Wrestling: Air Force rolls to pair of dual victories

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U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFPN) --  Losing just three bouts on the evening, the U.S. Air Force Academy wrestling team won both of its dual meets by defeating the Colorado School of Mines 39-3, and conference foe Utah Valley State 33-6 Jan. 25 at Clune Arena here. 

With the wins, the Falcons improve to 4-6 on the season.

The Academy began the day with a match against Colorado School of Mines. Senior Zach Valdez from Parker, Colo., started the Falcons out with a victory, picking up an 11-4 decision at 125 pounds. Freshman Derek Gillespie from Chesapeake, Va., at 133 pounds dropped a 10-8 decision. However, it was the only match the Falcons would lose to the Orediggers, as Air Force rattled off the next eight victories.

The 141-pound bout was the closest of the match, as senior Jake Kriegbaum from Abilene, Kan., won a 3-1 decision in overtime. 

The Falcons scored three falls down the stretch, with seniors Chris Szabolc, a 149 pound wrestler from Westlake, Ohio, Jacob Devlin in the 184 pound category and from Livingston, N.J., and Anthony Stegeman in the heavyweight category from Cincinnati, all registering pins over their opponents. Junior Stephen Crozier from Monona, Iowa, recorded a 17-0 tech fall over Nathan McClain at 165 pounds, while senior Tony Dorward from Seattle picked up a 16-5 major decision in the 157 pound category. Sophomore Tyler French from Malta, Mont., and junior Jordan Tribble from Midwest City, Okla., each recorded decisions at 174 and 197 pounds, respectively, to help Air Force to the 36-point win.

In its match against Utah Valley State, its first conference contest of the year, Air Force trailed after one bout with a Valdez. A forfeit at 133 pounds by the Wolverines put the Falcons up 6-3 and Air Force led the rest of the way. The Falcons scored three consecutive decisions by Kriegbaum, Szabolcs and Dorward, while receiving another forfeit victory at 165. 

UVSC won an 8-1 decision over French, but the Falcons won the final three bouts. While Devlin and Stegeman each recorded decisions, sophomore James Ciccone from Mentor, Ohio, won in the 197 category. The Air Force finished with a 33-6 win against Utah Valley.

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