Eagle Duals:
Central Methodist 33, Concordia 15
(11) Missouri Valley 36, Concordia 15
Concordia 34, Avila 12
Concordia 28, (18) Baker 23
Concordia 56, Waldorf 0
FULL RESULTS >
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Based upon the rankings, the Concordia University Wrestling team knew it would get tested significantly at the Eagle Duals hosted by Avila University on Saturday (Dec. 16). When the dust settled from Kansas City, Mo., the Bulldogs emerged with a trio of dual wins, including a 28-23 upset of 18th-ranked Baker University (Kan.). The day got started with losses to Central Methodist University (Mo.), 33-15, and No. 11 Missouri Valley College, 36-15, before Concordia rebounded with victories over host Avila, 34-12, Baker and Waldorf University (Iowa), 56-0.
Head Coach Chase Clasen’s squad improved to 6-4 overall this season in duals. In highlighting the Eagle Duals, Creighton Baughman and Grant Wells combined for nine contested wins.
“Overall, it was a team collective effort,” Clasen said. “We started to really click with that team aspect of wrestling. This sport is very personal and it’s one-on-one when you’re out there on the mat, but there’s a dual score. We wanted to emphasize that you are going out there to score bonus points for your team. As the day went on, I think our guys really bought into that idea and started wrestling for the team. We had some outstanding individual performances.
“I think Grant Wells had one of his best days of wrestling. He took the No. 10 guy from Missouri Valley to the brink. I keep telling him that he’s capable of being an All-American. He’s realizing how good he can be. Creighton beat another ranked wrestler, a super tough kid from Missouri Valley. Then you had CJ (Laabs) locking up the dual victory versus Baker – that was huge.”
Indeed, the win for Laabs marked a high point for the day. In dual No. 4 for the Bulldogs, Laabs pinned Baker’s Elijah Eslinger in 2:17 in a match that decided the team winner. Concordia had entered the heavyweight match trailing the Heart of America Athletic Conference member Wildcats, 23-22. The Bulldogs were in position to claim a team win thanks to a string of wins in the 165 through 184 weight classes: Barret Brandt (pin at 165), Stephen Duffy (major decision at 174) and Garret Moser (major decision at 184). Once Baker’s Kevin Lund triumphed with a pin at 197, it all came down to Laabs, the native of Orange, Calif.
All day long, Wells (133) and Baughman (141) set Concordia up for success near the top of the lineup. Ranked eighth in the NAIA at 141, Baughman (18-4) still has been defeated only once all season by an NAIA opponent. The Papillion, Neb., native’s most notable win on Saturday was a 3-2 squeaker over No. 19 Donavan Parn of Missouri Valley. Baughman also collected two pins as part of his 5-0 day. Meanwhile, the Lincoln Lutheran High School alum Wells went 4-1 with two pins of his own. The only defeat was a 4-1 setback at the hands of Missouri Valley’s 10th-ranked Haden Hernandez.
The victory over Baker was sandwiched between the wins over Avila and Waldorf. In the decision over Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference member Avila, the Bulldogs won seven matches while getting pins from Baughman and Mason Garcia (197) and a 19-4 technical fall from Stephen Duffy (174). In putting an exclamation point on the day, Concordia swept all 10 matches from Waldorf with pins put on the board by Wells (133), Baughman (141), TJ Allen (149) and Brent Ward (157) and wins via technical fall coming from Hunter Weimer (184) and Teegan Tschampel (197). The 56-0 team score was the most lopsided for the program since pummeling Dakota Wesleyan, 58-0, in November of 2018.
Collectively, the 15 Bulldogs who made appearances on the mat combined for 30 wins and 10 pins at the Eagle Duals, which action on four mats simultaneously over six total rounds. Concordia went up against 11 nationally ranked individual wrestlers throughout the day. Of the 15 Bulldogs who competed, 13 claimed at least one win. Multiple victories were delivered by Baughman (5-0), Brandt (4-0), Wells (4-1), Duffy (3-1), Laabs (2-1), Garcia (2-2), Allen (2-3), Bryson Bussinger (2-3) and Ward (2-3).
Clasen appreciated how his team got better as the day wore on. Opposition like Missouri Valley (4-0 at the Eagle Duals) will be tough on any NAIA combatants. The Vikings rolled out five nationally ranked wrestlers versus Concordia. The key is that the Bulldogs learn from those experiences. Clasen is also emphasizing with his team the need to return from the Christmas break in proper form and ready for battle.
Said Clasen, “Right now the emphasis is to stay focused on the goal. This is the perfect opportunity to see who has both feet in, not just with our team, but around the country too. Our first dual back from break last year was not pretty and our upperclassmen made sure to chime in that we don’t want that to happen this time. We have to be disciplined over break as we’re enjoying time with family. There is a job to do.”
The Bulldogs will wait until the calendar flips to 2024 before resuming the season. Next up is the Cusatis Open hosted by Hastings on Saturday, Jan. 6. The next dual on the slate is set for Friday, Jan. 12 when Concordia will be headed to Crete, Neb., to take on fifth-ranked Doane.