Mavericks wrestling splits weekend with win and loss
Andrew Neururer
Sports Editor
The Minnesota State Mavericks wrestling team moved to 7-2 on the season after winning their first matchup against the Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs and falling to the St. Cloud State Huskies.
Coming into the weekend, the Mavericks were ranked No. 17 and battled the Mustangs on Jan. 30, to a 31-8 victory.
In 10 matches, MSU came away with eight victories – one by technical fall, one by pinfall, two wins through a major decision and four being by decision.
Junior Trenton McManus won through a technical fall over Hunter Pfantz, by a score of 20-4, which put the Mavericks up 5-0.
At 133 pounds, Jackson Stauffacher defeated freshman Cole Gille through a technical fall to tie the match up at 5 apiece.
No. 9-ranked senior, Louie Sanders, won by a major decision and put Minnesota up at 9-5 and began a stretch of Maverick wins in the next three matches.
No. 3-ranked junior, Kyle Rathman, won by a major decision over Robert Shields, by a score of 19-6 and moved MSU to a 13-5 lead.
Sophomore Cooper Siebrecht won by a decision over Nathan Moore, 3-1 and put MSU up 16-5.
Senior Logan Saltou continued the Mavericks dominance by adding a third straight win at 165 pounds, winning by a 9-3 decision and sitting MSU comfortably with a 19-5 lead.
No. 10-ranked senior, Zach Johnston, lost by a decision in a close 6-5 battle, which gave the Mustangs three points.
Redshirt sophomore Trevor Turriff, senior Mathew Blome and sophomore Max Villnow closed things out with three-straight wins and ended the match with a Mavericks 31-8 win.
Saturday, Feb. 1 didn’t bring the same magic for the Mavericks, falling to the No. 1-ranked Huskies by a score of 33-3.
MSU was only able to win one of the 10 matches Saturday afternoon, with McManus picking up the lone victory at 125 pounds.
After MSU began the match on top with a 3-0 lead, St. Cloud State won nine straight matches.
The Mavericks will return to action at home against MSU Moorhead this Thursday and will then travel on the road to face Upper Iowa on Friday.
Header photo: Minnesota State wrestler Trenton McManus wrestles at the 125 lb weight class against St. Cloud State at the Taylor Center Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Mankato, Minn. (Mansoor Ahmad/MSU Reporter)