#45 NDSU vs #53 Utah Valley 2/5/16

[larson311]

Might as well get this one started, should be some good matches. Rankings are from www.wrestlestats.com

125 - #17 Josh Rodriguez DEC #16 Chasen Tolbert 3-0 NDSU (They split matches last year. I like the way Jrod has been wrestling as of late)
133 - #33 Jade Rauser DEC #130 Nico Colunga 3-3 (Colunga should be able to hang with Rauser, his ranking is low due to not starting until recently)
141 - #66 Mitch Bengston DEC #109 Trevor Wilson 6-3 NDSU
149 - #54 Clay Ream DEC #195 Matthew Ontiveros 9-3 NDSU
157 - #82 Raider Lofthouse DEC #78 Kyle Gliva 9-6 NDSU
165 - #88 Grant Nehring DEC #205 Brayden Humpherys 12-6 NDSU (could get bonus here)
174 - #56 Ross Taylor DEC #176 Blake Thompson 12-9 NDSU
184 - #6 Hayden Zillmer MD #97 Will Sumner 16-9 NDSU
197 - #170 Logan Paxton DEC #126 Aryton Almberg 19-9 NDSU
285 - #68 Benjamin Tyanan DEC #87 Dustin Dennison 22-9 NDSU

[Big Bird]

If Derek Thomas is back, Utah Valley could get bonus at 197. I would also expect bonus at 133, as Rauser is a very underrated kid IMO. Also, they simply can't put Colunga in the down position vs Rauser. When he is on, he's a machine on top and that is Colunga's weakness. Tolbert isn't as technical or skilled as Rodriguez, but he is very sound defensively and very strong, which is the type of guy Rodriguez has traditionally struggled with. This is a good team...when they're healthy. Rauser, Tolbert, and Thomas are all likely NCAA qualifiers, and Lofthouse, Taylor and Dennison all have a reasonable chance too. I consider 125, 141, and HWT tossups. I think NDSU is the slight favorite in those, but it wouldn't be a shocking upset to see it go the other way. If any of those do in fact go to UVU, we may be in trouble.
125- Rodriguez dec 3-0 N
133- Rauser maj 4-3 U
141- Bengston dec 6-4 N (Tossup)
149- Ream dec 9-4 N
157- Lofthouse dec 9-7 N
165- Nehring dec 12-7 N
174- Taylor dec 12-10 N
184- Zillmer maj 16-10 N
197- Thomas maj 16-14 N
HWT- Tynan dec 19-14 NDSU

[Gladiator Dad]

Interesting that Utah Valley will wrestle SDSU prior to wrestling NDSU on Friday

UTAH VALLEY (3-6, 0-0 BIG 12) WT. CLASS NORTH DAKOTA ST. (2-5, 2-1 Big 12)

#18 Chasen Tolbert, Sr. (14-4, 8-1 duals) 125 #16 Josh Rodriguez, Jr. (26-7, 5-1)
I will take Josh in this one by a Dec 3-0 NDSU

Jade Rauser, Sr. (13-4, 6-2) 133 Nico Colunga, Fr. (13-14, 1-4)
Unfortunately I have to agree with Big Bird here that Colunga looses by Maj 4-3 UV

Trevor Willson, Jr. (6-3, 0-1) 141 Mitch Bengtson, So. (13-8, 2-1)
Jarod Maynes, RSo. (6-10, 2-6) 141 Tommy Walton, So. (7-8, 1-2)
Wilson has a strange style that may give Bengston some trouble but I will take Mitch by Dec 6-4 NDSU

Matthew Ontiveros, So. (8-13, 0-4) 149 Clay Ream, So. (16-13, 2-5)/Mitchell Friedman, So. (11-11, 0-2)
Clay bounces back here and wins by Maj 10-4 NDSU

Raider Lofthouse, RFr. (7-10, 3-6) 157 Kyle Gilva, So. (15-10, 1-3)
I will go with Mr Gliva by Dec 13-4 NDSU

Brayden Humpherys, RSo. (4-8, 1-5)/Dalton Harmon, So. (3-2, 0-0) 165 Grant Nehring, So. (4-7, 3-3)
This is really a toss up for me but I will go with Grant by a Dec 16-4 NDSU

Ross Taylor, Sr. (8-7, 6-3) 174 Blake Thompson, RFr. (5-12, 2-4)/Tyler McNutt, RFr. (10-10, 0-3)
This one is a Toss up for me I will go with Taylor by Dec although it wouldn't surprise me to see NDSU win with either wrestler 16-7 NDSU

Will Sumner, RFr. (9-8, 3-6) 184 #6 Hayden Zillmer, Sr. (25-3, 7-0)
I'm going to step out on a limb here and say Zillmer by Maj 20-7 NDSU

Derek Thomas, Sr. (9-3, 6-0)/Aryton Almberg, So. (2-8, 0-3) 197 Logan Paxton, Jr. (5-16, 0-7)
I have to lean towards Thomas here by Maj 20-11 NDSU

Dustin Dennison, RSo. (7-9, 3-5)/Jordan Karst, So. (9-4, 0-1) 285 Ben Tynan, Jr. (16-9, 5-2)
Big Ben has been wrestling well as of late I will give him a dec here. 23-11 NDSU

[ElectronDon]

Just received word that due to a series of plane malfunctions the majority of the team is still in Denver and tonight's duel between NDSU and Utah Valley has been cancelled.

[Abe1727]

your right, it has been cancelled. They will still dual Grand Canyon on Sunday. Good luck Bison wrestlers.

[Gladiator Dad]

Only three wrestlers currently in Orem. Ream, Rodriguez & Zillmer. Original flight was delayed out of Fargo & they missed the connecting flight in Denver. The airlines broke up the group & the three mentioned along with Kish & the trainer made it on the next flight. The remainder of the teams next flight was then cancelled (not sure why). They remainder of the team is not scheduled to get to Orem until around 9:30 - 10:00 tonight. They fly out for Phoenix as scheduled tomorrow.