The Peacock wrestling team held leads of 9-3 and 12-9 in today's regular season finale at #1 St. Cloud State, but the #3 team in the country couldn't hold on suffering three losses in a row as the Huskies earned a 19-12 victory. With the loss, UIU falls to 10-2 on the year and 6-1 in the NSIC. Both losses have come to St. Cloud State, who claimed six of the ten matches this afternoon and had the only bonus point win on the day.
The dual began at 197 pounds and
Carl Broghammer (#4 NCAA) won a tightly contested match by a 1-0 decision thanks to an escape in the second period.
The heavyweight match up lived up to its potential as the nation's #1 Jake Kahnke stood against UIU's Zach Rosol (#5 NCAA). An escape by Kahnke in the second period and a ride time point gave the Husky wrestler the 2-0 decision and tied the match at 3-3.
Kyle Pedretti (#2 NCAA) and Trevor Franklin (#1 NCAA) won close decisions at 125 and 133, respectively, to give the Peacocks their largest lead of the day, 9-3. Pedretti posted a 3-2 win over Dylan Wright (#7 NCAA) and Franklin earned a 3-1 decision over Andrew Pokorny (#4 NCAA).
The Huskies fired back with wins at 141 (9-6) over
Duane Richardson and at 149 (5-2) as Jacob Horn (#3 NCAA at 157) took down
Jordan Rinken to reset the match through six matches, 9-9.
Winston Robbins claimed the final victory of the afternoon for UIU and just missed on a major decision. Robbins held a 7-0 lead and had the ride time point in the bag, but a late reversal by Josh Howk placed the final score at 8-2 and only allowed the Peacocks to get ahead by three, 12-9.
The Huskies' Tad Merritt (#1 NCAA) defeated
Blake Sorensen at 165 pounds, 16-9, thanks to seven takedowns. With the win, SCSU once again knotted the score, 12-12.
Wade Gobin (#6 NCAA) and SCSU's Shamus O'Grady (#3 NCAA) were tied 3-3 heading into the final period, but the Husky scored an escape and a takedown for the 6-3 decision and the home team's first lead of the day, 15-12.
St. Cloud State completed the comeback with a major decision at 184 pounds when Derek Skala (#3 NCAA) defeated UIU's
Mitch Schultz (#4 NCAA) by a 15-5 score.
Upper Iowa can still share the Northern Sun Conference Championship with St. Cloud State if the Huskies stumble at Minnesota State next week, but SCSU is now in control of their own destiny and the NSIC title. If they defeat the Mavericks they will be the champions with a perfect 7-0 record in conference.
The Peacocks will now get back into the wrestling room for a couple of weeks. Upper Iowa will send their ten wrestlers back up to St. Cloud, Minn. for the NCAA Super Regional on Sunday, Feb. 26.
SCSU 19, UIU 12
197 - Carl Broghammer (UIU) dec. Chris Brassell (SCSU), 1-0
285 - Jake Kahnke (SCSU) dec. Zach Rosol (UIU) 2-0
125 - Kyle Pedretti (UIU) dec. Dylan Wright (SCSU) 3-2
133 - Trevor Franklin (UIU) dec. Andy Pokorny (SCSU) 3-1
141 - Jay Hildreth (SCSU) dec. Duane Richardson (UIU) 9-6
149 - Jacob D. Horn (SCSU) dec. Jordan Rinken (UIU) 5-2
157 - Winston Robbins (UIU) dec. Josh Howk (SCSU) 8-2
165 - Tad Merritt (SCSU) dec. Blake Sorensen (UIU) 16-9
174 - Shamus O'Grady (SCSU) dec. Wade Gobin (UIU) 6-3
184 - Derek Skala (SCSU) Major Dec. Mitch Schultz (UIU) 15-5
