Warhawk wrestler shoots for a single leg
Alex Saager

Wrestling

Grapplers Host Badgers to Open Season

WHITEWATER, Wis. -- All Divisions of the NCAA visited Kachel Gym in Whitewater Friday night for a double dual hosted by the UW-W. The University of Wisconsin Badgers topped UW-Parkside 31-7 in the opening dual followed by the Warhawks' season opener against the Badgers. In front of a packed Kachel Gym crowd, the Warhawks' won three weight classes en route to a 27-12 loss to UW.

Complete Results
Photo Gallery courtesy of Alex Saager

The Badgers opened the evening with a technical fall at the 149 pound level, followed by a major decision at 157 and extended the lead to 12-0 with a 10-5 decision at 165 pounds.

TJ Decker (Pewaukee/Pewaukee) put the Warhawks on the board with a 3-1 win over Brett Hochstaetter at 174 pounds. Andrew Pettit (Hoffman Estates, IL/Hoffman Estates) extended his match with Dylan Iczkowski at 184 pounds after a 7-7 tie through regulation brought about sudden death overtime. Pettit went for the quick offensive strike but Iczkowski countered for the two-point takedown and the 9-7 win.

UW-W's Matt Dwyer (South Beloit, IL/Hononegah) provided the highlight of the night for Warhawk fans with a pin in 1:34 over Wisconsin's Timothy McCall in the 197 pound weight class.

Connor Medbery won the battle of the heavyweights for the Badgers giving UW an 18-9 lead.

Conrad Bugay (Palatine, IL/Hersey) took to the mat at 125 pounds against Wisconsin's Matthew Cavallaris. Facing a 2-1 deficit nearing the end of regulation, Bugay scored a last second takedown as the buzzer sounded. After a review by the referee, the points stood giving Bugay the 3-2 win and pulling Whitewater to within six, 18-12. 

The Badgers' Tyler Graf, ranked second in the nation, and Jesse Thielke, ranked 17th in Division I, wrapped up the dual with a major decision and technical fall respectively for the final score of 27-12.

The Warhawks will compete in the Luther Open Saturday, November 16 before returning to Kachel Gym to open the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference against UW-Platteville Thursday, November 21 at 7:00.

Preview
The Warhawk wrestling team will host the Wisconsin Badgers and UW-Parkside in the 2013-14 season opener Friday, November 15 in Kachel Gym. All NCAA divisions will be represented in the two-dual meet. Division II UW-Parkside will face the Badgers beginning at 6:00 in the first dual of the night. The Warhawks will take to the mat for the first time this season against the Badgers at 7:30.

This is the second time in three seasons UW-W has faced the Badgers. Whitewater traveled to Madison to compete in the Badger Duals during the 2011-12 season. The Warhawks have an annual battle for the Sake Bottle Trophy against UW-Parkside, a tradition started by former UW-W coach Willie Meyers and Parkside's Jim Koch.

The Badgers finished tenth in the Big 10 Championships last season qualifying three wrestlers for the NCAA Division I Championships. Tyler Graff earned his third All-America honor finishing third in the 133 pound weight class last season and returns for his senior year of competition in 2013-14.

The Rangers finished 17th in the NCAA Division II Championships last season. Parkside has six wrestlers mentioned in DII regional preseason rankings this season.

The Warhawks tied their best finish ever at the NCAA Division III Championships, third, after sending the largest contingent in program history to compete in the final competition of 2012-13. UW-W is ranked ninth in the NWCA preseason poll. Shane Siefert (Mundelein, IL/Carmel) opens the season ranked second at 197 pounds after finishing fourth in the NCAA DIII Championships last season. Anthony Edgren (New Lisbon/New Lisbon) returns to the mat for the Warhawks after leading UW-W with 16 pins last season. He rounded out 2012-13 with a fifth place finish in the NCAA III Championships and is ranked third in the 285 pound weight class to open this season.

Come cheer on the Warhawk wrestlers in the season opener Friday, November 15 in Kachel Gym. The Badgers open Friday's double-dual against UW-Parkside at 6:00. The Warhawks will follow against the University of Wisconsin at 7:30.



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