By: Brett Nelson
The Simon Fraser University Clan opened their season with a dual meet against North Idaho College (NIC) this past Friday. The Clan’s starting lineup features four seniors this year, and two of them were in official action on Friday. Both Morgan Smith (197 lbs) and Tyler McLean (165 lbs) clinched victories, helping lead SFU to a 27–19 victory over their North Idaho rival.
The dual opened with the 125 lb matchup. Oscar Bulaqui fell to Esco Walker Jr. to open the matchup, which gave NIC the early four-point lead. However, true freshman Riley Prough came from behind in the next match to pin his opponent, putting the Clan ahead.
Head coach Justin Abdou called Prough’s win “a pleasant surprise [. . .] We knew Riley was tough, but we hadn’t seen him compete yet. Good win.”
The following two matches were both forfeits in the Clan’s favour, putting them up 18–4. However, NIC had their own comeback win, as NIC’s Cooper McCullough managed to swing a six-point move in the dying moments of his match against the Clan’s Cody Osborne to take the win 15–14.
Senior McLean turned in a steady performance in the following match, winning a decision 9–7 against Trey Meyer. McLean was an All-American in 2016 and is currently ranked fourth in the NCAA’s Division II.
Logan Nelson lost a close matchup at 174 lbs, being edged 4–3 by NIC’s Hudson Mauseth. This was followed by another loss at 184 lbs, as the Clan’s Nolan Badovinac was caught in a tough pin by NIC’s Levi Perry. This match brought NIC within striking distance for the final two weight classes, as the Clan held onto a 21–16 lead.
However, Clan captain and senior Morgan Smith (197 lbs) had no intention of losing his final home dual. Smith dominated his opponent throughout the first round, showing why he was an All-American last year and is currently ranked second in NCAA’s Division II. Following the first period, Smith overwhelmed his opponent and secured a pin, clinching the dual for the Clan.
When asked about his exciting finish, Smith answered, “I love putting on an exciting performance. One thing I love about collegiate-style wrestling is the tenacity and action it brings out in wrestling. One of my goals this year is to wrestle matches that people want to watch.”
Nishan Randhawa, heavyweight, lost a tight match in overtime to end the dual for the Clan. SFU also split a pair of exhibition matches against NIC, with senior Cruz Velasquez pinning his opponent and Doug Peyser giving up a major decision.
“Great start to the season with a victory over a team that has given us a lot of trouble over the years,” Abdou said. “Our three star seniors (Velasquez, McLean, and Smith) looked great, which we need because they are the leaders of this team.”
The Clan was in action again on Sunday in Oregon for the Mike Clock Invitational. Stay tuned for more details on their performance.
