LAS VEGAS – UNI wrestlers put up an impressive opening day fight to open the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Friday, with Parker Keckeisen advancing into Saturday’s championship semifinal round.
The Panthers put up a combined record of 22-15 at the Westgate Las Vegas Event Center against over 20 ranked opponents on Friday. Northern Iowa heads into the second day of competition on Friday sitting in 11th place in the team standings.
DAY ONE RECAP
All-American and top-ranked Parker Keckeisen (184 pounds) remained unbeaten on the year, cruising to three wins on Friday, which included a 13-3 major decision against No. 10/9 Gavin Kane (North Carolina) for his 13th career win over a top-ten ranked challenger. All seven of Keckeisen’s victories this season have either come by fall or in bonus-point bouts. He will face off against No. 7/12 Lenny Pinto (Nebraska) tomorrow in the semifinals, carrying with him a 19-match winning streak in the regular season.
Trever Anderson earned his first pin of the season against Massey Odiotti (Northwestern) in just three minutes, forty seconds at 125 pounds, while Ryder Downey picked up his first two wins over a ranked opponent in his collegiate career against No. 10/12 Trevor Chumbley (Northwestern) and No. 16/15 Paddy Gallagher (Ohio State).
After falling to the consolation bracket in a loss to No. 8/11 Evan Frost (Iowa State), Julian Farber (133 pounds) grabbed a pair of consolation ranked wins over No. 27/NR Jacob Van Dee and No. 26/25 Gabe Whisenhunt (Oregon State). Cael Happel also grabbed a major decision win over a ranked challenger, defeating No. 32/NR Sergio Lemley (Michigan) in a 16-7 major decision.
Jared Simma (174 pounds) tied a career-high with 17 points scored in a 17-0 technical fall win over Blake Bahna before bowing out of the in the consolation bracket, while Wyatt Voelker (197 pounds) went 3-2 in his first appearance at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Jose Valdez (285 pounds) grabbed four wins in his Las Vegas debut.
UP NEXT
UNI will conclude action in Las Vegas on Friday with the championship semifinals and remaining consolation matches beginning at 12 p.m. CT, and the finals and third-place bouts beginning at 5 p.m. CT. The Panthers are also scheduled to begin competition back in the midwest at the Jim Koch Open in Kenosha, Wisconsin at 9 a.m. CT.
UNI RESULTS AT THE CLIFF KEEN LAS VEGAS OPEN (Intermat/FloWrestling rankings listed)
125 | Trever Anderson
L – 20/#30 Nico Provo (Stanford), 13-6
W – Massey Odiotti (Northwestern), Fall 3:44
L – Troy Sprately (Oklahoma State), 7-2
133 | NR/#22 Julian Farber
W – Cooper Birdwell (Wyoming), 9-6
L – #8/11 Evan Frost (Iowa State) MD, 14-3
W – Andrew Fallon (Sacred Heart), 2-1
W – #27/NR Jacob Van Dee (Nebraska), 9-5
W – #26/25 Gabe Whisenhunt (Oregon State), 14-1 MD
141 | #9/17 Cael Happel
W – Kai Owen (Columbia), Fall 3:30
W – #32/NR Sergio Lemley (Michigan), 16-7 MD
L – #7/7 Ryan Jack (North Carolina State), 15-6 MD
149 | Adam Allard
L – #9/11 Jaden Abas (Stanford), 7-2
L – Jayden Scott (North Carolina), 7-2
157 | Ryder Downey
W – #10/12 Trevor Chumbley (Northwestern), 8-2
W – #16/15 Paddy Gallagher (Ohio State), 8-5
L – #4/4 Jacori Teemer (Arizona State), 7-2
L – #8/8 Ed Scott (North Carolina State), 4-1
165 | Evan Yant
L – #2/2 David Carr (Iowa State), 19-2 TF
W – Joseph Mcginty (Hofstra), 8-2
174 | Jared Simma
W – Riley Davis (Wyoming), 11-10
L – #13/6 Adam Kemp (Cal Poly), 4-2
W – Blake Bahna (Long Island ), 17-0 TF
L – Benny Baker (Cornell), 12-2 MD
184 | #1/1 Parker Keckeisen
W – Hunter Perez (Sacred Heart), Fall 6:57
W – #33/NR Jacob Armstrong (Utah Valley), 20-5 TF
W – #10/9 Gavin Kane (North Carolina), 13-3 MD
197 | #23/30 Wyatt Voelker
W – Nikolas Miller (Hofstra) 5-2
L – #9/8 Jaxon Smith (Maryland), 4-3
W – #27/ NR Carson Floyd (Appalachian State), 21-6 TF
W – #25/25 Julien Broderson (Iowa State), 6-1
L – #12/11 Silas Allred (Nebraska), 19-3 TF
285 | Jose Valdez
W – Luke Rasmussen (South Dakota State), 13-4 MD
L – #16/21 Konner Doucet (Oklahoma State), 4-1
W – Damion Schunke (Arizona State), 6-2
W – Harley Andrews (Nebraska), 3-2
W – Nolan Neves (Columbia), 2-1
L – Nick Feldman (Ohio State), 19-2 TF
