DETROIT, Mich. -- Cal Poly wrestlers Evan Wick, Adam Kemp and Bernie Truax all won first-round matches Thursday afternoon in the NCAA Division I National Championships at Little Caesars Arena.
Wick, seeded No. 1 at 165 pounds, improved to 19-0 for the year with an 11-3 major decision over Matthew Olguin of Oregon State.
Wick jumped to a 5-2 lead in the first period with two takedowns and an escape. Olguin chose the bottom position for the second period and escaped, but Wick notched his third takedown for a 7-3 advantage. In the final period, Wick added an escape, takedown and riding time for the major decision.
A three-time All-American and four-time national qualifier, Wick will face Luke Weber of North Dakota State in the second round Thursday night. Weber sports a 23-7 record after a 3-0 decision over Brian Meyer of Lehigh.
Evan Wick controls Matthew Olguin of Oregon State at the edge of the mat.At 174, 16th-seeded Adam Kemp was a 6-5 winner over No. 17 Nick Incontrera of Penn, lifting his record to 16-4.
A pair of takedowns in the first period gave Kemp a 4-2 lead. There was no scoring in the second period and Kemp earned his third takedown with 1:24 remaining in the final period for a 6-3 lead. Incontrera escaped 17 seconds later and earned the riding time point but couldn't take Kemp down in the final minute.
Kemp meets top-seeded Carter Starocci of Penn State in the second round Thursday night. Starocci is 20-0 after pinning Connor O'Neill of Rutgers in the opening round.
And at 184, Truax, an All-American with a fourth-place finish at 174 a year ago, opened his bid for the 184-pound title with a 1-0 decision over No. 28 Gregg Harvey of Pittsburgh.
Truax and Harvey were held scoreless in the first two periods. Harvey was warned for stalling in the first period. Truax deferred the choice of position to the final period. Harvey chose neutral. Truax chose the bottom position for the third period and needed just seven seconds to escape Harvey for the lead. There was no other scoring.
Seeded fifth, Truax takes a 16-2 record into the second round versus Tate Samuelson of Wyoming, a 5-3 overtime winner against Brit Wilson of Northern Illinois. Samuelson is seeded 21st with a 21-7 record.
Two other Mustangs lost in the opening round.
At 125, Antonio Lorenzo fell in a 16-4 major decision to second-seeded Vito Arujau of Cornell, scoring an escape in the second period and an escape and takedown in the final period. Lorenzo (20-11) meets No. 18 Noah Surtin (19-9) of Missouri in the first round of wrestlebacks Thursday night.
At 149, Legend Lamer was edged by No. 18 Anthony Artalona of Penn 3-2. Seeded 15th, Lamer trailed 2-1 after the first period as Artalona scored a takedown and Lamer escaped. Lamer chose the bottom position for the second period and escaped in eight seconds to tie the match at 2-2. Artalona needed just three seconds to escape in the final period and neither wrestler could secure a takedown the rest of the way.
Lamer faces No. 31 Michael Blockhus (13-15) -- a 5-3 loser to second-seeded Tariq Wilson of North Carolina State -- in the first round of wrestlebacks Thursday night.
Photos courtesy of Lawrence Slater Videos courtesy of Lee Schneiderman
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