The top-ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater wrestling team split a pair of dual matches against two of the nation's best teams Saturday to finish as runner-up at the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III National Duals in Fort Wayne, Ind.
 
The Warhawks (10-1 overall) downed No. 4 Concordia-Moorhead (Minn.) 23-18 in the semifinals before falling 20-13 against second-ranked Wartburg (Iowa) in the championship match.
 
UW-Whitewater trailed the Cobbers (5-2) 18-11 with three matches to go in the semifinals before running off the final 12 points to emerge victorious.
 
Senior Ryan Aprahamian (Mukwonago/Mukwonago), ranked ninth at 184 pounds by the NWCA, started the run with a 6-0 decision over Dane Ringquist. Junior Shane Siefert (Mundelein, IL/Carmel), the nation's consensus No. 1 at 197, gave the Warhawks the lead with a pin of Danny Pike in just 1:05 to set the stage for the deciding match at 285.
 
Senior Anthony Edgren (New Lisbon/New Lisbon), the eighth-ranked wrestler in the nation by both the NWCA and D3wrestle.com, came through for UW-Whitewater, edging Justice Davis 11-10 to punch the team's ticket to the final.
 
Senior Elroy Perkin (Greenfield/Whitnall), junior Tom Gerszewski (Crystal Lake, IL/Crystal Lake South) and sophomore Zac Denny (Machesney Park, IL/Harlem) were also winners against Concordia. Perkin won by technical fall at 149, and Gerszewski (157) and Denny (125) each earned decisions.
 
In the title bout, the Knights (11-1) jumped out to a 9-0 advantage thanks in part to the Warhawks' second forfeit of the day at 133 pounds.
 
UW-Whitewater earned points in two of the next three matches as junior Matt Adcock (Bloomingdale, IL/Lake Park) outlasted Kaz Onoo 10-6 by sudden victory in a showdown of top 10 ranked wrestlers at 141 pounds.
 
Gerszewski moved to 2-0 for the day and 3-1 for the weekend with a 4-2 triumph over Drew Wagenhoffer, who is ranked among the top four in the nation by both the NWCA and D3wrestle.com.
 
Aprahamian and Siefert were the other winners against Wartburg for the Warhawks. Each finished 4-0 for the weekend.
 
UW-Whitewater returns to Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference competition Wednesday at UW-Oshkosh. First match begins at 7 p.m.
 
No. 1 UW-Whitewater 23, No. 4 Concordia-Moorhead 18
125: Z. Denny (UW-Whitewater) d. Jakob Stageberg (Concordia-Moorhead) by decision, 9-3
133: Will McCarthy (Concordia-Moorhead) won by forfeit
141: Jacoby Bergeron (Concordia-Moorhead) d. M. Adcock (UW-Whitewater) by decision sudden victory, second overtime), 4-2
149: E. Perkin (UW-Whitewater) d. Yonas Gebreab (Concordia-Moorhead) by technical fall, 18-3
157: T. Gerszewski (UW-Whitewater) d. Ben Cousins (Concordia-Moorhead) by decision, 5-2
165: Jake Krogstad (Concordia-Moorhead) d. C. Price (UW-Whitewater) by decision, 5-4
174: Sebastian Gardner (Concordia-Moorhead) d. J. Newman (UW-Whitewater) by pin, 4:11
184: R. Aprahamian (UW-Whitewater) d. Dane Ringquist (Concordia-Moorhead) by decision, 6-0
197: S. Siefert (UW-Whitewater) d. Danny Pike (Concordia-Moorhead) by pin, 1:05
285: A. Edgren (UW-Whitewater) d. Justice Davis (Concordia-Moorhead) by decision, 11-10
 
No. 2 Wartburg 20, No. 1 UW-Whitewater 13
125: Jake Agnitsch (Wartburg) d. Z. Denny (UW-Whitewater) by decision, 9-5
133: Connor Campo (Wartburg) won by forfeit
141: M. Adcock (UW-Whitewater) d. Kaz Onoo (Wartburg) by decision (sudden victory, first overtime), 10-6
149: Kenny Martin (Wartburg) d. E. Perkin (UW-Whitewater) by decision, 4-3
157: T. Gerszewski (UW-Whitewater) d. Drew Wagenhoffer (Wartburg) by decision, 4-2
165: Andrew Steiert (Wartburg) d. T. Becker (UW-Whitewater) by decision, 10-4
174: Brandon Welter (Wartburg) d. J. Newman (UW-Whitewater) by decision, 5-3
184: R. Aprahamian (UW-Whitewater) d. Devin Peterson (Wartburg) by decision, 8-7
197: S. Siefert (UW-Whitewater) d. Bryan Levsen (Wartburg) by major decision, 11-2
285: Benjamin Nagle (Wartburg) d. A. Edgren (UW-Whitewater) by decision, 5-2