Hample’s pin gives Packers momentum as Austin gets a split

Published 11:43 pm Thursday, January 26, 2017

The Austin wrestling team had its seniors steep up to avoid a getting swept on senior night in Ove Berven Gym Thursday.

The Packers lost 36-29 to Rochester Mayo and they trailed Northfield 27-3 when Austin was able to win the last eight matches to beat the Raiders 36-27.

Austin senior Jackson Hample literally turned the momentum in Austin’s favor at 182-pounds against the Raiders when he was trailing 5-0 in the first period and was on his back. Hample was able to get a reverse and come up with a pin with 30 seconds left in the first.

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Hample’s 12-point swing gave the Packers (8-7 overall, 5-3 Big Nine) all of the momentum it needed to complete the comeback.

Austin’s Josh Belden works to pin Rochester Mayo’s Ethan Smith at 145 pounds Thursday night in Ove Berven Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

Austin’s Josh Belden works to pin Rochester Mayo’s Ethan Smith at 145 pounds Thursday night in Ove Berven Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

“I had to kind of create a scramble. A big part of wrestling in general is to never give up. Even if you think you’re stuck, you’ve got to keep fighting until the end,” Hample said. “We really wanted this one bad. After losing to Mayo, it was important that we came out prepared and showed them what we were really capable of.”

Austin senior Corey Waller also faced a situation while he was down and tied at 4-4 at 195 when he created a reverse. He won his match 8-5.

Isaac Arjes and Caleb Tapp went on to pick up pins to seal the match against Northfield. Waller said that all of the bigger wrestlers have teamed up for the Packers this year and they have created a quality atmosphere in the wrestling room.

“We’re in a competition. We don’t go out there as friends in practice,” Waller said. “We go out there to compete and everyone goes hard. It makes everyone better when we get on the mat.”

Austin senior Jayden Erie may have been one of the most pumped up Packers about senior night. Erie, who missed most of last season with a concussion, went 2-0 for the Packers Thursday.

Austin’s Kaiden Igou tries to gain the advantage on Rochester Mayo’s Quincy Hill during the 182 pound match Thursday night in Ove Berven Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

Austin’s Kaden Igou tries to gain the advantage on Rochester Mayo’s Quincy Hill during the 182 pound match Thursday night in Ove Berven Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

“We were getting beat pretty bad and for us to come back like that was pretty awesome,” Erie said. “We could’ve let things go the way they were going, but our upper weight guys really stepped up.”

Austin has 10 seniors on the team this season and head coach Jer Osgood said that they have all played a big role in the team’s success.

“What they have done for this program is instilled a mindset of hard work in practice,” Osgood said. “They come ready to go every day and they’re making each other better. The success we’re having this year is a huge compliment to their work ethic.”

Austin junior Aiden Wilson picked up his 103rd career win as he won both of his matches on Thursday. He’s hoping to continue improving and wrestle better as the season moves on.

“I was pumped to get to 100, but I know I’ve still got a lot of room for improvement,” Wilson said. “I could’ve wrestled better tonight, but there was just a mental thing. I’ve got to keep pushing my barriers.”

Wilson said the seniors have provided plenty of leadership this for the team.

“They pushed it for us and they pulled through. The seniors set a great example for the underclassmen and I’m proud of single wrestler who wrestled tonight,” he said.

Austin’s Moo Thaw takes down Rochester Mayo’s Anton Plonka at 132 pounds Thursday in Ove Berven Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

Austin’s Moo Thaw takes down Rochester Mayo’s Anton Plonka at 132 pounds Thursday in Ove Berven Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

Mayo 36, Austin 29

106: Marshall Peters (M) pinned Tae Weber (A) (3:00); 113: Jayden Engelken (M) pinned Andy Lee (A) (2:26); 120: Gavin Brady (A) pinned Ethan Plonka (M) (1:32); 126: Aaron McKinley (M) pinned Matt Nelson (A) (1:04); 132: Anton Plonka (M) 9-5 dec. over Moo Thaw (A); 138: Aiden Wilson (A) 18-3 tech. fall over Tyler Calley (M); 145: Josh Belden (A) pinned Ethan Smith (M); 152: Jayden Erie (A) 5-2 dec. over Brandon Hanson (M); 160: Cyrus Scott (M) 8-2 dec. Jacob Jarvis (A); 170: Jackson Hample (A) 9-4 dec. over Dylan Clark (M); 182: Qunicy Hill (M) pinned Kaden Igou (A) (5:17); 195: Carson Ties (M) 5-0 dec. over Corey Waller (A); Isaac Arjes won by forfeit; 285: Noah Carter (M) dec. 2-1 over Eli Marks (A)

Austin 36, Northfield 27

106: Chase Murphy (N) 4-0 dec. over Weber (A); 113: Brady (A) 4-2 dec. over Kevin Garcia Rosas (N); 120: Darrin Kuyper (N) pinned Lee (A); 126: Todd Olson (N) pinned Nelson (A) (3:39); 132: Drew Woodley (N) pinned Thaw (A) (2:59); 138: Garrett Jung (N) pinned Josh Belden (A) (3:48); 145: Aiden Wilson (A) 4-3 dec. over Ethan Johnson (N); 152: Erie (A) 6-3 dec. over Joel Alvarado (N); 160: Jarvis (A) 7-2 dec. over Jack Stanton (N); 170: Igou (A) 4-0 dec. over Jack Holman (N); 182: Hample (A) pinned John Vitito (N) (1:30); 195: Waller (A) 8-5 dec. over David Tenjum (N); 215: Arjes (A) pinned Sam Bakke (N) (3:24); 285: Caleb Tapp (A) pinned Seth Carter (N) (1:25)