The Red Demon wrestling team lost a close dual to WAC opponenet Hays on Tuesday night. More importantly, it revealed the separation in the Demons' strengths in weight classes. Dodge City went head-to-head with a strong Hugoton team on Thursday night with it's sights set on gaining mometum and closing that gap.
The dual started with the 106-pound weight class. Hugoton’s Israel Montoya (3-7) had the lead but an escape and takedown in the final seconds of the first period put the Demon’s Howard Johnson (12-6) ahead. After an exasperating match, Johnson earned the win by pin with only a minute left in the match.
The 113 class was over in the blink of an eye. Clay Weil (19-3) earned a quick takedown followed by the pin in the first period. Dodge was ahead 18-0.
Dodge City's Jaquan Graves (12-6) had one of the most exciting matches of the night. He got a takedown and almost a pin but Hunter Kerbow came up with a bloody nose in the first period. It still resulted in a nearfall for Graves. Kerbow could not find an opportunity to battle back and Graves finished him off with 43 seconds left in the second period. 28-0 DodgeCity.
At 132 pounds Dakota Loeschen (7-6) flipped his opponent into a takedown followed by a pin with 58 seconds left in the first period.
After the Demons' Dane Edwards trotted across the mat to take his arm raise and win, that is where the separation became evident. The 145, 152 and 195 classes swayed in favor of Hugoton including a technical fall by the Eagles' Lawson Fiss (11-1)
Dodge City’s Corey Keller (11-3) also earned a pin over Josh Ramirez in the 170-pound weight class, but the remaining weight classes also fell to Hugoton’s big boys. Dodge City grasped on to the win 54-18.
The Demons will have some momentum as they travel to the Newton Tournament of Champions on January 11 and 12.
