Titans Split Four Matches In Ohio
UW-Oshkosh defeated two Pennsylvania teams while losing close decisions to nationally ranked University of Mount Union (Ohio) and Olivet College (Mich.) at the Kalahari Wrestling Duals held Saturday (Dec. 15) in Sandusky, Ohio.
UW-Oshkosh (4-3) won nine of 10 bouts to oust Keystone College (Pa.), 54-3, in the opener before suffering setbacks of 20-18 to the University of Mount Union and 23-16 to Olivet College. The Titans earned a split in their four matches by defeating Waynesburg University (Pa.), 32-15, in the finale.
University of Mount Union (8-0) and Olivet College (6-1) entered the duals ranked sixth and 17th, respectively, in the NCAA Division III by the National Wrestling Coaches Association.
UW-Oshkosh received four forfeits during its opening win over Keystone College – AJ Schoenfuss at 125 pounds, Zach McDowell at 133, Mike Baumann at 157 and Colten Cashmore at 184.
The Titans also benefited from pins by Wesam Alabed over Colby Bronzburg in 2:22 at 141 pounds, Mark Choinski over Alec Talanca in 2:14 at 165, Patrick Reilly over Nick DiTammaso in 36 seconds at 174, Ben Kitslaar over John Hooper in 46 seconds at 197 and Jordan Lemcke over Nick Hannon in 2:41 at 285. Reilly's pin was the fourth-fastest by a UW-Oshkosh wrestler this season.
Keystone College (4-11) cut its deficit against UW-Oshkosh to 18-3 on Jason Jones' 11-7 victory over Corey Knudsen at 149 pounds.
Against the University of Mount Union, UW-Oshkosh won two of the first three bouts to take a 7-5 lead. The Purple Raiders then won four of the next six bouts to build a 20-11 advantage with two bouts to go. UW-Oshkosh won the final bouts to create the contest's final score.
Winning bouts for the Titans were Schoenfuss at 125 pounds, Wesam Alabed at 141, Choinski at 165, Beau Yineman at 197 and Lemcke at 285.
Schoenfuss defeated Nolan Wochna, 14-5, while Alabed edged David Massey, 4-3, and Choinski ousted Michael McIntire, 12-3. Yineman won 18-6 over Tyler Stepic while Lemcke won 4-1 over Nick Corvo.
The University of Mount Union took the lead for good at 8-7 over UW-Oshkosh on Luke Hernandez's 11-4 victory over Shane Dziadosz at 149 pounds.
The Purple Raiders won two bouts by technical falls as Jordin James defeated McDowell, 17-1, at 133 pounds while Antwon Pugh shut out Dellas Vandenberg, 17-0, at 157.
The University of Mount Union also had Conner Homan at 174 pounds and Jairod James at 184 post wins of 11-7 over Bryce Herlache and 11-3 over Cashmore, respectively.
UW-Oshkosh and Olivet College won five bouts apiece, but it was a victory in the 10th and final bout that would secure the Comets' win over the Titans.
UW-Oshkosh trailed Olivet College, 20-8, and pulled within 20-16 as Cashmore edged Clayton Higelmire, 4-2, at 184 pounds and Yineman defeated Jacob Harvey, 19-4, at 197. The Comets ended UW-Oshkosh's upset bid during the contest's final bout as Dominick Wilson won a 2-1 decision over Lemcke at 285 pounds.
The Titans opened the match with a 6-2 lead as Schoenfuss and Wesam Alabed posted wins of 5-4 over Cameron Mahlich at 125 pounds and 14-8 over Andrew Castaneda at 141 pounds, respectively.
Following consecutive Olivet College wins, Choinski sliced UW-Oshkosh's deficit to the Comets to 14-9 with his 7-3 victory over Tyler Grimsley at 165 pounds.
Other winners for Olivet College were Reese Wallis at 133 pounds, Drew Mandell at 149, Cole Hersch at 157 and Haydn Kinjorski at 174.
Wallis defeated Matt Joyce, 7-5, while Mandell pinned Dziadosz and Hersch pinned Vandenberg in 1:16 and 3:28, respectively. Kinjorski won a disqualification over Husam Alabed.
Both squads had one point reduced from its overall team score – Olivet College following Wesam Alabed's win at 141 pounds (unsportsmanlike conduct) and UW-Oshkosh after Kinjorski's victory at 174 pounds (flagrant conduct).
In its finale against Waynesburg University (5-7), UW-Oshkosh owned seven of the 10 winning wrestlers.
The Titans recorded a pair of pins as Schoenfuss stuck Dylan Williams to the mat in 1:27 at 125 pounds while Cashmore glued Mike Mahon to the surface in 2:30 at 184.
UW-Oshkosh had two wrestlers win via a technical fall as Wesam Alabed defeated Josh Kuslock, 19-2, at 141 pounds and Knudsen ousted Jaeden Gordon, 18-3, at 149.
The Titans' remaining winners were Joyce at 133 pounds, Stengel at 165 and Yineman at 197. Joyce won 9-4 over Tyler Williams while Stengel won 9-0 over Matthew Claxton and Yineman 9-7 over Ken Burrs.
The Yellow Jackets scored the bulk of their team points on the pins by Zach Mackall at 157 pounds and Jake Evans at 285. Mackall pinned Dziadosz in 2:21 while Evans, the top-ranked 285-pound wrestler in the NCAA Division III, pinned Kitslaar in 1:28.
Waynesburg University's Dan Verhovsek won his 174-pound bout with Reilly by a 7-4 score.
UW-Oshkosh is off until it competes at the University of Dubuque (Iowa) duals on Jan. 5.