The Barton Community College wrestling team captured three golds within its four placers Saturday in wrapping up the pre-Christmas schedule at the inaugural Beaver Open held at the Blythe Family Fitness Center in Pratt, Kansas.
The Cougars' four placers compiled a 12-1 record on the day as the team finished with a 13-9 overall accumulation.
Barton will have nearly a month layoff before its January 11th trip to Hastings, Nebraska, for the Hastings Open to kick-off a busy month of six competition dates.
9th ranked Gable Howerton picked up three victories in capturing the 157 division title but needed in a rally in the first match of the afternoon to stay in the championship side of the bracket. Trailing 9-4 into the third period to NEO's Jon Trowbridge, Howerton racked up an escape and awarded penalty point before a takedown with twenty-three seconds added on top of riding time sent the match into overtime. Continuing the aggressive attack, Howerton needed just twenty-nine seconds for a takedown to advance in the bracket. In the semifinal match Howerton controlled most of the match against Pratt's Juan Urbina, jumping out to an 11-3 first period lead in winning on a 21-5 technical fall. The match seemingly ended on a rare defensive pin by Urbina, but after review, Howerton secured the match clinching nearfall points just seconds prior. Advancing to the title bout against NEO's Malachi Tinnel for the title, the two battled throughout before Howerton got the upper hand for a late back pinning completing the afternoon.
Andrew DeArmond picked up four impressive victories on the way to the 165 division title, beginning the day with a 1:46 fall over University of the Ozarks' Zane Sims, before knocking off 157 division No. 6 ranked Scott Radke of NEO with a 14-2 major decision. DeArmond would face two additional Ozark wrestlers in the path of the title, pinning Liam Neal in 2:48 before putting eight on the board in the first and second period for a 16-0 technical fall over Connor Klein.
Needing just two competitions on the mat for the 184 division crown, Joey Ewalt put away his semifinal match against Pratt's Bobby Williams with a second period 18-0 technical fall then knocked off 7th ranked Dayton Fields of NEO in the championship match on a first period 2:36 fall.
Kolby Droegemeier went 3-1 in the 149 division to place third, recording a 13-0 major decision over the Ozarks' Mathew Malheiro to get the day rolling. Meeting up with unattached Jake Beeson, who will most likely be a top-10 wrestler in the next released rankings, Droegemeier controlled tempo in the hard fought match with the deciding points being a third period escape from the bottom position giving Beeson the 1-0 victory. Bouncing back with a 3:52 fall over the Ozarks' Jody Adams in the consolation semifinals, Droegemeier needed some late skill tactics to overcome a deficit with a reversal as just five seconds remained earning a 4-2 decision aided by a riding time point to earn the third place finish.
Zack Gomez picked up the lone win of Barton's other four entries, losing to eventual fourth placer Riley Weir of NEO in a 3:20 fall before rolling up Pratt's Isaac Richie in a first period 18-0 technical fall. Gomez' day would end in the next round falling to eventual third placer Nathaneal Rankin of the Ozarks on a 2:43 fall.
Drew Burgoon took losses to a pair of placers in the 133 division, dropping an 8-4 decision to the eventual runner-up Corey Muniz of the Ozarks before being dropped in 1:21 by eventual fourth placer Jaxon Miller of Oklahoma Wesleyan University.
Johnney Perez had the toughest opening match of the Cougars' entries, battling the nation's 141 division 4th ranked Blake Gonzalez of NEO into the second period before getting caught on a 4:05 back pinning to roll on to the title with a pair of subsequent major decisions. Trailing 6-0 after the first period on the consolation side, Perez battled the Ozarks' Durrell Thompson to a scoreless second frame but a 5-2 deficit in the third ended the day on an 11-2 major decision.
In the 174 division, Jacob Sanchez got caught early on a forty-seven second fall to Evan Sharpe of the Ozarks in getting bounced to the consolation side. Fighting to extend his day, Sanchez trailed just 5-3 after the opening period but Pratt's Misael Monarrez racked up thirteen unanswered in the next two periods for an 18-3 technical fall on the way to an eventual third place finish.