GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The San Francisco State wrestling team continued its winning ways on Sunday with a 27-9 triumph over Mesa State College in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference dual meet at Brownson Arena in Grand Junction, Colo. The Gators captured seven of 10 bouts on the day to raise their record to 8-5 on the season and 3-1 in RMAC action, while the Mavericks drop to 4-7-1 and 3-5-1 in the league standings.

 

SF State has now won seven of its last eight matches and has reached its highest victory total in regular-season dual meet competition since the 1997-98 squad posted a 10-10 mark.

 

MSC took an early 6-0 lead with wins in the first two bouts after the match started at the 174-pound weight class. However, the Gators got on the board when Vincent Bordi (Manteca, California, Manteca)notched a 16-12 decision over Luke Laurita at 197 to trim the deficit to 6-3. Then in the heavyweight class, Steve Franklin (Middletown, California, Middletown, Santa Rosa) recorded his team-leading 23^rd victory of the season with a pin of Dwayne Bacon in 3:18, putting SF State ahead to stay at 9-6.

 

The ensuing four bouts were closely contested affairs, but the Gators prevailed in each one to distance themselves from the Mavericks on the scoreboard. Pierre Bondoc (Modesto, California, Beyer) outlasted Miguel Balthazar by a 12-10 score at 125, while Naveed Bagheri (Los Gatos, California, Los Gatos, West Valley Junior College) posted his 19^th win of the year by edging Rhett Breed, 11-10, in a tight battle at 133. Ben Lockett (San Francisco, California, George Washington) kept the momentum going by registering a narrow 11-10 decision over Jason Wenger at 141, while Joaquin Carlos (San Jose, California, Archbishop Mitty, Cal State Fullerton) came away with a 12-9 victory over Chris Holzworth at 149 to give SF State a hard-fought, but safe 21-6 lead.

 

MSC ended the Gators' string as third-ranked Chase Walker upended Markham Bertron (San Jose, California, Oak Grove, West Valley Junior College) by an 8-1 count at 157, but by then the outcome had been decided. SF State received an additional six points when Zach Sesar received a forfeit at 165 to account for the final score.

 

The Gators will be back in action on Thursday, Feb. 12, when they face Menlo College in their home finale beginning at 6 p.m.

 

174 – Kyle Brightman (MSC) dec. Lucas Duckwall (SF State), 9-5

184 – Andy Laiminger (MSC) dec. Marques Gales (SF State), 9-3

197 – Vincent Bordi (SF State) dec. Luke Laurita (MSC), 16-12

285 – Steve Franklin (SF State) pinned Dwayne Bacon (MSC), 3:18

125 – Pierre Bondoc (SF State) dec. Miguel Baltazar (MSC), 12-10

133 – Naveed Bagheri (SF State) dec. Rhett Breed (MSC), 11-10

141 – Ben Lockett (SF State) dec. Jason Wenger (MSC), 12-11

149 – Joaquin Carlos (SF State) dec. Chris Holzworth (MSC), 12-9

157 – #3 Chase Walker (MSC) dec. Markham Bertron (SF State), 8-1

165 – Zach Sesar (SF State) received forfeit