Newman Wrestling Knocks Off No. 15 Pratt, 31-15

PRATT, Kan. - The Newman wrestling team opened its 2010-11 dual season with a 31-15 road win over nationally-ranked Pratt Community College Thursday night at Dennis Lesh Sports Arena in Pratt, Kan. Pratt entered the match ranked No. 15 in the most recent NJCAA national polls.

Newman opened the dual by scoring the first points of the evening when Jarod Stephenson picked up a 10-1 major decision over PCC's Shawn Peeples in the 125 lb. match to give the Jets an early 4-0 lead in the dual. The Beavers took a 6-4 lead after the 133 lb. match when Jose Sanchez pinned Eric Ramirez in 1:43, but Blake Fisher's 13-9 decision over Cody Wildin in the 141 lb. match gave Newman a 7-6 edge after just three matches. Mitch Arnold added to Newman's lead in the 149 lb. match. Arnold needed just 62 seconds to pin PCC's Nick Schawger to give the Jets a 13-6 advantage going into the 157 lb. match, which was the only open slot of the evening for the Jets. PCC earned six points from the open match to pull within one of the Jets, 13-12 with five matches remaining.

The high weight classes belonged almost solely to Newman. Ryan Spencer picked up the quickest pin of the evening, using just 31 seconds to dispatch PCC's Jeffery Clements in the 165 lb. match. Alex Chaparro followed Spencer with a 9-3 decision over Tracer Hudson in the 174 lb. match to give Newman a 22-12 lead in the dual.

Pratt tried to narrow the gap in the 184 lb. match, when Dylon Walker earned a 6-3 decision over Steven Cooksley to pull the Beavers to within seven, 22-15, but Tyler Hasenbank secured the dual win for the Jets in the 197 lb. match, pinning Dustin Hackett, who entered the match ranked No. 7 in the NJCAA national polls, in 2:58 to give Newman an insurmountable 28-15 lead. Lorenzo Serna put the icing on the cake for the Jets, picking up a 13-10 heavyweight decision over Xavier Fisher in the dual match finale to give the Jets the 31-15 win.

The win gives Newman a 1-0 record in dual matches this season. The Jets will return to action Saturday, traveling to Hays, Kan., to compete in the Bob Smith Open.

Newman 31, Pratt 15
125: Jarod Stephenson (NU) def. Shawn Peeples (PCC), MD: 10-1
133: Jose Sanchez (PCC) def. Eric Ramirez (NU), F: 1:43
141: Blake Fisher (NU) def. Cody Wildin (PCC), D: 13-9
149: Mitch Arnold (NU) def. Nick Schawger (PCC), F: 1:02
157: Adam Klein (PCC) won by forfeit
165: Ryan Spencer (NU) def. Jeffery Clements (PCC), F: 0:31
174: Alex Chaparro (NU) def. Tracer Hudson (PCC), D: 9-3
184: Dylon Walker (PCC) def. Steven Cooksley (NU), D: 6-3
197: Tyler Hasenbank (NU) def. Dustin Hackett (PCC), F: 2:58
HWT: Lorenzo Serna (NU) def Xavier Fisher (PCC), D: 13-10

--www.newmanjets.com