West coast report: Disney helps Cal Poly beat Wyoming

Wyoming 165-pounder Shane Onufer, ranked No. 6 in the nation by InterMat, improved to 18-0 on the year with a 5-4 decision over Mustang Ryan DesRoches, tying the dual meet at 12-12.

But unranked Cal Poly won two of the final three bouts to earn the team victory, improving to 5-0 in dual meets this season. Wyoming, ranked No. 25 by InterMat, fell to 4-4. The Cal Poly wrestling team,presented by Meathead Movers is 4-0 in its all-time series against the Cowboys.

Steven Vasquez (pictured above) edged Patrick Martinez 3-2 at 174 and, after Wyoming took a 16-15 lead with No. 6 Joe LeBlanc’s 14-4 major decision over Kelan Bragg at 184, Mustang 197-pounder Ryan Smith clinched the dual meet with a 10-8 decision over L.J. Helbig.

After a scoreless first period, Vasquez scored a key takedown in the second period and an escape in the final period for the 3-2 win. Three takedowns in the first two periods gave Smith a 7-6 lead and he secured the win with two escapes and riding time for the 10-8 triumph.

Smith had beaten Helbig 9-2 in the Reno Tournament of Champions a month ago.

The feature match was at 165 with DesRoches ranked No. 17 by InterMat and Onufer ranked No. 6. DesRoches was trying to avenge a 10-2 major decision loss to Onufer in the 165-pound championship match at Reno and led 4-3 in Friday’s dual before surrendering a late takedown to Onufer in the final period.

Disney raced to a 14-4 lead in the first period with a pair of takedowns and seven near-fall points before settling for a 16-7 major decision over Matthew McLaughlin at 285.

Novachkov, ranked No. 4 by InterMat, scored five takedowns and a reversal en route to a 14-5 major decision over Chase Smith at 141. The junior is now 18-1 on the year.

Abel sprinted to a 13-1 lead with two takedowns and a trio of three-point near falls in the first period of his match against Jimmy Belleville and was working for another three-point near fall for a technical fall. Instead, the senior transfer from UC Davis gave up a reversal but went on to earn a 16-8 major decision.

Another feature match was at 133 with No. 10-ranked Filip Novachkov of Cal Poly getting upset by No. 20 Tyler Cox 6-5. Cox scored a takedown in the third period for a 6-3 lead. Novachkov reversed positions with five seconds remaining, but couldn’t secure any near-fall points in the closing seconds.

In other matches, No. 13-ranked Michael Martinez of Wyoming was a 7-3 winner over Brandan Rocha at 125 while Cowboy 149-pounder Cole Dallaserra was a 16-5 major decision winner over Stephen Thalin.

The two teams split the 10 bouts at five apiece. Wyoming had won the Reno Tournament of Champions while Cal Poly placed ninth.

Cal Poly visits Oregon State next Friday and Boise State next Sunday for Pac-10 Conference dual meets.

Results:
285 — Atticus Disney (CP) maj. dec. Matthew McLaughlin (W) 16-7
125 — Michael Martinez (W) dec. Brandan Rocha (CP) 7-3
133 — Tyler Cox (W) dec. Filip Novachkov (CP) 6-5
141 — Boris Novachkov (CP) maj. dec. Chase Smith (W) 14-5
149 — Cole Dallaserra (W) dec. Stephen Thalin (CP) 5-1
157 — Barrett Abel (CP) maj. dec. Jimmy Belleville (W) 16-8
165 — Shane Onufer (W) dec. Ryan DesRoches (CP) 5-4
174 — Steven Vasquez (CP) dec. Patrick Martinez (W) 3-2
184 — Joe LeBlanc (W) maj. dec. Kelan Bragg (CP) 14-4
197 — Ryan Smith (CP) dec. L.J. Helbig (W) 10-8