Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney wrestling team had five placers at the annual Dakota Wesleyan Open Saturday in Mitchell, S.D.

The 2nd-ranked Loper varsity was in action Thursday with at dual at Division I Nebraska. UNK had 16 entries at DWU with 12 winning at least two matches.

Cracking the top five in their weight class were North Carolina juniors Jacobi Deal (2nd/174 lbs.) and Jacari Deal (5th/184 lbs.), Bassett redshirt sophomore Jud Kuchera (4th/197 lbs.), Colorado freshman Jake Boley (5th/285 lbs.) and Kansas freshman Hector Serratos (4th/125 lbs.).

Transfers from Northwest Kansas Tech, the Deal brothers combined for seven wins in their Loper debuts. Jacobi came in second thanks to an overtime quarterfinal win over Nick Lucas of Fort Hays, 3-2, and a 5-4 decision against St. Cloud State's Shaeden Schedit in the semis. A class higher, Jacari had a first period fall and then racked up 23 points in winning his next two matches by decision.

A Kearney High grad, Kuchera had a 16-0 tech fall to start the day and then reeled off three straight wins. He won those by a combined 12-5 score. Next, Boley went 5-2 with four of his wins coming in a row. His day included three tech falls and a first period fall. Both of his losses came to nationally-ranked AJ Cooper of Fort Hays. Finally among the placers, Serratos reached the 125 pound semis thanks to a tech fall and two 6-3 decisions. He rebounded from a loss to St. Cloud's Robby Horsman by besting Tom VanValkenburg of Hays, 9-5, before forfeiting the third place match.

Winning three times were Colorado freshman Tyler Collins (157 lbs.), Idaho freshman Kyle Richardson (149 lbs.) and Garrison freshman Dylan Vodicka (184 lbs.), 

UNK hosts the annual Younes Hospitality Open next Saturday at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds.