Kari Gibb/MDN MSU graduate student Brendan Barnes completes a takedown in overtime against Minnesota State University- Moorhead’s Jacob Thomas for the 4-1 win on Thursday, January 16, at the MSU Dome.

The Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) Dragons made the trip across the western border to take on the Minot State University (MSU) men’s grapplers in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) competition. Despite the effort of the Beavers to close ground after a slower start, the visiting Dragons held on for the 23-16 win.

In an exciting match, MSU’s Brendan Barnes kept attacking, and in overtime it paid off.

Barnes battled even with the Dragons’ Jacob Thomas in their 165-pound match, which went to overtime tied 1-1. In the extra session, Barnes aggressively shot for the takedown time and again, finally wrapping up Thomas 50 seconds in the extra session for a takedown and a 4-1 sudden-victory win.

The second win in a determined charge by the Beavers (3-3 duals, 0-3 NSIC), who trailing 18-0 started their comeback thanks to Ryan Hrcka who cruised to a 7-0 win by decision at 157 pounds over Jacob Reinardy.

Barnes’ overtime victory added to MSU’s momentum, and a 1-point team penalty against the Dragons (5-2, 1-2) for unsportsmanlike conduct, trimmed the dual difference to 17-6.

The Beavers comeback continued with a standout performance from freshman Gavin Turk at 174 pounds as he made his dual debut for Minot State scoring a 13-1 major decision win over Anthony Sykora.

Down 17-10 heading into the final two matches of the dual, the Beavers comeback came up short as Mason Gode scored a pinfall win at 184 for Minnesota State Moorhead to ice the dual win.

Just enough margin as MSU’s Cannon Potts finished off the Beavers’ determined comeback with a pinfall win of his own over the Dragons’ Isaiah Huus with 1 minute, 31 seconds left in his 197-pound match for the final 23-16 score.

MSU wrestled without No. 7-ranked Jake Swirple as the Beaver heavyweight is in Florida this weekend for the Podyum Bowl college football all-star game which kicks off at 8:45 a.m. (Minot time) this Sunday.

The Beavers also saw a close match slip away as Ethan Wonser led 3-1 headed into the third round of his 149-pound match with Cody Wienen, who used a last-second takedown to score a 6-3 win by decision.

The MSU men are back in action on the road this weekend as they wrestle in four duals on Saturday at the Southwest Minnesota State Dual Tournament.

The Beavers will open with an NSIC dual against the host Mustangs at noon, then compete head-to-head against Upper Iowa, Fort Hays State (Kansas) and Wisconsin-Eau Claire in non-conference duals.