McPeek, Kelly Lead Grizzlies at Bob Smith Open

Chris Day
ASC Sports Information

Junior Luke McPeek finished second while sophomore Daniel Kelly, competing unattached, took fourth to lead the Adams State College wrestling squad in the Bob Smith Open, their third and final scheduled open tournament of the season, Saturday here in Fort Hays State University’s Gross Memorial Coliseum.
McPeek, tabbed fourth in the NCAA Division II National Wrestling Coaches Association’s Preseason Rankings, went 4-1 at 197 pounds advancing to the finals only to fall to top-ranked and defending NCAA Division II National Champion Donovan McMahill of Western State, 11-5.  McPeek, a 2009 All-American while at New Mexico Highlands, is now 8-2 on the season with both losses coming to McMahill.
Meanwhile, Kelly led a group of four Grizzlies who competed unattached with a 4-2 mark at 157 pounds.
McPeek, who had taken third at the Wyoming Cowboy Open last month, was the third seed and started his day with a pair of major decision victories over Samuel Mangum, an unattached wrestler from Western State, and Nebraska-Kearney’s Christian Flavin.  After receiving a medical forfeit win to advance to the semifinals, he then claimed a 7-4 decision over Labette (Kan.) Community College’s Walker Clarke, the second seed.
Kelly, who is now 9-6 on the year, was competing up a weight class and was unseeded.  He bested Nebraska-Kearney’s Riley Allen by a 7-5 margin in the round of 32 and then claimed a 4-3 victory over Air Force’s Darren Stowe, the fifth seed to reach the quarterfinals.  Kelly then defeated New Mexico Highlands’ Trey Saxon by fall in the quarterfinals before falling to the consolation bracket with a 6-2 loss to top-seeded Stephen Swan, competing unattached yet out of NCAA Division I powerhouse Oklahoma State.
In the consolation semifinals, Kelly squeaked out a 6-5 victory over Western State’s Justin Morris in the first tiebreaker period.  Morris was the third seed.
Kelly was then pinned in the third place match.
The eight men that were competing for the Grizzlies posted a combined 16 wins as 133-pound redshirt freshman Corey Johnson went 3-2 raising his season record to 6-4.  Meanwhile, sophomore heavyweight Taylor Stam went 4-2.  157-pound redshirt freshman Justin Samora also posted a 2-2 record while Jerry Huff  representing the Grizzlies for the first time, Dominic Madril and Mark Mabry, Jr. all finished with 1-2 marks.
University of Indiana transfer Max Ortega led the rest of the unattached Grizzlies with a 3-2 record.  He reached the semifinals at 149 pounds.