KENOSHA, Wis. -- The UW-Whitewater wrestling team opened the 2026-27 campaign at NCAA Division II UW-Parkside Thursday evening. The Rangers maintained possession of the Sake Bottle, taking the dual 27-13.

The Sake Bottle Trophy originated in 1975 when UW-Parkside head coach Jim Koch and UW-Whitewater head coach Willie Myers toured Japan and Korea with an NAIA All-State Team. During the trip, Mr. Hatta, the former president of Japanese wrestling and considered the father of the sport in Japan, presented the two coaches with a sake bottle. Since then, the two southeastern Wisconsin schools have battled for possession of the traveling trophy.

UW-Parkside got on the board first with a technical fall at 125 pounds. UW-Whitewater responded with back-to-back tech falls from Jordan Rasof (Deerfield, Ill./Deerfield) and Cale Stonitsch (Shorewood, Ill./Minooka) to take the lead, 10-5. The Rangers added three consecutive decisions including the 165-pound bout that came down to the wire and was decided by riding time. 

Brayden Peet (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore), ranked third nationally, secured the final win for the Warhawks with an 8-5 decision at 174 pounds. 

Results
125 - Wyatt Skebba (UWP) def. Jalen Dunson (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park River Forest) (UWW), TF 18-2 6:55
133 - Jordan Rasof (Deerfield, Ill./Deerfield) (UWW) def. Dylan Duvernay (UWP), TF 18-3 2:27
141 - Cale Stonitsch (Shorewood, Ill./Minooka) (UWW) def. Simon Moreno (UWP), TF 19-3 6:08
149 - Emmett Nelson (UWP) def. Landon VanAcker (Belvidere, Ill./Belvidere) (UWW), DEC 11-6
157 - #2 Easton Worachek (UWP) def. #8 Luke Swan (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South) (UWW), DEC 9-2
165 - Brody Hemauer (UWP) def. Jermaine Butler (Homewood, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor) (UWW), DEC 7-6
174 - #3 Brayden Peet (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore) (UWW) def. Spencer Madsen (UWP), DEC 8-5
184 - #2 Sullivan Ramos (UWP) def. Jax Lipnitz (St. Ignace, Mich./LaSalle) (UWW), FALL 5:59
197 - Kaden Hooker (UWP) def. RJ Samuels (Darien, Ill./Downers Grove South) (UWW), DEC 4-2
285 - #3 Cooper Caraway (UWP) def. Jordan Lewis (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North) (UWW), MD 13-1

The Warhawks have a quick turnaround before competing in their first tournament of the season. UWW will head to Stevens Point for the Pointer Open Saturday.