Air Force Academy
Blue/Silver Intrasquad Match
Falcons Host Blue-Silver Intrasquad Match to Open Season
11/2/2008 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Nov. 2, 2008
USAFA, Colo. - With the official start to the 2008-09 rapidly approaching, the Air Force wrestling team had their first action under the lights in Clune Arena, hosting the Blue-Silver Intrasquad Match Sunday evening. Wrestle-offs were held in nine of 10 weight classes to determine the top spots on the Falcons' depth chart, with the Blue team rolling to a 28-11 victory.
The match started out at 125 pounds, as returning letterwinner Andrew Zwirlein (So., Nashotah, Wis.) took on rookie John Lovvorn (Washington, Ga.). Zwirlein dominated his bout, recording six takedowns and a near fall en route to a 17-4 major decision to give the Blue team the first win of the night.
The 133-pound bout was a quick one, as newcomer Tanner Weltzin (Alexandria, Minn.) faced off against returning starter Derek Gillespie (So., Chesapeake, Va.). After an early takedown, Gillespie was able to record the fall in 1:28 to put the Silver team up 6-4.
The Blue team went back on top following the 141 pound match, as junior Stephen Makuka (So., Columbus, N.J.) took on sophomore Carlos Sandoval (Colorado Springs, Colo.). Makuka led big, holding a 15-3 advantage before scoring the fall with just 30 seconds remaining in the third period.
Freshman Alec Williams (Birmingham, Ala.) and sophomore Matt Torrence (Tulsa, Okla.) competed in the 149-pound bout. While neither wrestler was able to score in the opening period, Williams scored the first takedown of the match in the second period. Williams continued his advantage in the final period, scoring a 6-0 decision to give the Blue team a 13-6 lead.
The 157-pound match pitted sophomores Joseph Stafford (Loomis, Calif.) and Wade Stowe (The Colony, Texas) against each other. After taking a 7-3 lead into the second period. Stafford leveraged a second-period reversal into a fall at the 4:41 mark to extend the Blue team's advantage to 19-6.
Freshman Alex Flori (Eagle River, Alaska) was presented a formidable opponent in the 165-pound match, as he took on returning NCAA qualifier Stephen Crozier (Sr., Monona, Iowa). Crozier, this year's team captain, owned the match from the outset, scoring two takedowns, a reversal and three three-point near falls en route to the 15-0 technical fall. With the win by Crozier, the Silver team got back on the board, cutting the margin to 19-11.
However, the Silver team would not score again as the Blue team came away with the final three victories. At 184 pounds, Erik Red (Fr., Mechanicsburg, Pa.) and Akira Nervik (Jr., Bellflower, Calif.) battled to a 1-1 tie at the end of regulation. With neither wrestler scoring in the sudden victory overtime period, the match went to a tiebreaker. Nervik was first to score on an escape, but just as the clock expired, Red registered a takedown to gain the advantage. Red then tacked on another escape in the second tiebreaker period to take the 4-2 decision.
At 197 pounds, James Ciccone (Jr., Mentor, Ohio) and Karl Oeser (Fr., Wichita, Kan.) faced off. Ciccone scored the first takedown, but Oeser quickly countered with a reversal before nearly putting Ciccone on his back. However, Ciccone responded with his own reversal and another takedown, tying the match at 6-6 after one period. The rest of the match was owned by Ciccone, who accumulated over three and a half minutes of riding time on his way to a 16-9 decision.
In the final bout of the evening, sophomores Kazden Ikehara (Mililani, Hawaii) and Josh Larson (Windsor, Colo.) battled it out at heavyweight. After a scoreless opening period, Ikehara scored two takedowns and a reversal to earn the 6-3 decision, giving the Blue team the 28-11 win.
Earlier in the afternoon, the Air Force JV squad took on the USAFA Prep School, edging out the Huskies, 32-28, in a 12-bout match.
The Falcons' first competition date of the season is slated for Nov. 15, when they travel to Laramie, Wyo., for the annual Cowboy Open.
Players Mentioned
