Kearney, Neb. – The top-ranked Nebraska-Kearney wrestling team went 1-2 this weekend at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals in Springfield, Ill., beating 9th-ranked Minnesota State and falling to 2nd-ranked Newberry College (S.C.) and 18th-ranked Wisconsin-Parkside.
The Lopers are now 3-2 on the young season. UNK was minus a couple of starters, including sixth-ranked
Daniel DeShazer (133 lbs.), due to minor injuries. Kearney hopes to be 100% healthy by later this month.
Against the
UWP Rangers in a first round match, UNK fell behind 6-0 but won four of the next five matches to take a 13-9 lead. This stretch included a 13-5 major decision by top-ranked
Raufeon Stots (Houston, Texas) at 149 lbs.
However, Parkside won the final three weights to secure the dual victory. Fourth-ranked James Malechek (285 lbs.) and seventh-ranked Matt Gille (184 lbs.) earned two of the Rangers wins, allowing just one combined point in the process.
The Lopers rebounded with a 20-15 victory over the
MSU Mavericks in a consolation dual. Again down 6-0, UNK reeled off four straight victories that included back-to-back majors by Stots and redshirt freshman
Chase White (Lincoln H.S.).
Senior
Chase Nelson (Wichita, Kans.) then slipped past fourth-ranked Cody Quinn, 9-7. Also pulling a mild upset was junior Marka Fiala (Seward) at 184 lbs. as he beat fifth-ranked Aaron Norgren, 5-3.
Newberry, which fell to seventh-ranked Notre Dame (Ohio) in a quarterfinal match, got out to a 10-0 lead over the Lopers as second-ranked B.J. Young beat true freshman
Andrew Riedy (Grand Island), 8-7, at 141 lbs.
White upset sixth-ranked Taylor Knapp, 10-3, to make it a 10-6 score but the Wolves won the next two matches to open up a 17-6 advantage. They went on to win 20-11 with the Lopers docked a team point.
Also on Saturday, UNK send nine individuals to Hastings for the annual Quality Inn Hotel Open. Seven Lopers placed in the top six with sophomore
Tyler Anderson (Clay Center, Kans.) winning the 149 lbs. class and junior
Shawn Meyer (285 lbs.) and redshirt freshman
Tanner Sturgeon (165 lbs.) each placing second
UNK is at MIAA rival Central Oklahoma on Thursday and then hosts a dual tournament Saturday at the Health & Sports Center.
