An Ache In The Back At The End
Concordia built up an 18-9 lead in the first seven matches against RCTC but then watched the Yellowjackets rattle off three straight wins to claim the dual final by a score of 21-18.
MOORHEAD, Minn. (2/21/21)---Concordia won four of the first seven matches in their dual with Rochester Community and Technical College (RCTC) and built a comfortable 18-9 lead with only three bouts left on the schedule. Unfortunately for the Cobbers, they weren't able to come up with a dual clincher, lost the last three bouts and fell 21-18.
The meet was the first scored competition of the year for Concordia. RCTC, who won the Junior College National Championship last year and is ranked third in the nation this year, is now 2-0 in dual meets. The Yellowjackets other win came against the Cobbers' next opponent – Cornell (Iowa).
The teams alternated wins in the first seven with the Cobbers grabbing an 18-9 lead by virtue of pins from Cade Lundeen and No.8-ranked Gabe Zierden.
Lundeen started the day by pinning his opponent at 141 at the 2:39 mark of the first period. Lundeen's win gave Concordia a 6-0 lead. CC would not trail the Yellowjackets until the final match of the dual.
Sophomore Kellen Schauer and senior Alex Skaare recorded wins by a decision in two of the next four bouts to give the Cobbers a 12-6 lead. Schauer went on the offensive from the opening whistle, never trailed and cruised to a 9-3 win at 157. Skaare didn't allow a point in his match at 174. He recorded two points via stall warnings on his opponent in the first two periods, notched a takedown in the second period and won 5-0.
RCTC won the match at 184 to cut the lead to 12-9 but then Zierden came away with a pin in his very first match of the season. Zierden, who has been sidelined with a slight injury and didn't participate in the Cobber intrasquad dual or meet at St. John's, fell behind 2-0 in the first moments of the match at 197. He then stormed back to get an escape, and a pair of takedowns before finishing the match at 1:36 of the opening period.
Concordia lost close decisions at 285 and 133 but it was a bonus-point win at 125 that helped win the dual for the Yellowjackets. No.7-ranked Cole Kubesh was slated to wrestle at 125 but a back injury which occurred in the last half of the week kept last year's national qualifier off the mat on Sunday.
The dual meet also featured 15 additional matches as the teams tried to get as much mat time against opposing wrestlers for their athletes.
Heavyweight Austin Ratliff had the most successful day in the extra matches. He claimed wins by a pin in both of his matches with his second victory coming against a nationally-ranked JUCO wrestler.
Jake Nohre and Zierden were the other two CC wrestlers to post a pair of wins on the day. Nohre got a pin at the 5:52 mark in his first bout at 133 and then earned a hard-fought 7-4 decision in the other match.
Zierden started his sophomore season with a pair of dominating bonus-point performances. In addition to his pin in the dual match, Zierden came through with a 15-0 technical fall win at the 5:23 mark in his extra match at 197.
Gabe Bellefeuille, Bret Wilson, Jaykob Mills and Jacob Arends also recorded wins on the day for CC.
UP NEXT: Concordia will travel to Minneapolis for their last dual of the season. The Cobbers will battle Cornell on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 1 p.m. in a match which will be held at Augsburg University.
Individual Dual Match Results:
141 - Cade Lundeen (CC) pin Matt Frost (RCTC); 2:39 (CC leads 6-0)
149 - Brandon Kidd Jr. (RCTC) dec. Jacob Prunty (CC); 5-0 (CC leads 6-3)
157 - Kellen Schauer (CC) dec. Isaac Denstad (RCTC); 9-3 (CC leads 9-3)
165 - #4 Seth Brossard (RCTC) dec. Tyler Bents (CC); 9-8 (CC leads 9-6)
174 - Alex Skaare (CC) dec. Sage Loredo-Hollon (RCTC); 5-0 (CC leads 12-6)
184 - Gavin Christoffersen (RCTC) dec. Ayden Friese (CC); 7-1 (CC leads 12-9)
197 - Gabe Zierden (CC) pin Tristen Wilson (RCTC); 1:38 (CC leads 18-9)
285 - Noah Broderson (RCTC) dec. Chase Dockter (CC); 8-3 (CC leads 18-12)
125 - Cael Bartels (RCTC) wins by forfeit (Match tied 18-18)
133 - Parker Dobrocky (RCTC) dec. Ben Bogart (CC); 7-5 (RCTC wins 21-18)
Extra Matches:
141 - Gabe Bellefeuille (CC) dec. Matt Frost (RCTC); 14-8
149 - Brandon Kidd Jr. (RCTC) maj. dec. AJ Backes (CC); 9-1
157 - Bret Wilson (CC) maj. dec. Isaac Denstad (RCTC); 16-2
165 - Isaac Denstad (RCTC) dec. Demetrius Turrentine (CC); 6-4
174 - Sage Loredo-Hollon (RCTC) pin Grason Randall (CC); 4:49
174 - Wyatt Simon (RCTC) pin Elijah Lanigan (CC); 1:38
174 - Wyatt Simon (RCTC) dec. Elijah Hunt (CC); 10-5
184 - Gavin Christofferson (RCTC) dec. Connor Chloupek (CC); 6-4
197 - Gabe Zierden (CC) tech. fall Mason Smid (RCTC); 15-0 5:23
285 - Jaykob Mills (CC) pin Mason Smid (RCTC); 4:51
285 - Austin Ratliff (CC) pin Connor Bleymeyer (RCTC); 5:40
285 - Austin Ratliff (CC) pin Tristen Wilson (RCTC); 2:54
285 - Jacob Arends (CC) pin Connor Bleymeyer (RCTC); 4:33
133 - Jake Nohre (CC) pin David Saunders (RCTC); 5:52
133 - Jake Nohre (CC) dec. Parker Dobrocky (RCTC); 7-4
SPONSOR: Tonight's recap is sponsored by 702 Communications. The Cobber coaches count on clear and concise communications with their student-athletes and that is what 702 Communications delivers to its customers. Thanks to 702 Communications for their continued support of Concordia athletics.
