SAU drops season opener to Central Methodist

SAU drops season opener to Central Methodist

Three wins, highlighted by Jayden Terronez's fall in 2:26, weren't enough as St. Ambrose dropped its season opener at Central Methodist 31-12 Monday night.

Central Methodist, a program that finished 14th at last year's NAIA Championships and sent three nationally-ranked wrestlers to the mat to open the 2023-24 campaign, opened the dual with a win via fall at 125 pounds and by major decision at 133 pounds to build a 10-0 lead.

A pair of Bee freshmen got St. Ambrose on the board. Guiseppe Guerra won 8-3 at 141 pounds and Reese Finch outlasted his opponent at 149 pounds 3-2 to get SAU six team points.

Terronez, the 15th-ranked wrestler at 174 pounds, got the other St. Ambrose win, needing just 2:26 to pin his opponent.

But the Eagles ultimately won seven matches. SAU heavyweight Kole Kreinbring fell 8-5 in sudden victory. Dylan Meiners lost 6-2 at 184 pounds and Riley Woods dropped a 7-3 decision at 157 pounds in other competitive matches.

Isaac Martinez won by fall in 2:38 at 133 pounds and Tyler Casey earned a 4-1 sudden-victory decision at 197 pounds in a pair of exhibition matches.

The Bees will visit Northern Illinois Friday before competing in the Luther Hill Invitational in Indianola, Iowa, Saturday.