Cashmore, Blanchard Lead Titans At Kalahari Duals
Colten Cashmore won all four of his 197-pound contests as the UW-Oshkosh wrestling team compiled a 1-3 record at the Kalahari Duals held Saturday (Dec. 14) in Sandusky, Ohio.
UW-Oshkosh (2-6) marked its lone victory with a 31-12 decision over Heidelberg University (Ohio).
The Titans suffered their three defeats, all to nationally ranked opponents, by scores of 22-21 to Olivet College (Mich.), 29-6 to University of Mount Union (Ohio) and 23-18 to Baldwin Wallace University (Ohio).
University of Mount Union (4-0) entered the tournament ranked sixth in the NCAA Division III by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) while Baldwin Wallace University (5-1) listed seventh and Olivet College (5-1) 25th.
Cashmore improved his season record to 17-8 (2 pins) by pinning Heidelberg University's Austin Smith in 3:41 and winning results of 3-2 over Olivet College's Trevor Piggott, 4-0 over University of Mount Union's Landon Talbert and 3-1 over Baldwin Wallace University's Zackary Lehman. Lehman was a seventh-place finisher in the 197-pound weight class at last year's NCAA Division III Championship.
UW-Oshkosh's Jordan Blanchard pinned three opponents en route to a 3-1 record at 174 pounds. He now owns a 16-6 season record (13 pins) after registering pins in 2:25 over Olivet College's Adam Hall, 20 seconds over Heidelberg University's Jeremiah Slagle and 1:31 over Baldwin Wallace University's Joseph Koplow. Blanchard's lone setback was an 11-10 loss to University of Mount Union's Conner Homan.
UW-Oshkosh opened the tournament with its one-point loss to Olivet College. The Comets trailed 12-0 and 21-19 before ending the match on Owen Miller's 3-1 sudden-victory over UW-Oshkosh's Jordan Lemcke at 285 pounds.
In addition to the pins from Blanchard at 174 pounds and Cashmore at 197, UW-Oshkosh received wins against Olivet College from Denis Murphy at 125 pounds, AJ Schoenfuss at 133 and Eli Mondrella at 141. Mondrella pinned Andrew Castaneda in 2:43 while Murphy defeated Garret Cleveland, 8-2, and Schoenfuss ousted Cameron Mahlich, 7-0.
UW-Oshkosh fell behind 26-0 to the University of Mount Union in its second match of the day. The Purple Raiders won the first seven bouts before UW-Oshkosh's Bryce Herlache defeated George Lassnick, 7-3, at 184 pounds. The Titans earned their remaining points on Cashmore's victory.
UW-Oshkosh won its third match by 19 points over Heidelberg University. The Titans led 10-3 as Murphy at 125 pounds, Mondrella at 133 and Brandon Lenczner posted wins during the contest's first four bouts. Murphy defeated Harrison Hadley, 8-0, while Mondrella ousted Jake Justice, 13-7. Lenczner was a 4-2 winner over Slade Todd.
The Titans' remaining victories against the Berg came from Blanchard at 174 pounds, Cashmore at 197, Lemcke at 285 and Muzi Sitshela at 165. Lemcke pinned Eric Adkins in 6:42 while Sitshela defeated Devin Miller, 3-1.
UW-Oshkosh won the final four bouts of its fourth and final match, a five-point loss to Baldwin Wallace University.
The Yellow Jackets scored the first 23 points of the contest before Blanchard pinned Koplow at 174 pounds. Herlache then defeated Lucas Salmon, 5-3, at 184 pounds before Cashmore edged Lehman by two points at 197. Lemcke closed the match with his pin of Parker Meaney in 4:26 at 285 pounds.
UW-Oshkosh is off until it competes at the NWCA National Duals on Jan. 10-11 in Louisville, Ky.