Machado, Terronez see run at Nationals come to a close
St. Ambrose saw its two wrestlers each win at least one match at the NAIA Men's Wrestling Championships in Park City, Kan.
Diego Machado and Jayden Terronez, each making a return trip to Nationals, represented SAU well.
Machado, back for a second straight season, won a pair of matches at the 2025 Championships. The senior from Sparks, Nev., got a big win in the first round of the 157-pound bracket Thursday, earning a 10-4 decision over No. 14 Justin Windauer of Montana State-Northern. Machado was bounced to the consolation side after an 11-3 loss to No. 3 David Rubio of Corban.
Thursday night, Machado trailed 1-0 entering the final period against Ezavian Ortega of Friends. Machado was able to tie the score with an early escape, and then midway through the third, got a takedown and held on for a 4-2 win.
The victory advanced Machado into Friday's action. But there, his season came to an end with an 8-4 loss to No. 5 Elliott Rodgers of Marian. The Bee led 4-3 midway through the second period before an escape and a takedown late in the second turned the tide.
Terronez, a three-time National qualifier, lost his first-round match at 165 pounds to No. 7 Matt Jenkins of Reinhardt. He was able to keep his season alive with a 14-10 decision over Saint Mary's Michael Ager.
Terronez, a senior from Moline, Ill., who also competed at Nationals in 2022 and 2023, saw his run come to a close at the hands of a familiar face. Battling William Penn's Cameron Hargrove, the No. 8-ranked wrestler in the bracket, for the fourth time this season, Terronez came up short 11-2. A pair of four-point nearfalls, one in each of the second and third periods, proved to be the difference Thursday night.