Strong showing for Mustangs at BVU Open

STORM LAKE, Iowa – Two Mustangs placed second in their respective weight classes for Morningside at the BVU Open Saturday in Storm Lake.

The Mustangs filled the leaderboard at 184 pounds, taking home second, third, fifth, sixth, and seventh place in the weight class. Hayden Wempen was the top finisher, making the championship match before losing in a 6-2 decision in the title bout. His route to the championship was a fall in 3:15, 9-5 decision, fall in 3:40, and 2-1 decision over teammate Caleb Connor. 

Connor placed third, receiving a first round bye before earning falls in back-to-back matches, first in 5:49 and the second in 4:02. After a loss to Wempen, Connor earned third place with a fall in 2:36. Samuel Moore earned wins by 17-1 tech fall, fall (3:49), and 6-2 decision to place fifth. Deontez Williams lost the 6-2 decision against Moore for fifth place. Williams earned wins by fall (1:20), sudden victory (5-0), and fall (5:52). Brett Tryon earned a win by fall in 2:26 and earned a seventh place finish.

Jackson Chapin and Alex Vandyke placed in the top four at 174 for the Mustangs. Chapin made the championship match by a 21-6 tech fall, 9-2 decision, and a medical forfeit. Chapin lost to UW-Lacrosse's Eddie Simes in the championship. 

Vandyke's route to the semifinals was a fall in 3:00 and a 14-9 decision after a first round bye. Simes defeated Vandyke in the semifinals and he placed fourth. 

Hunter DeJong made a run to third place at 285 for the Mustangs. His first two matches were victories by fall (1:33) and 17-0 tech fall. DeJong earned a 4-1 sudden victory in the third place match. Sendeska Kalskett won a match by 11-5 decision. 

Two Mustangs placed at 141 pounds, led by a semifinal run and fourth place finish by Brock Bolling. Bolling won his first three matches by major decision 12-2, fall in 7:08, and decision 7-3. Those three wins put him in the semifinals, where he would lose and go to the third place match. He lost in the 3rd place match to get fourth. Taylor Vasquez lost one match on the day on the way to a fifth place finish. After a bye, he earned a 19-5 major decision before a loss in the quarterfinals. A 17-1 tech fall gave Vasquez a spot in the fifth place match, where he won in another tech fall 22-7.

Blaine Christo was the top performer for the Mustangs at 157, placing eighth. He earned a fall in 33 seconds in the first round and added a 10-8 decision in the second to make the quarterfinals. He would finish eighth from there. Caden Eggleston (15-0 tech fall), Noah Styskal (5-4 decision), and Carson Turnis (sudden victory 3-2) each won a match at 157. 

Cameron Shultz picked up a 15-4 major decision victory.