Storm fall to Williams, Wartburg in home-opener

INDIANOLA, Iowa – The Simpson wrestling team opened the home dual schedule with a pair of losses on Friday night, falling to Williams 30-12 and No. 1 Wartburg 51-0.

Brett Roberts recorded the team's only pin of the night against the Ephs, but the Storm (0-3) couldn't come out on the right side of enough close matches. Simpson lost three decisions by two points or less.

"We missed some opportunities tonight," first-year head coach Nate Hansen said. "We didn't wrestle our best and we need to learn from this experience. We hope to turn some of those matches around tomorrow."

Hansen and the Storm host 12 teams and more than 200 wrestlers at the Simpson Invitational on Saturday beginning at 9 a.m.

Roberts closed the Williams dual on a high note by pinning John Berry in 4:17 at 174 pounds. Jared Bevins earned a 7-1 decision over Dan Kurnick at 197 and Greg Harlow beat Scott Sanderson 8-4 at 165 for Simpson's other wins.

Both Jeff Sand at 141 and Cory Stratton at 157 found themselves in tight matches that couldn't be decided in regulation.

Battling the No. 4 wrestler in the nation in Ces Antista, Sand battled back from a 3-0 deficit in the third period to force extra time. Neither wrestler could muster a point in the first overtime period, extending the match to a tiebreaker two where Antista came up with an escape for the win.

Stratton battled Tim Garripoli to a 1-1 tie after eight minutes, forcing the second tiebreaker two of the night. Again, Williams scraped by as Garripoli scored a 3-1 win.

The Storm couldn't get a win against the top-rated Knights in their second dual of the evening. Their best chance came at 157 when Stratton battled Nick Michael to a 4-3 decision.