SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — The Augustana wrestling team rattled off its sixth-consecutive dual victory Friday night in the Elmen Center. The Vikings defeated the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State 27-10 and moved to 6-2 on the season, 6-0 against Division II competition and 3-0 in NSIC duals.
Redshirt freshman Kolby Kost started the night with a come-from-behind victory at 184 pounds. Kost was down 6-2 late in the third period, before recording two takedowns and logging four near-fall points. Kost went on to win the bout 10-6 and put the Vikings up 3-0.
Redshirt freshman Steven Hajas recorded the next win for the Vikings at 285 pounds in a 6-2 decision to even the match score at 6-6. Redshirt freshman and No. 9 ranked Jack Huffman recorded a comeback win of his own at 133 pounds. Huffman trailed 4-3 late in the third period, before taking a shot and nearly pinning his opponent. Huffman was awarded a takedown and four near-fall points in his fourth-straight individual win and Augustana trailed just 10-9.
Redshirt freshman Hunter Burnett put the Vikings ahead for good with a dominant performance in the 141-pound bout. Burnett recorded six ferocious takedowns and won a 13-4 major decision in his fifth-straight individual victory. Junior Jebben Keyes followed Burnett’s performance with a 9-6 win to give Augustana a 16-10 edge in the match.
Redshirt freshman Jacob Tvinnereim put the Vikings up 19-10 with a 4-1 win at 157 pounds. Senior Bailey Neises clinched the win for the Vikings with a 9-4 victory at 165 pounds that ballooned the score to 22-10 in favor of Augustana.
Junior and No. 8 ranked Ben Kelvington capped off the night with perhaps his most dominant performance of the season in his sixth-consecutive individual win at 174 pounds. Kelvington recorded two takedowns and four near-fall points, in addition to over three minutes of riding time, in each of the first two periods to earn a 17-2 tech fall.
Kelvington’s victory made the final score 27-10 as Augustana won eight of the 10 bouts on the night.
Augustana 27 Southwest Minnesota State 10
125: Hunter Pfantz (SMSU) over Ethan Cota (AUG) (MD 11-3)
133: No. 9 Jack Huffman (AUG) over Jackson Stauffacher (SMSU) (Dec 9-4)
141: Hunter Burnett (AUG) over Justin Sampson (SMSU) (MD 13-4)
149: Jebben Keyes (AUG) over Robert Shields (SMSU) (Dec 9-6)
157: Jacob Tvinnereim (AUG) over Nathan Moore (SMSU) (Dec 4-1)
165: Bailey Neises (AUG) over Jacob Backlund (SMSU) (Dec 9-4)
174: No. 8 Ben Kelvington (AUG) over Hayden Voxland (SMSU) (TF 17-2 4:33)
184: Kolby Kost (AUG) over Cole Hennen (SMSU) (Dec 10-6)
197: Jackson Ryan (SMSU) over Daniel Bishop (AUG) (Fall 7:51)
285: Steven Hajas (AUG) over Andrew Petersen (SMSU) (Dec 6-2)
Up Next
The Vikings hit the road this Thursday to take on the Raiders of Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa. The dual is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. Southwest Minnesota State travels to York, Neb., on Saturday to face Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and York College (Neb.) at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Check out Vikings Wrestling at goaugie.com and on Twitter and Facebook.