TULSA, Okla. — South Dakota State wrestlers combined to go 4-4 in opening-round action Thursday during the opening session of the 2023 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at BOK Center.
Junior 174-pounder Cade DeVos led the way for the Jackrabbits by posting a first-period pin of Central Michigan’s Alex Cramer. The 13th-seeded DeVos, who is making his third consecutive NCAA appearance, will face No. 4 seed Chris Foca of Cornell in Thursday night’s Round of 16.
The three other Jackrabbit wrestlers to advance to the Round of 16 each surrendered only one point to their opponents. At 141 pounds, No. 11 Clay Carlson scored a 6-1 decision over Malyke Hines of Lehigh, while Tanner Sloan (197 pounds) and A.J. Nevills (285 pounds) each turned in 8-1 decisions.
Carlson posted both of his takedowns in short-time situations during the first two periods, then added points on stalling and an escape in the final frame. An All-American two years ago, Carlson will take on No. 6 Beau Bartlett of Penn State during the evening session.
Sloan, seeded seventh, avenged an opening-round loss a year ago to Gavin Hoffman of Ohio State by keeping the pressure on his opponent from start to finish. After having a takedown overturned by video review midway through the opening period, Sloan came back with a takedown later in the first period and opened the scoring in the second stanza with a reversal before being awarded a takedown just before the buzzer.
A four-time NCAA qualifier, Sloan is set to face No. 10 seed Jacob Cardenas of Cornell in the Round of 16.
Nevills, the No. 14 seed at heavyweight, recorded a takedown in each of the three periods and racked up more than three and a half minutes of riding time in his 8-1 victory over Jonah Niesenbaum of Duke. Nevills is scheduled to meet No. 3 Greg Kerkvliet of Penn State in the Round of 16.
Tanner Jordan opened the day for the Jackrabbits by dropping a 2-1 decision to Air Force’s Tucker Owens in the 125-pound pigtail match. Cael Swensen (157 pounds) and Cade King (184 pounds) also dropped decisions, while Tanner Cook was pinned by returning All-American Cameron Amine of Michigan in his opening-round match at 165 pounds to be sent to the wrestlebacks.
Thursday’s evening session begins at 6 p.m.
South Dakota State Results
125: #32 Tanner Jordan, Jr., St. Paris, Ohio
• lost to #33 Tucker Owens, Air Force, by dec., 2-1
• vs. #30 Antonio Lorenzo, Cal Poly
141: #11 Clay Carlson, Sr., Willmar, Minnesota
• def. #22 Malyke Hines, Lehigh, by dec., 6-1
• vs. #6 Beau Bartlett, Penn State
157: #20 Cael Swensen, R-Fr., Plymouth, Minnesota
• lost to #13 Trevor Chumbley, Northwestern, by dec., 6-3
• vs. #29 Corbyn Munson, Central Michigan
165: #22 Tanner Cook, Jr., Ilion, New York
• lost to #11 Cameron Amine, Michigan, by fall 6:30
• vs. #27 Will Formato, Appalachian State
174: #13 Cade DeVos, Jr., Altoona, Iowa
• def. #20 Alex Cramer, Central Michigan, by fall 2:13
• vs. #4 Chris Foca, Cornell
184: #24 Cade King, Sr., Waseca, Minnesota
• lost to #9 Isaiah Salazar, Minnesota, by dec., 3-0
• vs. #8 Matt Finesilver, Michigan
197: #7 Tanner Sloan, Sr., Alburnett, Iowa
• def. #26 Gavin Hoffman, Ohio State, by dec., 8-1
• vs. #10 Jacob Cardenas, Cornell
285: #14 A.J. Nevills, Grad., Clovis, California
• def. #19 Jonah Niesenbaum, Duke, by dec., 8-1
• vs. #3 Greg Kerkvliet, Penn State
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