NASHVILLE, Tenn. – UNI wrestling battled two of the nation’s top-ten teams and secured its first dual win of the season as the Panthers participated in the 2023 edition of the NWCA Collegiate Duals at the Montgomery Bell Academy in the Music City on Tuesday.
Northern Iowa faced a tough test in the first of three duals on the day in a 26-7 loss to No. 10 Ohio State, before coming up short in a hotly contested matchup with No. 2 North Carolina State, 25-16. The Panthers wrapped the day in impressive fashion with a 35-3 rout of Lock Haven, securing the program’s fifth straight victory against the Bald Eagles. UNI is also on the cusp of the program’s 800th all-time dual win, securing victory number 799 on Tuesday.
Despite tough losses to the Buckeyes and Wolfpack, the Panthers showed tremendous fight with a pair of notable upsets. Against North Carolina State, #32/31 Trever Anderson stunned top-ranked Jakob Camancho at 125 pounds in a 4-2 decision. At 133 pounds, Julian Farber scored a top-15 victory over #12/12 Nic Bouzakis (Ohio State) in a 5-1 decision, while Jared Simma scored pins in his final two matches of the day.
UNI vs. OHIO STATE
Highlighting the first dual of the day against the tenth-ranked Buckeyes, #17/21 Farber took on #12/12 Nic Bouzakis at 133 pounds. With a scoreless first period Farber gave up an escape in the second period, but remained in control keeping Bouzakis on his toes. Early in the third, Farber clinched an escape to tie the match at 1-1, followed by a takedown for a 4-1 lead. Farber secured the match with riding time for a 5-1 win.
Picking up the next Panther win, #1/1 Parker Keckeisen dominated Ryder Rogotske at 184 pounds with a 17-4 major decision victory, his tenth bonus-point win of the season.
UNI VS NORTH CAROLINA STATE
Anderson opened UNI’s dual with North Carolina State with a bang as the Panthers 125-pounder defeated #1/2 Jakob Camacho in a monumental upset. Following a scoreless first period, Camacho and Anderson traded point-for-point heading into the third frame. Anderson pulled off a takedown earning a 4-1 lead in the third, holding on for the 4-2 decision.
#9/9 Cael Happel grabbed a pair of early takedowns on Koy Buesgens at 141 pounds. Happel scored once again on an escape to begin the second period and cruised in the third frame with two additional takedowns and riding time for a 14-4 major decision win.
Simma shined in his match against #23/28 Alex Faison at 174 pounds, scoring a takedown in the first period and sticking Faison on his back for a fall in just three minutes, forty one seconds for his first pin of the season.
Keckeisen was locked into a battle with #15/12 Dylan Fishback at 184 pounds, heading into the third period tied 1-1 after exchanging escapes. The three-time All-American Keckeisen would score a late takedown in the final period and took advantage of riding time for a 5-2 victory.
UNI vs. LOCK HAVEN
In a nearly perfect performance, the Panther Train won nine of ten matchups against the Bald Eagles for the 32-point team victory. Anderson and Farber both opened the dual with a pair of regular decision wins over Logan Sallot and Gable Strickland respectively.
Happel followed up with a 16-4 technical fall, against Zack Zeamer at 141 pounds, while Adam Allard and Ryder Downey scored victories of Nick Stonecheck at 149 pounds (12-5) and Conner Eck (12-2 MD) at 157. RJ Weston picked up his first dual win of the season in a 9-3 decision against Eric Alderfer, as Simma notched his second pin of the day in two minutes, 12 second against Tyler Stoltzfus.
Keckeisen secured his third win of the day and second in bonus points with a 14-2 major decision over Colin Fegley, extending his regular season winning streak to 25 matches dating back to last season, while improving to a perfect 13-0 this year. Tyrell Gordon would close out the night with an 11-0 major decision against Ethan Miller.
UP NEXT
UNI wrestlers return to action Dec. 29-30 at the Soldier Salute in Coralville, Iowa at Xtream Arena.
FULL RESULTS (Intermat / FloWrestling rankings listed)
#25 UNI 7, #10 Ohio State 26
125 | #26/29 Brendan McCrone (OSU) dec. #32/31 Trever Anderson (UNI), 10-8
133 | #17/21 Julian Farber (UNI) dec. #12/12 Nic Bouzakis (OSU), 5-1
141 | #3/3 Jesse Mendez (OSU) dec. #9/9 Cael Happel (UNI), 4-2
149 | #4/4 Dylan D’Emilio (OSU) maj. dec. Adam Allard (UNI), 11-1 MD
157 | #13/13 Paddy Gallagher (OSU) dec. #12/12 Ryder Downey (UNI), 4-1
165 | #21/24 Isaac Wilcox (OSU) dec. Evan Yant (UNI), 4-2
174 | Rocco Welsh dec. Jared Simma (UNI), 4-1
184 | #1/1 Parker Keckeisen (UNI) maj. dec. Ryder Rogotzke (OSU), 17-4 MD
197 | #23/19 Luke Geog (OSU) maj. dec. Kalob Runyon (UNI), 14-4 MD
285 | Hogan Swenski (OSU) dec. Jose Valdez (UNI), 8-2
#25 UNI 16, #2 North Carolina State 25
125 | #32/31 Trever Anderson (UNI) dec. #1/2 Jakob Camacho (NCST), 4-2
133 | #5/5 Kai Orine (NCST) dec. #17/21 Julian Farber (UNI), 2-0
141 | #9/9 Cael Happel (UNI) maj. dec. Koy Buesgens (NCST), 14-4 MD
149 | #5/5 Jackson Arrington (NCST) pins Adam Allard (UNI), 5:26
157 | #6/6 Ed Scott (NCST) dec. #12/12 Ryder Downey (UNI), 7-6
165 | Derek Fields (NCST) tech falls Evan Yant (UNI), 18-3 TF (7:00)
174 | Jared Simma (UNI) pins #23/28 Alex Faison (NCST), 3:41
184 | #1/1 Parker Keckeisen (UNI) dec. #15/12 Dylan Fishback (NCST), 5-2
197 | #4/2 Trent Hidlay (NCST) tech falls Kalob Runyon (UNI), 19-4 TF (4:21)
285 | #17/16 Owen Trephan (NCST) dec. #9/12 Tyrell Gordon (UNI), 4-1
#25 UNI 35, Lock Haven 3
125 | #32/31 Trever Anderson (UNI) dec. Logan Sallot (LHU), 8-1
133 | #17/21 Julian Farber (UNI) dec. Gable Strickland (LHU), 3-1
141 | #9/9 Cael Happel (UNI) tech falls Zack Zeamer (LHU), 16-4 TF (4:10)
149 | Adam Allard (UNI) dec. Nick Stonecheck (LHU), 12-5
157 | #12/12 Ryder Downey (UNI) maj. dec. Conner Eck (LHU), 12-2 MD
165 | RJ Weston (UNI) dec. Eric Alderfer (LHU), 9-3
174 | Jared Simma (UNI) pins Tyler Stoltzfus (LHU), 2:12
184 | #1/1 Parker Keckeisen (UNI) maj. dec. Colin Fegley (LHU), 14-2 MD
197 | Brad Morrison (LHU) dec. Kalob Runyon (UNI), 5-1
285 | #9/12 Tyrell Gordon (UNI) maj. dec. Ethan Miller (LHU), 11-0 MD
