Friday, November 30
Las Vegas, NV
All Day
Air Force Academy
vs
Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational
Photo by: Darcie Ibidapo
Opsal, Mossing, Advance to Day Two of Cliff Keen Invite
11/30/2018 11:30:00 PM | Wrestling
The duo will try for a top eight placement tomorrow morning
LAS VEGAS – The Air Force Academy wrestling team concluded day one of the 2018 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational Friday evening, Nov. 30, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. After a full day of competition, junior Alec Opsal and senior co-captain Alex Mossing advanced to day two of the elite tournament.
Opsal had two of the biggest match wins on the day at 149 lbs., as he upended a pair of nationally ranked wrestlers to get to the quarterfinal round. In the opener, he got revenge on No. 13 ranked Tommy Thorn of Minnesota with a thrilling 10-6 decision. The win avenged his tough loss in the dual earlier this season. In the round of 16, he knocked another top-20 grappler with an 8-5 win over No. 17 Ryan Blees of Virginia Tech get to the quarters.
In the quarterfinals, he met top seeded and No. 3 ranked Anthony Ashnault of Rutgers. He put up his best fight, but eventually fell by tech fall to drop into tomorrow's bloodround bout against No. 15 Josh Heil of Campbell.
For Mossing, he did most of his work in the consolation rounds after a tough defeat in the opener. In the opener, he led No. 7 Kennedy Monday 6-0 in the first period, but was eventually defeated in sudden victory to drop into the consis. There, he went on a tear, notching back-to-back pins to get to the consolation of eight round. In that bout, he worked his way into a 7-1 decision win to also get to the bloodround against No. 17 Hunter Willits of Oregon State.
Elsewhere on the day, the Falcons notched nine total wins to get to 17 team points. They are in 29th place in the 43-team field. Also notching wins on the day were the three other light weights, freshman Sidney Flores at 125 lbs., senior John Twomey at 133 lbs., and junior Garrett O'Shea at 141 lbs. All three got to the round of 16 before being eliminated. Finally, junior Marcus Amico reached the round of 32 after winning his pigtail bout at 165 lbs.
Opsal and Mossing will return to the mats tomorrow morning, Dec. 1, to try and get their placements in the top eight of the loaded field. Action from the LV Convention Center begins at 9 a.m. PT.
FULL RESULTS
125 – Sidney Flores (1-2)
Rd. of 32: Sidney Flores (AF) over Harrison Campbell (Duke) (TF 18-2)
Rd. of 16: No. 9 Zeke Moisey (Nebraska) over Sidney Flores (AF) (Dec 5-2)
Cons. of 16 #2: Colby Smith (Missouri) over Sidney Flores (AF) (Dec 11-4)
133 – John Twomey (1-2)
Rd. of 32: John Twomey (AF) over Christian Miller (Nebraska) (SV 4-2)
Rd. of 16: No. 7 Ethan Lizak (Minnesota) over John Twomey (AF) (TF 16-0)
Cons. of 16 #2: Ty Smith (Drexel) over John Twomey (AF) (Dec 10-5)
141 – Garrett O'Shea (1-2)
Rd. of 32: Garrett O'Shea (AF) over Josh Franich (Highline College) (Dec 4-2)
Rd. of 16: No. 7 Michael Carr (Illinois) over Garrett O'Shea (AF) (Dec 6-2)
Cons. of 16 #2: Samuel Krivus (Virginia) over Garrett O'Shea (AF) (Pin 3:18)
149 – Alec Opsal (2-1)
Rd. of 32: Alec Opsal (AF) over No. 13 Tommy Thorn (Minnesota) (Dec 10-6)
Rd. of 16: Alec Opsal (AF) over No. 17 Ryan Blees (Virginia) (Dec 8-5)
Quarters: No. 3 Anthony Ashnault (Rutgers) over Alec Opsal (AF) (TF 18-2)
Cons. of 8 #2: vs. No. 15 Josh Heil (Campbell)
157 – Alex Mossing (3-1)
Rd. of 32: No. 7 Kennedy Monday (North Carolina) over Alex Mossing (AF) (Dec 13-9)
Cons. of 16 #1: Alex Mossing (AF) over Jake Keating (Virginia) (Pin 1:37)
Cons of 16 #2: Alex Mossing (AF) over Hunter Ladnier (Harvard) (Pin 4:13)
Cons. of 8 #1: Alex Mossing (AF) over Logan Parks (Central Michigan) (Dec 7-1)
Cons. of 8 #2: vs. No. 17 Hunter Willits (Oregon State)
165 – Marcus Amico (1-2)
Rd. of 64: Marcus Amico (AF) over Michael Manley (Drexel) (Dec 6-3)
Rd. of 32: Cole Wysocki (Purdue) over Marcus Amico (AF) (Dec 5-3)
Cons. of 32 #2: Macoy Flanagan (N. Colorado) over Marcus Amico (AF) (Dec 3-1)
174 – Randy Meneweather (0-2)
Rd. of 32: No. 18 Matt Finesilver (Duke) over Randy Meneweather (AF) (TF 19-2)
Cons. of 16 #1: Devin Kane (North Carolina) over Randy Meneweather (AF) (Pin 0:51)
184 – Tyler Wiederholt (0-2)
Rd. of 64: No. 3 Taylor Venz (Nebraska) over Tyler Wiederholt (AF) (Pin 0:48)
Cons. of 32 #2: Tanner Harvey (American) over Tyler Wiederholt (AF) (Dec 9-5)
197 – Casey Jumps (0-2)
Rd. of 64: No. 16 Jackson Striggow (Michigan) over Casey Jumps (AF) (MD 10-1)
Cons. of 32 #2: Andre Lee (Illinois) over Casey Jumps (AF) (Dec 11-4)
Opsal had two of the biggest match wins on the day at 149 lbs., as he upended a pair of nationally ranked wrestlers to get to the quarterfinal round. In the opener, he got revenge on No. 13 ranked Tommy Thorn of Minnesota with a thrilling 10-6 decision. The win avenged his tough loss in the dual earlier this season. In the round of 16, he knocked another top-20 grappler with an 8-5 win over No. 17 Ryan Blees of Virginia Tech get to the quarters.
