Both Wrestling Teams Compete at Falcon Invite
PARK CITY, Kan. – For the first time in the second season of the program, both Avila wrestling teams were in action at the same time at the Falcon Invite hosted by Friends University at Hartman Arena in Park City this Saturday.
A total of 16 Eagles won at least one match at one point Saturday, led by three victories from Byanca Cook and four in total from Logan Johnson. Even with all those wins, no Eagles placed in any bracket at the event. And even with that said, the Eagle men still racked up enough team points to finish eighth overall out of the 2022 teams competing at the tournament (including a group of unattached wrestlers). The Eagle women finished 16th.
Tyler Johnson won his first two matches of the day to reach the quarterfinals at 133 where he rebounded from a loss to earn some revenge from last week by pinning Sabri Sino of William Penn in the consolation rounds for his third win of the day. In the same class, Ryan McNeel picked up a pair of wins of his own. Wrestling at 157, both Jason Gross and Christian Knighton picked up two wins (both picked up major decisions and pins).
After losing his first match of the day, Brad Mahoney got a bye and then won three straight matches at 165. Darnell Taylor picked up a pair of pins in his first tournament of the season at heavyweight. And then there was Logan Johnson, who also lost his first match of the day at 149 before he ripped off four wins in a row, including two pins in under a minute, to advance to the fifth round of the consolation bracket. Elijah Gunnels, Blake Becker, Jake Callahan, Corey Holmes and Corbin Katamura each picked up one win in the event.
And the Eagle women were also in action for the first time in their second season of competition. Hartman Arena was the site of the Eagles' season debut for the second straight season, and it was a newcomer who stole the show. Byanca Cook won the first three matches of her collegiate career (tech fall, fall and decision) to reach the semifinals at 130 before she had to be removed from the field due to an injury.
Elsewhere, Markayla Lottie began her sophomore season with a pair of wins via tech fall at 116; Jessica Miller picked up a pair of wins at 143, including a pin in the first minute over Madyson Dow of Cumberlands; and Jada Meredith earned her first collegiate win with an 11-0 tech fall over Doane's Amy Parra.
Up next for the Avila women is their first full weekend of the season: the Eagles will travel to Marietta, Georgia for a set of duals at Life University on Friday, November 11 before the Eagles participate in the Life Open on Saturday. Stay tuned to Avila Wrestling and Avila Athletics on social media for details on how to watch and follow along.
Meanwhile, the Avila men will return to the Mabee Fieldhouse mat for another home dual triangular, featuring Central Baptist and Benedictine. Action begins at 5 PM; as always, you can watch all the action on the Avila Sports Network.
