Soaring Past Falcons

STANFORD, Calif. – Winning nine of the 10 bouts, No. 16 Stanford routed Air Force, 31-3, Friday at the Erickson Courts in the Arrillaga Center for Sports and Recreation. The Cardinal improves to 6-2, while the Falcons drop to 4-4.

True freshman Gabriel Townsell started things off for the Cardinal with a 12-7 decision over Drew Romero at 125 pounds. Tied 6-6 after two periods, Townsell chose down to start the third. After injury time gave Romero the choice, he notched the escape to take a 7-6 lead. With less than a minute remaining in the period, Townsell threw Romero for two and then turned him for four near fall points as time expired. Ranked 17th nationally, Townsell is now 12-7 overall and 4-1 in duals.

Redshirt junior Connor Schram, ranked No. 14 at 133 pounds, held off Dylan Hyder with an 8-6 decision. Schram recorded three takedowns and two escapes in the win. He moves to 10-2 overall and 4-1 in duals. 

Stanford extended its lead to 12-0 after true freshman Brandon Kier earned a fall in 55 seconds over Lyle Plummer at 141 pounds. It was Kier's first career fall as he is now 6-7 overall and 1-1 in duals.

Air Force finally got on the board at 149 pounds when Jerry McGinty posted a 6-2 decision over Stanford redshirt junior Tommy Pawelski. 

There was a lot of action at 157 pounds as redshirt sophomore Paul Fox earned a 16-5 major decision over Dane Robbins. Fox notched five takedowns, four near fall points, an escape and 2:04 of riding time in the win. He improves to 19-11 overall, the second-most wins on the team.

The Cardinal increased its lead to 19-3 at 165 pounds, where redshirt junior Keaton Sugjeck edged Alex Lopouchanski, 4-3. Lupochanski scored a takedown in the first period, but an escape but Subjeck cut the lead in half after the first. An escape and a takedown in the second period would be the difference for Subjeck, who held off a late shot attempt by Loupochanski in the third. Subjeck improves to 15-5 overall dn 6-1 in duals this season.

Redshirt senior Peter Galli, wrestling up a weight class at 174 pounds, registered a 10-5 decision over Michael Billingsley to make the team score 22-3 in favor of the Cardinal. Leading 4-1 after the opening period, Billingsley cut into the lead with a stalling point and an escape in the second. Galli tallied an escape to start the third and then tacked on two more takedowns and 2:59 of riding time in the win. Galli moves to 18-5 overall and 5-1 in duals.

Redshirt senior Zach Nevills picked up his second win of the season with a 2-1 decision over Zen Ikehara at 184 pounds. Each wrestler scored an escape, but Nevills collected 1:25 of riding time to earn the victory. 

At 197 pounds, redshirt senior Josh Marchok finished with a 6-5 decision over Parker Hines to give Stanford a 28-3 lead in the dual. Tied 3-3 after the first, Marchok got the escape and a takedown in the second to lead 6-4 after two. Hines added an escape in the third, but was unable to convert any shot attempts as Marchok held on for the win. He is now 6-5 overall and 5-3.

Redshirt junior heavyweight Nathan Butler capped off the scoring with a 3-1 decision over Kerry Powers. Ranked 13th nationally, Butler had a first-period takedown and an escape in the second to move to 17-7 overall and 5-3 in duals.

Stanford will be back in action on Sunday, Jan. 22 at 2 p.m. against No. 14 Arizona State. The will be held at Erickson Courts in the Arrillaga Center for Sports and Recreation. Admission is free.

No. 16 Stanford 31, Air Force 3