Wrestling: Falcons fall to Western State, 19-12

  • Published
  • By Melissa McKeown
  • U.S. Air Force Academy
Gunnison, Colo. (AFPN) --  Despite capturing an early lead, the Air Force wrestling team was unable to hold on for the victory against host Western State Dec. 8, falling 19-12. The Falcons, in their first dual meet of the year, open at 0-1, while the Mountaineers, ranked sixth in the Division II ranks, improve to 4-1.

Junior Jake Kriegbaum, from Abilene, Kan., gave the Falcons a 3-0 lead with a 9-4 decision over Chris Freiji at 141 pounds, but Western State came back with a victory at 149 pounds to tie the score at 3-3. Zach Lord, a senior from Missoula, Mont., then registered a 4-3 decision at 157 pounds, followed by a 4-1 decision from junior Duane Miller, from Bellevue, Idaho, at 165 pounds to put the Falcons back on top.

A major decision by Larry Willbanks at 174 pounds brought the Mountaineers back within two points, and Western State regained the lead with back-to-back decisions at 184 and 197 pounds. Junior heavyweight Anthony Stegeman, from Cincinnati, Ohio, responded with a 3-0 decision to cut the Falcons' deficit to a single point, but Air Force was unable to get a win in the final two weight classes, dropping decisions at 125 and 133 pounds.

Air Force is back in action today when it hosts Colorado School of Mines at 7 p.m. The Falcons also host a Kid Force wrestling clinic prior to the start of the match against the Orediggers.

Western State 19, Air Force 12

141 Jake Kriegbaum (AF) dec. Chris Freiji, 9-4
149 Camille DuPont (WSC) dec. Bridger Lord, 6-1
157 Zach Lord (AF) dec. Nick Ross, 4-3
165 Duane Miller (AF) dec. Nate Wiggins, 4-1
174 Larry Wilbanks (WSC) maj. dec. Stephen Crozier, 15-5
184 Charlie Pipher (WSC) dec. Jacob Devlin, 20-13
197 Lars Lueders (WSC) dec. Peter Bozynski, 8-4
HWT Anthony Stegeman (AF) dec. Andrew Skinner, 3-0
125 Daren Hockett (WSC) dec. Zach Valdez, 5-3
133 Marques Bravo (WSC) dec. Stephen Makuka, 7-0

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