INDEPENDENCE—The outcome wasn’t what Cardinal coach Jeff Zeigler hoped for.
Independence won the swing matches and prevented the Huskies’ top wrestlers from earning additional bonus points in a 41-33 win in the first round of a double dual at Independence on Thursday.
“We definitely didn’t put our best team on the mat tonight,” Zeigler said. “We weren’t ready to wrestle. Independence came after us and that’s the difference in the match right there. We just didn’t perform well.”
Cardinal forfeited at 106 then lost by pin at 113 to fall behind the Blue Devils, 12-0.
Trent Mast, a returning state qualifier, defeated Nick Rossi, 9-0, at 120 and Brandon Nevison scored a reversal and three back points in the final 15 seconds of his 6-3 win at 126.
“Kudos to him, he stayed in the box and kept picking away at it,” Zeigler said of Nevison. “He actually improved as the match went on but in my eyes it should never have been there to begin with.”
Mason Lustig then pulled the Huskies to within 12-10 with his 9-2 win at 132.
Cardinal’s starting 138-pounder Craig Shanower, a returning district qualifier, was out of the lineup on Thursday, which left a big hole to fill. Independence picked up a pin at that weight class to make it 18-10.
Brandon Neikirk then won by a 15-0 technical fall at 145 to pull Cardinal to within two points of the Blue Devils.
A technical fall at 152 and back-to-back pins at 160 and 170 pushed Independence’s lead to 35-15 before Cardinal received three straight forfeits that left the Blue Devils in front, 35-33, heading into the heavyweight bout.
Independence’s Josh Stasek pinned Cardinal heavyweight Alex Fabiny to seal the win for the Blue Devils.
“We just wrestled flat,” Zeigler said. “We just did not come prepared to wrestle until it was too late.”
Anthony Brezo (106), Mast, Nevison, Antony Stango (138), Neikirk, Geno Argento (195) and Bryn Havel (220) all won by forfeit against Brush.
Lustig finished 2-0 on the night with a 13-8 win at 132 against Brush.
“We’ve got to go back to the drawing board,” Zeigler said. “It was a tough loss for us here tonight. My team is better than they performed.”
Independence 41, Cardinal 33
106: Michael Kucera (I) by forfeit; 113: David Goldwin (I) pinned Anthony Brezo, 3:46; 120: Trent Mast (C) maj. dec. Nick Rossi, 9-0; 126: Brandon Nevison (C) dec. Kyle Corsi, 6-3; 132: Mason Lustig (C) dec. Luke Swauger, 9-2; 138: Matt Mroczynski (I) pinned Anthony Stango, 0:32; 145: Brandon Neikirk (C) tech. fall Drew Benos, 15-0; 152: Alex Nelson (I) tech. fall Zane Drebus, 15-0; 160: Kevin Clymer (I) pinned Sam Ellis, 0:50; 170: Nick Mroczynski (I) pinned Williams Brooks, 1:05; 182: Kyle Simms (C) by forfeit; 195: Geno Argento (C) by forfeit; 220: Bryn Havel (C) by forfeit; 285: Josh Stasek (I) pinned Alex Fabiny, 5:06.
Cardinal 39, Brush 27
106: Anthony Brezo (C) by forfeit; 113: Nolan Washington (B) by forfeit; 120: Trent Mast (C) by forfeit; 126: Brandon Nevison (C) by forfeit; 132: Mason Lustig (C) dec. Lloyd McFarquhar, 13-8; 138: Anthony Stango (C) by forfeit; 145: Brandon Neikirk (C) by forfeit; 152: Tyrig Johnson (B) dec. Sam Ellis, 6-2; 160: double forfeit; 170: Tyson Addison (B) pinned William Brooks, 2:41; 182: Geno Argento (C) by forfeit; 195: Wayne Findley pinned Bryn Havel, 1:21; 220: double forfeit; 285: Trechane Shanklin (B) pinned Alex Fabiny, 2:33.
- Photo Gallery
- Video Replay (Cardinal vs. Independence)
- Video Highlight: Nevison scores five points in final 15 seconds
