By Michael Smith
Matt Infranca, who was a four-time state champion when he wrestled for Oak Grove High School in the past, is trying to build a strong men’s wrestling program at Avila.
The university has had a wrestling program for six years and has had one All-American at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics level.
Infranca is trying to add more to that list as he is in his first year coaching the program as he’s coached multiple years at the club level and has been the head coach of the St. Michael The Archangel Catholic mens team since 2021. On Wednesday, he won his first dual as a college coach as the Eagles toppled Briar Cliff University 27-15 at the Mabee Center on the campus of Avila University.
Infranca improved his team’s dual record to 1-4 as it navigated a tough schedule early in the season. Facing teams like No. 7-ranked Central Methodist University and NCAA Division II teams like Central Missouri, Maryville and Drury.
“Yeah, it’s exciting,” said Infranca of his first win as a college coach and who is still the head mens wrestling coach for St. Michael The Archangel Catholic High School. “A win is a win. It’s not really about me, it’s about the kids, and I thought they competed hard and they wrestled the way we want them to wrestle. You know, we’re seeing guys making progress, and that’s the most satisfying thing.”
The Eagles have multiple wrestlers from local high schools including Fort Osage graduates Tony Martinez and Isaac Ward.
Ward (197 pounds), a three-time state medalist and former state champion in high school, made his college wrestling debut with Avila as he was medically cleared to compete after recovering from a meniscus injury he suffered during the Missouri State High School Wrestling Championships in February during his senior season at Fort Osage.
Ward, whose sisters wrestle for the women’s team, bumped up a weight class and fared well and defeated Briar Cliff’s Graison Kelley 10-4.
“I mean, it was good,” Ward said of his college debut. “I’m definitely still out of shape because I was out for a bit, but I think I’ll get there again.
“I think I’m pretty strong. There’s a couple things that I need to work on and want to just get better at.”
Infranca said Ward is a welcome addition to the lineup.
“He wrestled up a weight and he was solid,” Infranca said of Ward. “We’re bringing him back slowly. He will probably wrestle at 174 or 184.”
Martinez (133) had a defensive battle with Dariuz Black. After trailing 1-0, he won a scramble in the third period to get a takedown, leading to a 3-1 victory.
“I definitely got gritty there at the end,” Martinez said. “I wish I would have got more attacks off and finished more attacks and got up from bottom, but it’s all right. We still have a long season ahead until March, so we still have a lot of work on a lot of improvements.”
Liberty North grad Dru Thomas (157), a redshirt freshman at Avila, had a tight match early with Grant Maas but used a trio of single-leg takedowns and a two-point near fall to earn a 15-6 major decision.
Grain Valley grad Gavin Barker (285) won by forfeit.
Other wins for Avila included:
141: Redshirt junior Adrian Martinez, who is from Fresno, Calif., overcame a 4-3 deficit to outscore Brayden Kreikemeier 12-2 the rest of the way as he used a takedown and a 4-point near fall to close out a 21-6 tech fall win.
184: Freshman Nicholas Oji from Cypress, Texas notched a pair of takedowns in an 8-1 victory against Ethan Gregg.
Staley graduate Parker Levernight, a sophomore at Briar Cliff, won his match against Avila’s Aaron Gomez, 9-5.
Avila University.