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TONIGHT IN PEACOCK WRESTLING… The Peacocks will hit the mat in the Wachs Arena on the campus of Northern State University at 7 p.m. on Friday night. Upper Iowa (10-1, 3-0 NSIC) will take on the Wolves (5-7, 0-1 NSIC) in a Northern Sun Conference dual. UIU enters the dual coming off a 28-7 victory over the Dragons of Minnesota State University Moorhead at home last Friday, while NSU won one of four at the Midwest Duals hosted by the University of Nebraska-Kearney. The Wolves defeated #20 Colorado State University-Pueblo, 25-14.
LEADING THE WOLVES... The Wolves are led by a pair of juniors at 149 and 197 pounds. Tyler Stenberg has posted a 16-2 mark against 149-pounders with nine bonus-point wins including four by fall, three by tech fall and two by major decision. Joe Gomez, a 2015 NCAA All-American at 197 pounds, has registered a 14-3 mark with a win by fall, one by tech fall and one by major decision. Northern State dropped their only Northern Sun dual to the Vikings of Augustana University, 31-12, in Sioux Falls two weeks ago. The Wolves picked up a pair of wins at the U-Mary Duals against Ridgewater College, 32-13, and the University of Mary, 29-21. NSU defeated Dakota Wesleyan University, 38-12, at the South Dakota Showdown and the University of Jamestown, 31-9, in Aberdeen, S.D.
FIREPROOF... The #8 Peacock wrestling team defended their home mat last Friday in Fayette, 28-7, against the Dragons of MSU Moorhead. The dual was Upper Iowa's first action in Dorman Gym since Nov. 5 and marked the Northern Sun Conference home opener as well. UIU won eight of the ten matches including a pair of bonus point wins. Three big wins in the middle of the dual fueled the Peacock victory.
Jordan Rinken (157) avenged a pair of losses to Garrett Hoffner last year with an 8-2 win that included three first period takedowns and
Zak Benitz, ranked #6 nationally, recored an 8-0 major decision thanks to a takedown in each period of his 165-pound match.
Colbey Vance registered the biggest win of the night with a win by fall at 174 pounds. Vance used a pair of takedowns to take a 4-1 lead in the first period and then worked his position to force his opponent's shoulders to the mat on the edge of the circle with 28 seconds to go in the opening frame. The pin was his sixth of the season. Upper Iowa recorded an 18-10 advantage in takedowns on the night.
FRONT OF THE LINE… The Peacocks have earned 10 wins in the 11 duals with the lone blemish coming to Maryville University, 33-10; the Saints were ranked #1 at the time. Upper Iowa has posted wins over #14 Wheeling Jesuit University (24-15), #18 Newberry College (24-13), #12 Tiffin University (29-15) and the #3 University of Nebraska-Kearney, as well as the #4 (NCAA Division III) University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Benitz has a team-high 25 wins this season, but
Damian Penichet and Vance are right on his heels with 23 and 22, respectively. Rinken continues to boast the low mark for losses with just one this season. Vance leads the team with 15 bonus-point wins including a team-high 7 major decisions.
Jordan Roths has claimed a high of 7 falls, while Rinken has scored 4 tech falls.
PROBABLE LINEUPS… NORTHERN STATE WOLVES | WT | YR | | W | L | FALL | TF | MD | HOMETOWN |
| 125 | Fr. | Ben Cauffman | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Mishawaka, Ind. |
| 133 | Sr. | Carson Henry | 8 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | St. Charles, Minn. |
| 141 | Jr. | Matt Bettencourt | 5 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | Elk Grove, Calif. |
| 149 | Jr. | Tyler Stenberg | 16 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | Twin Lakes, Mich. |
| 157 | So. | Blake Perryman | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Dakota Dunes, S.D. |
| 165 | R-Jr. | Grant Steen | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | Puyallup, Wash. |
| 174 | Sr. | Anthony Navarro | 9 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 3 | Rohnert Park, Calif. |
| 184 | Jr. | David Murphy | 6 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Ft. Yates, N.D. |
| 197 | Jr. | Joe Gomez | 14 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Graham, Wash. |
| 285 | | Open | | | | | | |
#8 UPPER IOWA PEACOCKS | WT | YR | | W | L | FALL | TF | MD | HOMETOWN |
| 125 | R-So. | Lincoln Monroe | 8 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 2 | West Union, Iowa |
| OR | Jr. | Garrett Wangsness | 12 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Albert Lea, Minn. |
| 133 | R-Sr. | Matt Paulus | 12 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1 | New Hampton, Iowa |
| 141 | R-Jr. | Jordan Roths | 19 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | New Hampton, Iowa |
| 149 | R-Fr. | Damian Penichet | 23 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 1 | Miami. Fla. |
| 157 | R-Sr. | Jordan Rinken | 12 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | Denver, Iowa. |
| 165 | R-Jr. | #6 Zak Benitz | 25 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 6 | Mosinee, Wis. |
| 174 | R-Jr. | Colbey Vance | 22 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 7 | Bettendorf, Iowa |
| 184 | R-Jr. | Dalton Westerlund | 16 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 2 | Albert Lea, Minn. |
| 197 | Fr. | Ryan Parmely | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Delhi, Iowa |
| 285 | Fr. | Avery Jacobs | 3 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | New London, Iowa |
NEXT UP… The Peacock wrestling team will return home next Friday and Saturday, Jan. 29-30, to host the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State University and the Mavericks of Minnesota State University, Mankato. Both duals will begin at 7 p.m.
