Titans Stun Nationally Ranked Warhawks

Jason LaPlante (Jr. • New Berlin) won the 10th and decisive bout as the UW-Oshkosh wrestling team opened its 2010-11 season with a 24-21 upset of nationally ranked UW-Whitewater on Wednesday (Nov. 10) in Kolf Sports Center.

LaPlante gave UW-Oshkosh (1-0/1-0 WIAC) the victory by edging James Zarate, 5-4 in double overtime, at 285 pounds. Zarate entered the bout ranked ninth in the NCAA Division III by the National Wrestling Coaches Association.

UW-Whitewater (0-1/0-1 WIAC), ranked 21st in the listing of NCAA Division III teams, created a 21-21 tie when Adam Latella pinned UW-Oshkosh's Alec Hakes (Jr. • Menomonee Falls) in 50 seconds at 197 pounds.

UW-Oshkosh, which snapped a seven-match losing streak to the Warhawks, scored the first 15 points of the match. The Titans' Zachary Mueller (Jr. • Jackson) pinned Jedd Wilson in 2:39 at 125 pounds before Kyle Kleuskens (Sr. • Freedom) stuck Matt Oliva to the mat in 4:50 at 133. UW-Oshkosh then received an 8-5 win from Kaleb Stephens (So. • Barron) over Brian Lewis at 141 pounds.

UW-Whitewater took the next two bouts as Adam Spatchek pinned Jose Quintana (Jr. • Burnsville, Minn.) in 6:11 at 149 pounds while Cade Sarbacker defeated Trevor Dyreson (Jr. • Deerfield), 9-4, at 157.

UW-Oshkosh extended its lead to 18-9 on Aaron Konitzer's (Jr. • Abram) 5-2 triumph over Adam Zeh at 165 pounds. The teams exchanged wins during the next two bouts as UW-Whitewater's Cheston Kesselhon pinned Aaron Geiger (Jr. • Mishicot) in 3:23 at 174 pounds and UW-Oshkosh's Sam Engelland (Jr. • Neenah) topped Reid Dickerson, 9-5, at 184.

UW-Oshkosh battles Loras College (Iowa), University of Dubuque (Iowa) and Wheaton College (Ill.) in dual meets on Saturday (Nov. 13) in Dubuque, Iowa.