayland dropped its first dual to No. 14 Providence, Mont., 32-16 before falling to Morningside, Iowa, ranked the equivalent of 23
rd, 39-16. The Pioneers then took on host Embry-Riddle, ranked No. 11, and dropped a 39-10 decision before winding up the day with a victory over Arizona Christian, 25-23.
"We faced some challenges. We saw a heightened level of competition coming out here, which is what we were striving for with this trip," Wayland assistant coach
Ben Sanchez said.
Sanchez said
Adelfo Valdez in 133s,
Matt Alejandro 174s and
Kye Fehrenbacher in 157s "wrestled particularly well." All three posted 3-1 records on the day.
Next on the schedule for a handful of WBU men's and women's wrestlers are the Senior World Team Trials on Dec. 21 and 22 in Fort Worth. "We'll take a couple of guys and five or six girls to that," Sanchez said.
After that, Wayland will compete at the Central Baptist Invitational in Conway, Ark., Jan. 11.
"Our guys are going to have two weeks now to recuperate, then once we come back from break it's full speed ahead focused on what we need to do in order to be ready for the conference tournament and punching their tickets to nationals," Sanchez said.
Providence, Mont. 32, Wayland Baptist 16
125:
Gabe Gray, won by forfeit
133:
Adelfo Valdez, won by dec., 9-2
141:
Bryan Pena, lost by dec., 6-3
149:
Daniel Abeyta, lost by fall
157: Bradon Chapin, lost by fall
165:
Kye Fehrenbacher, won by dec.
174: Matthew Alejandro, won by MD, 11-3
184:
Hunter McCarty, lost by TF
197:
Justin Vargas, lost by fall
285:
Baylor Walker, lost by fall
Embry-Riddle 39, Wayland 10
125:
Gabe Gray (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) over Unknown (For.)
133:
Adelfo Valdez (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) over Joseph Waters (Morningside (Iowa)) (Dec 6-4)
141: Taylor Vasquez (Morningside (Iowa)) over
Bryan Pena (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) (Fall 3:48)
149: Cameron Williams (Morningside (Iowa)) over
Daniel Abeyta (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) (Fall 2:03)
157: Kyle Fowler (Morningside (Iowa)) over
Brandon Chapin (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) (Fall 2:09)
165:
Kye Fehrenbacher (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) over Carson Hutchins (Morningside (Iowa)) (Dec 6-1)
174: Matthew Alejandro (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) over Ethan Reed (Morningside (Iowa)) (MD 13-5)
184: Elijah Dirkx (Morningside (Iowa)) over
Hunter McCarty (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) (Dec 7-5)
197: Jacob Wiley (Morningside (Iowa)) over
Justin Vargas (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) (Fall 1:26)
285: Phil Rasmussen (Morningside (Iowa)) over
Baylor Walker (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) (Fall 2:17)
Morningside, Iowa 39, Wayland Baptist 16
125:
Gabe Gray (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) over Unknown (For.)
133:
Adelfo Valdez (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) over Joseph Waters (Morningside (Iowa)) (Dec 6-4)
141: Taylor Vasquez (Morningside (Iowa)) over
Bryan Pena (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) (Fall 3:48)
149: Cameron Williams (Morningside (Iowa)) over
Daniel Abeyta (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) (Fall 2:03)
157: Kyle Fowler (Morningside (Iowa)) over
Brandon Chapin (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) (Fall 2:09)
165:
Kye Fehrenbacher (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) over Carson Hutchins (Morningside (Iowa)) (Dec 6-1)
174: Matthew Alejandro (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) over Ethan Reed (Morningside (Iowa)) (MD 13-5)
184: Elijah Dirkx (Morningside (Iowa)) over
Hunter McCarty (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) (Dec 7-5)
197: Jacob Wiley (Morningside (Iowa)) over
Justin Vargas (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) (Fall 1:26)
285: Phil Rasmussen (Morningside (Iowa)) over
Baylor Walker (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) (Fall 2:17)
Wayland Baptist 25, Arizona Christian 23
125:
Gabe Gray, won by MD, 14-2
133:
Adelfo Valdez, won by forfeit (injury)
141:
Bryan Pena, lost by MD, 20-1
149:
Daniel Abeyta, lost by Fall
157: S. Abeyta, won by Dec., 15-7
165:
Kye Fehrenbacher, won by Dec., 7-1
174: Matthew Alejandro, won by Fall
184:
Hunter McCarty, won by Fall
197: Edwin Benavdes, lost by Fall
285:
Baylor Walker, lost by Dec., 4-2
