Jan. 3, 2009
Arlington, Texas - The Stanford wrestling team (3-7, 0-2 Pac-10) fell for the second time today at the Lonestar Duals in Arlington, Texas, dropping a 31-13 match to Army. The Cardinal will wrestle once more tonight, taking on No. 11 Oklahoma at 8 p.m. (CT).
Cardinal wrestlers picked up three wins in the dual, including the second pin of the day by redshirt freshman Nick Amuchastegui (15-4). The Talent, Ore. native continues to perform in duals for Stanford and now owns a team-best 8-2 dual record and 35 points.
Junior Jake Johnson (20-10) secured his second-straight 20-win season with a major decision in the 184-pound match. Johnson became the first Cardinal wrestler to reach 20 wins this year, and joins teammate Zack Giesen as the only current Stanford wrestlers with more than one career 20-win season.
Sophomore Lucas Espericueta (19-7) rounded out the Cardinal wins with a decision at 157 pounds.
The afternoon began at 125 pounds, where Cardinal freshman Matt Sencenbaugh (5-16) fell 6-3 to fellow rookie Travis Coffey. In the next bout, sophomore Austin Quarles (2-4) lost by fall (2:48) to Army's Whitt Dunning.
The Black Knights continued to roll with a major decision by Casey Thome over Cameron Teitelman (9-8) at 141 pounds and a pin of Max Rosefigura (12-11) by Army All-American Matt Kyler at 149 pounds. After four bouts, Stanford faced at 19-0 deficit.
Espericueta finally put Stanford on the board in the 157-pound match, winning 8-5 over Black Knight sophomore Rudy Chelednik.
Amuchastegui built on the Cardinal momentum, pinning his second opponent of the day in the first period (2:07).
Sophomore Kyle Barrett (4-4) fell to Army junior Ryan Mergen in a close match at 174 pounds, but Johnson fought back with a major decision at 184 pounds to narrow the gap to 22-13 with two bouts remaining.
Army's Richard Starks, a returning NCAA qualifier who is ranked ninth nationally, stepped in and clinched the win for his team, however. Starks outlasted Cardinal senior Luke Feist (12-6), 4-3, using riding time for the winning edge.
Stanford forfeited the heavyweight bout to bring the final score to 31-13.
The Cardinal wrestles its third dual in 12 hours tonight at 8 p.m. (CT), taking on No. 11 Oklahoma.
Note: Cardinal junior Zack Giesen (5-2) competed at the Midlands Championship in Evanston, Ill. earlier this week. Giesen went 1-2 Monday and Tuesday at 184 pounds.
Stanford 13, Army 31
125 - Travis Coffey (A) dec. Matt Sencenbaugh (S), 6-3
133 - Whitt Dunning (A) pinned Austin Quarles (S), 2:48
141 - Casey Thome (A) maj. dec. Cameron Teitelman (S), 11-2
149 - No. 13 Matt Kyler (A) pinned Max Rosefigura (S), 1:50
157 - Lucas Espericueta (S) dec. Rudy Chelednik (A), 8-5
165 - Nick Amuchastegui (S) pinned Mike Gorman (A), 2:07
174 - Ryan Mergen (A) dec. Kyle Barrett (S), 5-3
184 - Jake Johnson (S) maj. dec. Jake Vetter (A), 12-2
197 - No. 9 Richard Starks (A) dec. Luke Feist (S), 4-3
HWT - Mike Sprigg (A) by forfeit