Displaying a solid lineup of six past state medalists, Baylor wrestlers defeated visiting McCallie, 33-19, Monday night before a standing room-only crowd in Duke Arena.
Having state medalists win the first three matches, the host Red Raiders led 15-0 after four weights and held its largest lead of 18 after nine weights to improve to 15-3 on the season. Overall, Baylor won nine of the 14 matches, including one fall and one technical fall.
“It was a good effort from our guys and we wrestled hard,” said Baylor coach Ben Nelson.
“A few of our wrestlers have not been in the lineup much of the season, so they were a little rusty. So we have a lot of things to tighten up before the state duals this weekend.”
The D-II state duals are this weekend at the Ag Expo Center in Franklin, Feb. 1-2 and Baylor is the second seed in the Middle/East Region, while McCallie finishes third. Father Ryan is the top seed from the Middle/East. State brackets should be posted on the tssaa.org Tuesday morning.’
Starting at 145, former state champion Cole Holloway put Baylor on the board first with a 4-1 regular decision over Blake Griffin, followed by major decisions from Blake Sutherland (152) and Ryan Parker (170) sandwiched around a Bryson Popp technical fall (160, state runner-up in 2012) for a 15-0 lead.
The Blue Tornado then won two of the next three to trail 18-6 with wins from Nathan Hoodenpyle – an overtime winner at 182 – and Casey Cook at 220.
Baylor wins by Will Thomas (285) and Michael Murphy (106, 2012 state medalist) pushed the lead to 24-6 before McCallie won three of the final five matches.
“Baylor outwrestled us, won most of the close matches and scored more bonus points,” said McCallie coach Mike Newman. “All the credit goes to Baylor and we have to get better at the basics.”
On a night in which the Baylor fans honored retired, hall of fame coach Schaack Van Deusen before the match, the hosts gave their fans plenty to cheer about during the action as they now lead the series 46-40, having won the last nine matches in the rivalry that started in 1946.
Best Match: In a battle of state medalists, McCallie’s Nathan Hoodenpyle scored a takedown in the first overtime period to register a 3-1 triumph against three-time medalist Houston Clements … With the fans on both sides of the gym standing and cheering, Hoodenpyle countered a Clements takedown effort to score the winning points … In the final seconds of regulation, both wrestlers had a chance to win the match… Clements has a single leg up in the air, but Hoodenpyle kicked out of the hold and then took Clements down to his back, but only after the horn sounded as the match remained 1-1 after three periods.
Quickest Fall: McCallie’s Adam Connell (132) pinned Mills Hooper in 21 seconds:
The Match That Wasn’t: The fans anticipated a meeting of state champions at 132 with McCallie’s Adam Connell set to go against Brandon Brunner, Baylor’s three-time state champ … Brunner is the No.1 seed at 132, since he is the defending champ at that weight … Connell was 2012 state champ at 120 a year ago …. Baylor decided to wrestle Brunner at 138.
State Medalists (13): Baylor had six state medalists in the lineup with five winning … McCallie had seven state medalists in the lineup with five posting victories.
Schaack Van Deusen Honored: Former Baylor coach was honored prior to the match … former Notre Dame wrestler Cessna Decosimo designed a bust of Van Deusen which is in the Luke Worsham Wrestling Facility … A 1961 graduate of Baylor, Van Deusen lettered in wrestling, football, tennis and baseball … was a member of two Mid South championship teams and won a City Prep title … He also wrestled at the U. of Virginia and Chattanooga … as a coach at Notre Dame and Baylor, Van Deusen’s teams posted an impressive record of 713-161-7, winning 22 state team titles … He is a past national assistant coach of the year and is a member of three halls of fame; Baylor, Greater Chattanooga and the Tenn. Chapter, National Wrestling HOF … Van Deusen and his wife Beth have had a busy extended weekend as they were at Wittenberg Univ. (Ohio) on Sunday to watch their oldest daughter, Sarah, have the lead in a university play, “This Is How It Goes.”
Moore Wrestling: Former Baylor wrestling brothers, Tommy, Ted and Chris were honored at Sunday’s U. of Virginia wrestling match defeating N.C. State, 32-7 … The Moore trio were all starters on the 1968-69 UVa team …
Baylor 33, McCallie 19
145: **Cole Holloway (Bay) dec. *Griffin Davis 4-1 … Baylor, 2-0
One team point deducted for Baylor for thrown head gear
152: *Blake Sutherland (Bay) major dec. Will Patton, 8-0 … Baylor 6-0
160: *Bryson Popp (Bay) tech fall Ariel Bong, 4:32 … Baylor 11-0
170: Ryan Parker (Bay) major dec. *Calum McCroskey, 14-5 … Baylor, 15-0
182: *Nathan Hoodenpyle (McC) dec. *Houston Clements, 3-1 OT, … Baylor, 15-3
195: Emery Norris (Bay) dec. Jay Roberts, 3-2 … Baylor, 18-3
220: *Casey Cook (McC) dec. Jon Schmissrauter, 5-3 … Baylor, 18-6
285: Will Thomas (Bay) dec. Brian Phillips, 4-2, 3 OT … Baylor, 21-6
106: *Michael Murphy (Bay) dec. Addison Cornell, 9-4 … Baylor, 24-6
113: *James Westbrooks (McC) dec. Caleb Canada, 7-1 … Baylor, 24-9
120: *Caleb Powell (Bay) dec. Morgan Boyd, 7-4 … Baylor, 27-9
126: **Alex Elsea (McC) major dec. Nick Standefer, 11-3 … Baylor, 27-13
132: **Adam Connell (McC) pinned Mills Hooper, :21 … Baylor, 27-19
138: ** Brandon Brunner (Bay) pinned Matthew Jones, 3:24 … 33-19
Records: Baylor (15-3), McCallie (9-5)
* state medalist … ** state champion
Stats:
Wins: Baylor, 9-5
Falls: 1-1
Forfeits: None
Technical Falls: Baylor, 1-0
Major Dec: Baylor, 2-1
Reg. Decisions: Baylor, 5-3
First Takedowns: Baylor, 7-6
Of Those Who Had the First Takedown …: 12 of the 13 won their match
Bonus Points Scored: Baylor, 7-4
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net