Seniors Lead Pin Parade

MOORHEAD, Minn. (2/5/19)---Concordia's three seniors were honored before the team's final home dual meet of the season against Dickinson State and then the three led the Cobber pin parade as No.20-ranked Concordia rolled over Dickinson State 45-4.

Ty Johnson, Travis Deegan and Nick Gravdahl all recorded pins in the final home meet of their careers. The trio of seniors were a part of five wins by pin on the night as Concordia moved its dual-meet record to 8-3 on the season.

Johnson, Deegan and Gravdahl were separated by five weight classes but the three came away with pins and the Cobbers had another pin and a decision in that stretch of matches which turned a tight 9-4 lead into a 36-4 blowout.

When the celebration was finally over on Senior Night, the Cobbers won nine of the ten individual bouts – eight in succession – and beat the Bluehawks for fourth consecutive time.

Concordia was staked to a 6-0 lead to start the match because Dickinson was unable to field a wrestler at 125. Sophomore Benjamin Bogart then gave the Cobbers a 9-0 lead when he claimed a 4-2 decision at 133. Bogart used the strength of takedowns in each of the first two periods to record his 22nd win of the season.

The Bluehawks got back into the match with a major decision victory at 141 but then Johnson started the streak of eight wins that slammed the door shut on Dickinson.

Johnson controlled his match at 149 from the start as he posted three takedowns in the first period alone. He was also content to let his opponent go after each takedown to try and score more points. Johnson finished off the bout in the second period when he slammed his opponent to the mat for his fourth takedown and then got him on his back and recorded the pin at the 4:38 mark.

The win was Johnson's team-leading 26th of the season. He is now 26-10 for the year and has 80 career wins in his four seasons in maroon and gold.

Freshman Adam Jaeger followed Johnson with a 7-0 decision at 157. He earned the win due to a pair of takedowns, two escapes and then riding time. The win was Jaeger's 19th of the season.

Deegan then stepped to the mat and wasn't about to be outdone by Johnson. He produced a 4-point near fall at the end of the first period to take a 9-2 lead and then finished the match at 3:58 of the second period. The win pushed Deegan into the 20-win club as he is now 20-8 on the year. He is three wins shy of his single-season career best total of 23 which came in 2017.

Concordia used the same story line after Deegan's pin as they did after the pin by Johnson by sending a freshman to the mat. Kaden Spindler added the third pin in four matches when he put his opponent's shoulders on the mat at the 5:36 mark of his bout at 174. For Spindler it was his 21st win of the year and he is now 21-9 in his first collegiate season.

Gravdahl entered the spotlight having the pressure of watching his two senior classmates come away with pins on Senior Night. Gravdahl stepped up and delivered like Tom Brady in the Super Bowl as he survived an early-match takedown and then put up two of his own before the start of the second period. Gravdahl wasted little time in the second period and recorded his pin at 3:40.      

Gravdahl is now 25-11 for the season. The 25 wins are a single season career high.

Jacob Arends was the final float in the Cobber pin parade. He broke open a 2-2 tie score in the second period with his pin at 4:47. Arends trailed 2-1 after the first but then chose the down position and earned the escape point before getting the pin. Arends is now 25-14 for the year.

Freshman Noah Carter ended Concordia's rout. He recorded a takedown in the second and third periods of his match at 285 and won 4-0. Carter heads into the region tournament with 13 wins in his first collegiate season.

UP NEXT: Concordia will have a two-week training period to get ready for the NCAA Regional Meet which will be held at Wis.-Eau Claire on Feb. 22-23.

Individual Match Results:
125 - Jake Nohre (CC) wins by forfeit (Concordia leads 6-0)
133 - Ben Bogart (CC) dec. Trey Fischbach (DS); 4-2 (Concordia leads 9-0)
141 - Jaime Mullins (DSU) maj. dec. Jacob Prunty (CC); 8-0 (Concordia leads 9-4)
149 - Ty Johnson (CC) pinned Matt Carlso (DSU); 4:38 (Concordia leads 15-4)
157 - Adam Jaeger (CC) dec. Konrich Speelmon (DSU); 7-0 (Concordia leads 18-4)
165 - Travis Deegan (CC) pinned Caden Haugen (DSU); 3:58 (Concordia leads 24-4)
174 - Kaden Spindler (CC) pinned Cody Warner (DSU); 5:36 (Concordia leads 30-4)
184 - Nick Gravdahl (CC) pinned Tavian Del Rosario (DSU); 3:40 (Concordia leads 36-4)
197 - Jake Arends (CC) pinned Kyle Anderson (DSU); 4:47 (Concordia leads 42-4)
285 - Noah Carter (CC) dec. Zach Myers (DSU; 4-0 (Concordia wins 45-4)