EVANSTON, Ill.--The Bakersfield wrestling team competed at the 51st Ken Kraft Midlands Championships Sunday.
Jose Mendoza (R-Sr., Selma, Calif., Selma HS), the 11th seed at 133 pounds, won his first two matches before dropping a 5-1 decision to Alan Waters who was wrestling unattached for the University of Missouri. In his first wrestleback, Mendoza defeated Kyle Ayersman of Purdue 9-2. Wrestleback No. 2 saw Mendoza lost 9-6 to Kevin Norstrem of Virginia Tech who was wrestling unattached.
Bryce Hammond (R-So., Bakersfield, Calif., Bakersifeld HS), the fourth seed at 174 pounds, was upset in the round of 16 by Jordan Wohfert, an unattached wrestler from Michigan State, when Wohfert pinned Hammond 1:18 into the second period. Hammond medically forfeited against Brown University's Ricky McDonald in the wrestlebacks, ending his tournament.
The Roadrunners had two entries at 149 pounds. Dalton Kelley (R-Sr., Alamosa, Colo., Alamosa HS) lost both of his matches. Coleman Hammond (Fr., Bakersfield, Calif., Bakersfield HS) entered unattached and lost his first match to the No. 4 seed, Zach Neibert, of Virginia Tech, 7-2. Hammond defeated Blake Santi of Harper College 10-2 in his first wrestleback to set up a bout against the seventh seed, Mike Kelly of Iowa. Kelly defeated Hammond 13-5.
At 157 pounds, Spencer Hill (R-Jr., Clovis, Calif., Fresno City College) lost his opening match to the No. 5 seed, Zac Brunson of Illinois, 10-0 before dropping a 6-4 decision to Augsburg College's Will Keeter which eliminated Hill from the tournament.
David Meza (R-So., Fullerton, Calif., Buena Park HS) lost 13-3 to the second seed, Nick Moore of Iowa to begin his tournament at 165 pounds. Meza was eliminated from the tournament when Illinois' Matt Nora pinned Meza at 2:31 of the first period.
Also going 0-2 were Sean Pollock (R-Jr., 184, Oceanside, Calif., Rancho Buena Vista HS), Reuben Franklin (Jr., 197, Murrieta, Calif., Vista Murrieta HS), and Sammy Cervantes (R-Sr., 285, Chula Vista, Calif., Palomar College).
All of the Bakersfield entries have been eliminated. The 'Runners return to the mats when CSUB hosts North Dakota State Jan. 6 at 7 p.m.
~www.GoRunners.com~
