There were very few of the niceties of home for the Hannibal-LaGrange Spartans after Tuesday night’s 34-13 home opener loss to the Missouri Baptist Spartans, the No. 13-team in the NAIA.
But some of that was to be expected said HLG head wrestling coach Scott Hawes, who helms a team that sports just four members of a 19-man squad who are a junior or older.
“I think they did well, given their experience level and I think we will do much better the next time we face Missouri Baptist,” Hawes said.
The Trojans opened the night with back-to-back losses that put the team in a lurch early. Shane LeGrand lost the first match by pin, followed by Zach Fish, who was only able to register escape points that were freely given by the Spartans’ Anton Prater in a 14-5 major decision.
It wasn’t until Kasey Cates came to the center of the mat that the Trojans were able to post team points on the score board. Cates, a second-year wrestler with the program, proved to be more dominant that his opponent, Gary Brooks, throughout much of the first period. But all of that dominance didn’t translate into points early — Cates held a slim 2-1 margin for all of the first period and much of the second, which he widened just before the third period with a late take down.
The third period proved to be a different story for 141-pounder. Cates’ decision to take the down position turned into a lucrative opportunity that provided a reversal and three near-fall points to extend his lead to 10-1 final.
“Casey came out with more focus than he has in the three other times we’ve competed,” Hawes said.
Josh Smith’s match was less of a certain thing for the Trojans. Even though his opponent, Robert Nixon, used up all of his injury time within the first minute of the match and appeared to be on his heels, it was Smith who had to deal with a 4-2 deficit after the first period. Things only got worse for the freshman, giving up four more points in the second and another two in the third for a 10-6 decision.
“He definitely should have won that match,” Hawes said. “The guy was strong on his feet and if Josh had an opportunity to be on top, I think would have worn him down a little bit.”
Nick McCollum’s 11-5 loss didn’t make things any better for the Trojans, but HLG appeared to rebound at the 165-pound weight class when Daniel Yuraitis led Gerald Harris 6-3 going into the third period. However, Yuraitis gave up seven points before, allowing Harris to tie him before eventually losing by fall.
Hawes said that it was experience, or lack thereof, that played the biggest role in Yuraitis’s loss.
“I think Daniel thought the match was over because a score had taken place,” Hawes said. “It shouldn’t have ended that way. He should have lost by two points instead of by the fall. Mentally, he just lost focus there.”
Jobi Hambrick did an excellent job of lifting the crowd’s spirits in the 174-pound match when he made quick work of Randy Ricks and pinned him for the Trojan’s biggest win of the night. That excitement was amplified when Nathan Downs later won in an 8-2 decision.
But that was the last time the Trojans would be the victors for the rest of the night. Shane Brandl lost by pinfall in the first period.
Ben Woods, who was wrestling up to the heavyweight spot against Mike Wakim, the No. 5 heavyweight in the country, met the same end as Brandl, but not before making everyone in Porter Gymnasium take a collective gasp. Early in the first period, it appeared that Wood had Wakim on his back and in position for a huge upset. That one moment sent off a explosion of thoughts in Hawes’ head.
“I’m thinking ‘I wish he was in bounds,’” Hawes said. “But that’s the way wrestling is. Its a hustle sport, a grinding sport and one of those sports where you have to keep working.”
With only four events marked off the Trojan graplers’ schedule, there is still much time for HLG to improve. Hawes said that in that time, he sees a few things that absolutely need to happen to make the Trojans successful.
“Experience is lacking,” Hawes said. “I think, as we get further through the season, that will develop more.”
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There were very few of the niceties of home for the Hannibal-LaGrange Spartans after Tuesday night’s 34-13 home opener loss to the Missouri Baptist Spartans, the No. 13-team in the NAIA.
But some of that was to be expected said HLG head wrestling coach Scott Hawes, who helms a team that sports just four members of a 19-man squad who are a junior or older.
“I think they did well, given their experience level and I think we will do much better the next time we face Missouri Baptist,” Hawes said.
The Trojans opened the night with back-to-back losses that put the team in a lurch early. Shane LeGrand lost the first match by pin, followed by Zach Fish, who was only able to register escape points that were freely given by the Spartans’ Anton Prater in a 14-5 major decision.
It wasn’t until Kasey Cates came to the center of the mat that the Trojans were able to post team points on the score board. Cates, a second-year wrestler with the program, proved to be more dominant that his opponent, Gary Brooks, throughout much of the first period. But all of that dominance didn’t translate into points early — Cates held a slim 2-1 margin for all of the first period and much of the second, which he widened just before the third period with a late take down.
The third period proved to be a different story for 141-pounder. Cates’ decision to take the down position turned into a lucrative opportunity that provided a reversal and three near-fall points to extend his lead to 10-1 final.
“Casey came out with more focus than he has in the three other times we’ve competed,” Hawes said.
Josh Smith’s match was less of a certain thing for the Trojans. Even though his opponent, Robert Nixon, used up all of his injury time within the first minute of the match and appeared to be on his heels, it was Smith who had to deal with a 4-2 deficit after the first period. Things only got worse for the freshman, giving up four more points in the second and another two in the third for a 10-6 decision.
“He definitely should have won that match,” Hawes said. “The guy was strong on his feet and if Josh had an opportunity to be on top, I think would have worn him down a little bit.”
Nick McCollum’s 11-5 loss didn’t make things any better for the Trojans, but HLG appeared to rebound at the 165-pound weight class when Daniel Yuraitis led Gerald Harris 6-3 going into the third period. However, Yuraitis gave up seven points before, allowing Harris to tie him before eventually losing by fall.
Hawes said that it was experience, or lack thereof, that played the biggest role in Yuraitis’s loss.
“I think Daniel thought the match was over because a score had taken place,” Hawes said. “It shouldn’t have ended that way. He should have lost by two points instead of by the fall. Mentally, he just lost focus there.”
Jobi Hambrick did an excellent job of lifting the crowd’s spirits in the 174-pound match when he made quick work of Randy Ricks and pinned him for the Trojan’s biggest win of the night. That excitement was amplified when Nathan Downs later won in an 8-2 decision.
But that was the last time the Trojans would be the victors for the rest of the night. Shane Brandl lost by pinfall in the first period.
Ben Woods, who was wrestling up to the heavyweight spot against Mike Wakim, the No. 5 heavyweight in the country, met the same end as Brandl, but not before making everyone in Porter Gymnasium take a collective gasp. Early in the first period, it appeared that Wood had Wakim on his back and in position for a huge upset. That one moment sent off a explosion of thoughts in Hawes’ head.
“I’m thinking ‘I wish he was in bounds,’” Hawes said. “But that’s the way wrestling is. Its a hustle sport, a grinding sport and one of those sports where you have to keep working.”
With only four events marked off the Trojan graplers’ schedule, there is still much time for HLG to improve. Hawes said that in that time, he sees a few things that absolutely need to happen to make the Trojans successful.
“Experience is lacking,” Hawes said. “I think, as we get further through the season, that will develop more.”
