Ephrata overpowered by Cashmere

EPHRATA — Cashmere won five of the first six matches on the night and defeated Ephrata 43-19 in CWAC league action.

The Bulldogs won 10 of 14 matches overall, including three victories by pin.

Jakob Torgeson got Ephrata's first win of the night with a come-from-behind victory in the 189 pound weight class.

Torgeson fell behind 4-0 after giving up at takedown and quick 2-point near fall with 45 seconds remaining in the first round. After escaping from Cashmere's Justin Davis near the end of the round, Torgeson trailed 4-1.

The Ephrata wrestler rallied with a takedown late in the second round to tie the score at five. In the final round, Davis chose the bottom position.

Torgeson worked the Cashmere wrestler into a near fall position and appeared on his way to a pin.

As Torgeson adjusted his grip, the referee stopped the match and penalized Torgeson for an illegal hold.

While the Cashmere wrestler escaped from his back, he now trailed in the match 8-6. Torgeson controlled Davis for the remainder of the bout, scoring a 3-point near fall as time expired for an 11-6 victory.

Jake Horn gave Ephrata its second win of the night with a second round pin in his 112 pound match. After controlling his opponent for much of the match, Horn was able to secure an arm bar and end the match with 23 seconds remaining in the period.

Horn's win closed the Cashmere lead to 22-9. From there, Cashmere went on to win four straight matches to secure the victory.

"Our young kids stepped up tonight," said Ephrata head coach Dave Laird. "They were outmanned, but they wrestled like crazy to save us team points. We can take a lot from that."

Zack Brissey sent Ephrata fans home on a high note with a pin in the 152 pound match. In the final match of the night, the Ephrata wrestler opened up a 2-0 first round lead. In the second round, Brissey executed a reversal, dumping the Cashmere wrestler on his back and pinning him 18 seconds into the period.

"He started slow, but then he came on strong," said Laird. "You know with Brissey that you'll get his best effort every night."

Ephrata's only other victory on the night came from 140 pound wrestler Dallas Hintz. In the first round, Hintz scored a takedown on an arm drag near the edge of the mat to jump to a 2-0 lead.

Hintz built the lead to 7-0 with a reversal and a 3-point near fall in the second round.

In the third period, Hintz dominated the action. The Cashmere wrestler was twice penalized for stalling on the bottom, giving Hintz a 9-0 victory.

At 215 pounds, Blake Jensen of Ephrata lost a 14-3 decision to senior Dan Worley. "He wrestled tough," said Laird of Jensen's effort. "He was giving up 20 pounds in the match."

Following Jensen, Ephrata's John Snider lost by pin late in the third round of the 275 pound weight class.

In other matches, Ryan Cross lost by fall at 160 pounds to open the dual meet. Travis Norberg followed at 171 with a 5-2 loss to put Ephrata down 9-0 early in the meet.

At 103 pounds, Mitchell Friend nearly scored a match tying near fall in the third round, but went on to drop a 6-2 decision to Cashmere's Austin Miller.

In the 119 pound weight class, Jordan Rang's late reversal was not enough to prevent a decision loss to his Cashmere opponent.

Quinton Hendrickson lost a 8-0 decision to Cashmere's Tanner Wood at 125 pounds. The Tigers' Tyson Hubbard followed Hendrickson by dropping a 10-2 decision in the 130 pound match.

Tony Louthan lost by first round pin at 135 pounds. Cashmere's Brandon Kilgore defeated Kevin Sieverkropp 6-2 at 145 pounds.