Below is a recap and thoughts from head coach Ray Bedford. Keeping up with TXWES Wrestling? Stay up to date by liking and following the Texas Wesleyan Wrestling facebook page @txweswrestling. You can also follow the Rams on Instagram (txweswreslting) and twitter (@txwes_wrestling). 


By Ray Bedford

Although the plan was to take 34 to UWW Juniors/U23 in Omaha this weekend, injuries and our new nemesis Covid-19 had other ideas.
 
We rolled with a third of that total and after the dust settled we knew a couple of things:
 
1. A few of these kids are pretty darn good.
2. We've got a lot of work to do.
 
Samara Chavez had a rough first day in the Junior 50kg bracket, although 'rough' for her was a 5th place finish in arguably the days toughest bracket. In typical Samara Chavez style, she came storming back in the U23 50 kg bracket the next day pinning not one, but two national no. 1's on her way to the finals. She came up short in the final to national #1, Shilson.
 
Chavez's run of a fourth place finish at Senior Nationals, fifth at Juniors, and second in U23 in less than a month is nothing short of excellent for the recently turned 18 year old.
 
TXWES team Captain Drake McKee, although he hadn't had a real Greco practice in recent memory, took home a solid third in the U23 72Kg division. His only loss was a 3-0 bout to the eventual champ and former Spartan Mat Club member Nathan Grimes. After the tough loss, Drake ripped off 4 straight victories to take 3rd – going 5-1 on the day.
 
TXWES freshman Mea Mohler in her first UWW event took home a hard fought seventh place finish at 57Kg, earning her first AA and leaving this coach extremely impressed with her toughness and willingness to win.
 
TXWES freshman Ryland Bonds took home a pair of sixth place finishes at 92Kg in Juniors and U23 Greco. An injury forced him out of the consolation semis leaving him to dubious AA finishes.
 
TXWES signee Brittyn Corbishley from College Park finished 3rd in the Junior 76Kg by pinning the NAIA National #1. A great start to a great international career for the HS senior.
 
TXWES Junior transfer Isaac Stalcup (DNP) had some good moments but came up short.
 
TXWES Jacob Garcia (DNP) ran into a Buzzsaw in his first match against Michigan freshman phenom and eventual Junior Champ Dylan Ragnussen off of his senior national finals performance in his first match.
 
TXWES red shirt sophomore Mikey Kumlien - DNP
 
TXWES sophomore Madison Brown went 2-4 on the weekend - DNP
 
TXWES freshman Ryan Johnson - DNP
 
7 AA's on the weekend, we'll take it. Here we go, back to the lab!