Jaxon Smith Finishes In Second Place At Cliff Keen Invitational

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Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational

Jaxon Smith takes down Tanner Sloan of South Dakota State

Jaxon Smith Finishes In Second Place At Cliff Keen Invitational

12/2/2023 9:05:00 PM | Wrestling

Las Vegas, NV – Jaxon Smith took home second place in the illustrious Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, widely regarded as the most competitive regular season tournament.

Smith started Day Two in the semifinals where he put on an impressive showing in knocking off top-seeded and third-ranked Tanner Sloan of South Dakota State. Smith got the match's scoring started with a super duck takedown. In the second period, he converted an impressive feet-to-back mat return that resulted in four near-fall points and gave him a commanding 7-1 lead that he never surrendered, taking the match by way of an 8-2 decision. Sloan is a four-time ANCAA qualifier and was the 2022-23 NCAA runner-up at 197 pounds.

That propelled him into the championship match where he faced NC State's second-seeded and fifth-ranked Trent Hidlay. Smith battled hard, but a Hidlay takedown was the difference, as Smith fell 5-2.

Full Team Results

(133) King Sandoval

RD 32: No. 10 Julian Cheblove (Arizona State) TF (16-1) Sandoval
Consi 16 #1: Dustin Norris (Purdue) dec. (9-3) Sandoval

(149) No. 11 Ethen Miller

RD 32: Miller dec. (5-1) Michael Zarif (Binghamton)
RD 16: No. 12 Quinn Kinner (Rider) SV fall (7:53) Miller
Consi 16 #2: Derek Raike (Ohio) TF (16-1) Miller

(165) Gaven Bell

RD 32: No. 7 Julian Ramirez (Cornell) fall (2:04) Bell
Consi 32: Guillermo Escobedo (Cal State Bakersfield) MD (11-2) Bell

(184) Chase Mielnik

RD 32: No. 20 Dylan Fishback (NC State) TF (18-3) Mielnik
Consi 16 #1: Quayin Short SV (Wyoming) dec. (7-4) Mielnik

(197) No. 9 Jaxon Smith

RD 32: Smith dec. (7-1) Ben Vanadia (Purdue)
RD 16: Smith dec. (4-3) No. 23 Wyatt Voelker (Northern Iowa)
Quarters: Smith advances by MFF over No. 9 Luke Surber
Semis: Smith dec. (8-2) No. 3 Tanner Sloan (SDSU)
Finals: Trent Hidlay (NCST) dec. (5-2) Smith

(285) No. 19 Seth Nevills

RD 32: Nolan Neves (Columbia) dec. (6-3) Nevills
Consi 16 #1: Nevills dec. (2-0) Kevin Zimmer (Wyoming)
Consi 16 #2: Nevills fall (6:34) Antonio Ramos (Air Force)
Consi 8 #1: No. 22 Boone McDermott (Oregon State) fall (2:38) Nevills

Up Next

The Terps will participate in their final competition of the 2023 year when they travel to Baltimore, MD to face Morgan State on Sunday, Dec. 10 at 3 pm. The Bears are returning to the wrestling mat after a 24-year hiatus and are the only HBCU to offer wrestling at the NCAA Division I Varsity Level.