Kearney, Neb. – The 3rd-ranked Nebraska-Kearney wrestling team went 2-1 on the opening day of the 2016 NWCA Cliff Keen National Duals in Fort Wayne, Ind.
The Lopers beat 12th-ranked Tiffin (Ohio), 26-19, and Minnesota State-Mankato, 27-9, while falling to seventh-ranked Pittsburgh-Johnstown, 37-7. UNK is now 5-1 on the young season.
On Saturday at 8:00 a.m. Central, Kearney faces 9th-ranked Lake Erie College (Ohio). UNK needs two wins to finish in fifth place. Fans can follow the action, and see the entire D2 bracket, at
www.trackwrestling.com.
To start the tournament, UNK got four bonus point wins to slay the Tiffin Dragons. Top-ranked
Romero Cotton (Hutchinson, Kans.) had the signature victory as he pinned fifth-ranked Jake Cramer at 2:13. The two-time defending 197 lbs. national champ ended the day 3-0 as he also pinned Mankato's Darick Vancura in the first period.
Also against Tiffin, senior
Devin Aguirre (Ponca City, Okla.) raced to an 8-2 lead at 165 pounds before winning by medical forfeit. A 2015 All-American, this was just Aguirre's second match of the season.
Next, UNK suffered several closes losses in a second round setback to the Mountain Cats. Seventh-ranked
Connor Bolling (Central City) lost in sudden victory to eighth-ranked Evan Link, 7-5, at 125 lbs. The match was tied at four through one period with Link recording a takedown in OT to win.
For just the fourth time in his career, DeShazer (Wichita, Kans.) lost to a Division II wrestler. Nick Roberts tied things at two due to riding time and then escaped to win in the second tie-breaking period, 4-3.
Later, redshirt freshman
Luke Petersen (Susanville, Calif.) was on the verge of upsetting third-ranked D.J. Simms at heavyweight. However, Simms erased a 3-0 third period deficit with two takedowns and then recorded at fall at the buzzer.
Against the MSU Mavericks, UNK got out to a 15-4 lead as DeShazer had a fall late in the third period and Surber had a second period fall. Finally, newcomer
Calvin Ochs (Hoxie, Kans.) won his second match of the day at 174 lbs., a 5-4 decision over Adam Cooling.