In the quarterfinals, he met top seeded and No. 3 ranked Anthony Ashnault of Rutgers. He put up his best fight, but eventually fell by tech fall to drop into tomorrow's bloodround bout against No. 15 Josh Heil of Campbell.
For Mossing, he did most of his work in the consolation rounds after a tough defeat in the opener. In the opener, he led No. 7 Kennedy Monday 6-0 in the first period, but was eventually defeated in sudden victory to drop into the consis. There, he went on a tear, notching back-to-back pins to get to the consolation of eight round. In that bout, he worked his way into a 7-1 decision win to also get to the bloodround against No. 17 Hunter Willits of Oregon State.
Elsewhere on the day, the Falcons notched nine total wins to get to 17 team points. They are in 29th place in the 43-team field. Also notching wins on the day were the three other light weights, freshman Sidney Flores at 125 lbs., senior John Twomey at 133 lbs., and junior Garrett O'Shea at 141 lbs. All three got to the round of 16 before being eliminated. Finally, junior Marcus Amico reached the round of 32 after winning his pigtail bout at 165 lbs.
Opsal and Mossing will return to the mats tomorrow morning, Dec. 1, to try and get their placements in the top eight of the loaded field. Action from the LV Convention Center begins at 9 a.m. PT.
FULL RESULTS
125 – Sidney Flores (1-2)
Rd. of 32: Sidney Flores (AF) over Harrison Campbell (Duke) (TF 18-2)
Rd. of 16: No. 9 Zeke Moisey (Nebraska) over Sidney Flores (AF) (Dec 5-2)
Cons. of 16 #2: Colby Smith (Missouri) over Sidney Flores (AF) (Dec 11-4)
133 – John Twomey (1-2)
Rd. of 32: John Twomey (AF) over Christian Miller (Nebraska) (SV 4-2)
Rd. of 16: No. 7 Ethan Lizak (Minnesota) over John Twomey (AF) (TF 16-0)
Cons. of 16 #2: Ty Smith (Drexel) over John Twomey (AF) (Dec 10-5)
141 – Garrett O'Shea (1-2)
Rd. of 32: Garrett O'Shea (AF) over Josh Franich (Highline College) (Dec 4-2)
Rd. of 16: No. 7 Michael Carr (Illinois) over Garrett O'Shea (AF) (Dec 6-2)
Cons. of 16 #2: Samuel Krivus (Virginia) over Garrett O'Shea (AF) (Pin 3:18)
149 – Alec Opsal (2-1)
Rd. of 32: Alec Opsal (AF) over No. 13 Tommy Thorn (Minnesota) (Dec 10-6)
Rd. of 16: Alec Opsal (AF) over No. 17 Ryan Blees (Virginia) (Dec 8-5)
Quarters: No. 3 Anthony Ashnault (Rutgers) over Alec Opsal (AF) (TF 18-2)
Cons. of 8 #2: vs. No. 15 Josh Heil (Campbell)
157 – Alex Mossing (3-1)
Rd. of 32: No. 7 Kennedy Monday (North Carolina) over Alex Mossing (AF) (Dec 13-9)
Cons. of 16 #1: Alex Mossing (AF) over Jake Keating (Virginia) (Pin 1:37)
Cons of 16 #2: Alex Mossing (AF) over Hunter Ladnier (Harvard) (Pin 4:13)
Cons. of 8 #1: Alex Mossing (AF) over Logan Parks (Central Michigan) (Dec 7-1)
Cons. of 8 #2: vs. No. 17 Hunter Willits (Oregon State)
165 – Marcus Amico (1-2)
Rd. of 64: Marcus Amico (AF) over Michael Manley (Drexel) (Dec 6-3)
Rd. of 32: Cole Wysocki (Purdue) over Marcus Amico (AF) (Dec 5-3)
Cons. of 32 #2: Macoy Flanagan (N. Colorado) over Marcus Amico (AF) (Dec 3-1)
174 – Randy Meneweather (0-2)
Rd. of 32: No. 18 Matt Finesilver (Duke) over Randy Meneweather (AF) (TF 19-2)
Cons. of 16 #1: Devin Kane (North Carolina) over Randy Meneweather (AF) (Pin 0:51)
184 – Tyler Wiederholt (0-2)
Rd. of 64: No. 3 Taylor Venz (Nebraska) over Tyler Wiederholt (AF) (Pin 0:48)
Cons. of 32 #2: Tanner Harvey (American) over Tyler Wiederholt (AF) (Dec 9-5)
197 – Casey Jumps (0-2)
Rd. of 64: No. 16 Jackson Striggow (Michigan) over Casey Jumps (AF) (MD 10-1)
Cons. of 32 #2: Andre Lee (Illinois) over Casey Jumps (AF) (Dec 11-4)
Players Mentioned
157/165
/ Wrestling
125
/ Wrestling
197
/ Wrestling
174
/ Wrestling
157
/ Wrestling
141
/ Wrestling
149
/ Wrestling
133
/ Wrestling
184
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