Falcons Finish With Twelve Placewinners at UNK Holiday Inn Open

Nov. 19, 2011

KEARNEY, Neb. - Led by individual titles from juniors Cole VonOhlen (Jackson, Minn.) and Jared Erickson (Newton, Utah) and freshman Dylan Hyder (Yelm, Wash.), the Air Force wrestling team wrapped up competition at the UNK Holiday Inn Open on Saturday. The Falcons finished with 12 placewinners, including nine in the Elite Division.

VonOhlen (149) and Erickson (HWT) each posted 3-0 records in their respective weight classes to earn titles in the Elite Division. After receiving a first-round bye, VonOhlen scored a 16-0 tech fall in his first bout and recorded a fall over Nebraska's John Svoboda in the semifinals. In his championship bout, VonOhlen earned a 12-9 decision over conference foe Chase Smith in Wyoming, improving his record to 8-0 on the season.

Erickson also registered a technical fall in his first match, winning 22-7 with 18 seconds remaining in the third period. He followed up the win with a 9-1 major decision in the semifinals and captured the heavyweight title with a medical forfeit by Nebraska's Tucker Lane.

Meanwhile, Hyder compiled a 5-0 record at 133 pounds in the Amateur Division. In his first four matches, Hyder notched a pair of falls, a technical fall and a major decision to earn his spot in the championship bout. Hyder then scored a 4-1 decision over Fort Hays State's Symon Seaton to win his first collegiate title.

Recording runner-up finishes for the Falcons were sophomore Greg Rinker (Northampton, Pa.) at 125 pounds in the Elite Division and freshman Carter McElhany (Colorado Springs, Colo.) at 133 pounds in the Amateur Division.

Rinker opened the day with a 17-12 decision over Wyoming's Tyler Cox, before dropping the championship bout against the Cowboys' Kasey Garnhart. McElhany posted a 3-1 record in his bracket, scoring a 12-1 major decision before winning a pair of 5-3 decisions in his next two matches. In the title match, McElhany fell to Labette CC's Jordan Bask in a 6-1 decision.

Two other Air Force wrestlers captured third-place finishes in the Elite Division, with sophomores Josh Kreimier (Fort Collins, Colo.) and Devin Hightower (Colorado Springs, Colo.) each posting 4-1 records on the day.

Kreimier scored a fall, two major decisions and a decision at 157 pounds, with his lone loss coming to individual champion James Green of Nebraska. At 184 pounds, Hightower dropped his first match by a narrow 3-2 margin, but rebounded in the consolation bracket with four straight wins by decision.

Also placing for the Falcons on Saturday were Tyler Untrauer (Sr., Midwest City, Okla.), Logan Burch (Jr., Colorado Springs, Colo.), Gabe Martinez (Jr., Colorado Springs, Colo.), Evan Gros (So., Lake Orion, Mich.) and Garrett Wells (Fr., Corvallis, Ore.). In the Elite Division, Untrauer placed fourth at 141 pounds, while Burch (141), Martinez (157) and Gros (197) each finished sixth. Meanwhile, Wells was the sixth-place finisher at 174 pounds in the Amateur Division.

The Falcons are back in action Dec. 2-3, when they head to the annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational.

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