Losses by the Stanford Chargers middle school team can be measured in Cicada Cycles. According to sciencetlinks.com, Cicadas spend years underground and come out like clockwork every 13-to-17 years.
It’s been about 13 years since Stanford wrestling last lost a dual match in the Orange-Person Athletic Conference. After Friday’s 47-46 dual match victory over Stanback at Bulldog Gymnasium, two things are for sure. 1. The day Stanford finally loses, a lot of people want to be the ones to say they were there for it.
2. The once-wide gap between the Chargers and the Bulldogs is narrowing.
Stanford improved to 6-0 with Friday’s win, while also handing the Bulldogs its first loss of the season.
A jam-packed grandstand greeted both teams with nary an empty seat to be found, which led to a heated gym that only increased the intensity. The Bulldogs fans showed up excited, and the buzz around the gym built into a frenzy went 6th grader Mason Pierce immediately scored a takedown on Stanford’s Luke Stitz in the first period in the opening 78-pound match. Pierce gained near fall points in the second and third period for a 13-2 major decision to put Stanback ahead 4-0.
“We weren’t expecting that,” said Stanback coach Grant Gibson. “Mason came to wrestle. We’re really proud of him.”
The lead didn’t last long. At 85 pounds, Stanford’s Wyatt Hendrick scored a pin in 31 seconds and the Chargers took a 6-4 lead.
The Chargers’ Vincent Stevens earned a technical fall at 4:09 with a 15-0 win at 92 pounds.
“He’s a fiery wrestler,” said Stanford wrestling coach Aaron Carr. “He’s one of those guys who can get some momentum going. I’m really proud of him and the work he’s doing.”
Stanback’s Pierce Prescod sent the gym into hysteria with a pin at 100-pounds. Prescod led 8-3 going into the third period. Facing Stanford’s Aidan Cain, Prescod escaped from the bottom position and charged after him like a bull trying to maim a matador—twice. Prescod earned the pin at 4:02 to reduce Stanford’s lead to 11-10.
The Chargers responded with three straight wins. Jared Hutchins, who won the 2019 OPAC Championship at 83 pounds, quickly secured a single-lead takedown to put away his opponent in 1:59 at 108 pounds.
Stanford’s Josh Cowan defeated the Bulldogs’ Lee Oguntoyinbo 6-1. Cowan got a quick go-behind within seconds in the opening period and never trailed.
At 122, Stanford’s Luke Nevius pinned his opponent at 4:10 to build the Charger led to 26-10.
“That was clutch for us,” Carr said. “The guy he was wrestling was fighting hard. We didn’t have any momentum going at that point. If we don’t get a pin there, I don’t know if we can get our guys rolling like we should.”
Stanback’s Kaden Tatro pinned Stanford’s Andre Hill in 1:54, but after the Chargers’ Laurencio Grimaldo got a forfeit victory, Stanford had a 35-19 advantage.
Stanford’s Sasha Van Praag scored a pin at 1:16.
With the match getting out of reach, Stanback’s Marcos Esparza won the most back-and-forth match of the afternoon against Stanford’s Josh Merrill. In the second period, Merrill led 4-1 after a reversal, but Esparza got a reversal just before going out of the circle. Esparza scored an escape point to open the final period, then scored a double-leg takedown to take an 8-5 lead. He wound up winning 8-6.
“It’s never easy here,” Carr said. “
Stanford’s Vincent Joubert-Stanzel got a pin at 172 to officially put the math out of reach at 41-22.
Stanback’s Joe O’Meila earned the final Bulldog pin of the day, and the Chargers forfeited the final two matches.
“I’m proud of our guys,” Gibson said despite the loss. “I’m proud of how we fought all day.”