Bison take down two tough foes from Kansas

Friday, January 4, 2019
McCook senior Kody Hahn (right) lifts Phillipsburg’s Jesse Minkler off his feet during an intense 170-pound dual match at Oberlin, Kan., Thursday night. Hahn eventually won in overtime and hleped the Bison take this dual, 36-33.
R.B. Headley/McCook Gazette

OBERLIN, Kan. — “Big Move Monday” detoured through Kansas on Thursday where the McCook High wrestlers took two big steps toward one of their ultimate Nebraska goals.

“We want to get to the (Class B) state dual tournament which we’ve never done before,” coach Nick Umscheid revealed after the Bison burned Red Devils from Decatur Community, 45-27, and edged Phillipsburg’s Panthers 36-33. “

“It’s all based on your record, so two wins tonight are big. We haven’t twice here too often,: Umscheild deckared, “Plus duals are one of the few times you really come together as a team. Every match means so much to your team score and it’s a little more stressful.”

The Bison handled stress while McCook’s fans cheered louder than either Kansas foe.

No Bison delivered in the clutch better than senior Kody Hahn, who won two overtime matches at 170 pounds.

Hahn’s first victory broke a 24-24 tie and McCook never relinquished the lead again.

“Kody gave the fans and our coaching staff everything they could handle stress-wise,” Umscheid said. “He probably could have finished them (wins) sooner, but it’s good he gutted out when he needed.”

Umsheid also credited 106-pound freshman Julian Stiver’s 5-0 win as “a great momentum builder” for the Bison Thursday night.

However, the loudest five points all night clearly arrived courtesy of Talyn Campbell at 126 during McCook’s secibd dual against those host Decatur Red Devils.

That’s where big-move Monday came into play. Campbell was grinding through a tight 3-2 match with Drew Juenemann until...

WOW!

Campbell pulled a “high flyer” that flipped Jueneman for both the reversal and three-point near fall.

“We have a big move Monday where we work on five-point throws,” Umscheid explained. “It’s kind of a sucker move but if you set it up right, it’s pretty cool. Talyn timed it just right and knew how to finish.”

Campbell’s pin caught the Devils at 12-12 after Decatur had taken an early 12-0 advantage.

He started a Bison string of three straight pins, because brothers Trevor and Tate Felber both stuck their Red Devil foes.

Just like that, McCook had doubled Decatur’s team point total at 24-12.

“Talyn’s win was a big momentum builder. Tate wrestled that (Colton) Ketterl kid, who’s a pretty good wrestler,” Umscheid observed. “It was good to see because Tate has worked hard in the wrestling room coming back from a football injury. Hopefully, he has some momentum going into the second half of the season.”

The Bison continued their winning vibe thanks to Hahn’s second OT victory over Decatur’s Gavon Uehlin at 170.

The Devils had closed within 27-24 when David Waterman wiped out an early deficit and pinned McCook’s Kallen Feikert.

Decatur also won the dual’s “highlight match” at 220 match.

Kansas state qualifier Reegon Witt scored one three-point takedown before holding McCook state-rated senior Colin Giron, 3-2.

“Those were two bulls locking horns with each other,” Umscheid proclaimed. “The difference wa he (Witt) held Colin a little longer on his back. But it’s a good learning experience for Colin. He may be seeing that guy again at Norton.”

McCook will meet several more top Kansas wrestlers at Saturday’s Norton, Kan., Invitaitonal. They will wrestle the annual Decatur Invite one week later on Saturday, Jan. 12.

Following that tourney, the Bison will turn all their focus back to Nebraska competition. However, the Bison wouldn’t mind meeting Kansans again during McCook’s dual tourney later this month.

“We’re still not 100 percent at full force,” Umscheid concluded while referring to open weights at 113 and 160. “We’ll probably see those (Decatur) guys again, and you might see the score even better than tonight.”

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