PICTURED ABOVE: Max Gierke earned three wins on Saturday, including a dramatic pin in the final match against North Central to give the Thunder a 21-20 victory over the Cardinals.
Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton College wrestling team hosted the Wheaton Duals on Saturday afternoon, posting a 2-1 record at the event. The Thunder bookended the event with wins as the hosts earned victories in the opening match and the third and final match. In both of its victories, Wheaton rallied from a significant deficit to earn the win.
In the opening session of the Wheaton Duals, the Thunder rallied from a 10-0 deficit following the first three matches to earn a
25-13 win against Concordia University (Wis.) Wheaton was
a 21-20 victor against North Central in the third and final session as the Thunder came back from a 20-0 deficit after the first four matches.
University of Dubuque was a 21-18 winner against the Thunder in the second session of the day.
North Central topped Dubuque 26-10 in the first session,
North Central defeated Concordia (Wis.) 30-18 in the third session and
Dubuque won a 30-18 matchup with Concordia (Wis.). Wheaton, North Central and Dubuque each went 2-1 on the day and Concordia (Wis.) compiled a 0-3 record.
Wheaton junior
Zachary Harrell picked up the first Thunder win in the 25-13 victory against Concordia. Harrell won an 8-4 decision at 149-pounds against Concordia's Ben Reagan at 149-pounds.Fellow junior
Jared Fekete pinned Concordia's Pierce Holtfreter at the 5:28 mark of their match at 157-pounds.
Frank Aiello (PICTURED LEFT) picked up Wheaton's third-straight win in a 4-0 decision at 165-pounds against Quinton Lueck.
Logan Walkup won a 15-3 major decision at 184-pounds against Concordia's Mitch Slatton and
Mikey Swider earned a 4-2 decision at 197-pounds over Mason Baumgartner. Freshman
Max Gierke closed out the win with a pin at 1:20 mark of his matchup at 285-pounds against Sam Olsen.
North Central won the first four matches in Wheaton's 21-20 Wheaton come-from-behind win against the Cardinals. Fekete (PICTURED RIGHT) earned the first of six consecutive victories for the Thunder with a 4-1 decision over Josh Tardy at 157-pounds.
Frank Aiello won a 15-9 decision against North Central's Matt Marcotte at 165-pounds.
Stephen Aiello continued the winning for the Thunder by picking up an 8-6 win in OT against Eric Kirkman. Aiello and Kirkman concluded the third period tied at 6-6, but a takedown by Aiello in the overtime period gave him the win in sudden victory. Walkup won a 3-1 decision in overtime against Vince Pizzo at 184-pounds. Walkup earned a takedown in the OT session to break a 1-1 tied and earned the win. Swider shut out Tyler Vittal in a 4-0 decision at 197 pounds to cut the Cardinals' lead in the team score to 20-15. Wheaton needed a pin by Gierke in the match at 285-pounds to rally for the team win. That is exactly what the freshman did as he quickly attacked and won by fall just 1:25 into his matchup with North Central's Emonte Logan to give the Thunder the dramatic 21-20 victory.
Wheaton narrowly fell to Dubuque 21-18 in the second session. Fekete earned Wheaton's first win against the Spartans as he earned a 5-1 decision against Kody Krenz at 157-pounds.
Frank Aiello won a 9-0 major decision against Frank Frasetto at 165-pounds. Walkup (PICTURED LEFT) earned a 13-1 major decision at 18-4 major decision against Dubuque's Jon Denikas. Swider won an 18-3 technical fall (7:00) against Dubuque's Cosmo Hawlix and Gierke earned a 5-1 decision at 285-pounds versus Sawyer McCaffrey.
The Thunder quintet of Fekete,
Frank Aiello, Walkup, Swider and Gierke each posted a 3-0 record for the Thunder on the afternoon. Wheaton will return to action in a tri-match at UW-La Crosse with Lakeland on Jan. 23.
Wheaton College 25, Concordia University (Wis.) 13
125-pounds: Kameron Bourgeois (CUW) won by forfeit
133-pounds: No match contested
141-pounds: John Curcio (CUW) def.
Eric Wales (Wheaton), 10-1 major decision
149-pounds: Zachary Harrell (Wheaton) def. Ben Reagan (CUW), 8-4 decision
157-pounds: Jared Fekete (Wheaton) def. Pierce Holtfreter (CUW), by fall (5:28)
165-pounds: Frank Aiello (Wheaton) def. Quinton Lueck (CUW), 4-0 decision
174-pounds: Mason Mergener (CUW) def.
Stephen Aiello (Wheaton), 3-1 decision
184-pounds: Logan Walkup (Wheaton) def. Mitch Slatton (CUW), 15-3 major decision
197-pounds: Mikey Swider (Wheaton) def. Mason Baumgartner (CUW), 4-2 decision
285-pounds: Max Gierke (Wheaton) def. Sam Olsen (CUW), by fall (1:20)
University of Dubuque 21, Wheaton College 18
125-pounds: Anthony Pascente (Dubuque) won by forfeit
133-pounds: Stephen Rosenburg won by forfeit
141-pounds: Jeremy Melendez (Dubuque), def.
Eric Wales (Wheaton), 6-0 decision
149-pounds: Adrian Collier (Dubuque) def. William Byrd (Wheaton), 9-3 decision
157-pounds: Jared Fekete (Wheaton) def. Kody Krenz (Dubuque), 5-1 decision
165-pounds: Frank Aiello (Wheaton) def. Frank Frassetto (Dubuque), 9-0 major decision
174-pounds: Elton Turnage (Dubuque) def.
Stephen Aiello (Wheaton), 4-2 decision
184-pounds: Logan Walkup (Wheaton) def. Jon Denikas (Dubuque), 13-1 major decision
197-pounds: Mikey Swider (Wheaton) def. Cosmo Halwix (Dubuque), 18-3 technical fall (7:00)
285-pounds: Max Gierke (Wheaton) def. Sawyer McCaffrey (Dubuque), 5-1 decision
Wheaton College 21, North Central College 20
125-pounds: Jeff Cook (NCC) won by forfeit
133-pounds: Brandon Malone (NCC) won by forfeit
141-pounds: Layten Binion (NCC) def.
Eric Wales (Wheaton), 11-3 major decision
149-pounds: Ben Williamson (NCC) def.
Zachary Harrell (Wheaton), 8-0 major decision
157-pounds: Jared Fekete (Wheaton) def. Josh Tardy (NCC), 4-1 decision
165-pounds: Frank Aiello (Wheaton) def. Matt Marcotte (NCC), 15-9 decision
174-pounds: Stephen Aiello (Wheaton) def. Eric Kirkman (NCC), 8-6 decision (OT)
184-pounds: Logan Walkup (Wheaton) def. Vince Pizzo (NCC), 3-1 decision (OT)
197-pounds: Mikey Swider (Wheaton) def. Tyler Vittal (NCC), 4-0 decision
285-pounds: Max Gierke (Wheaton) def. Emonte Logan (NCC), by fall (1:25)
North Central College 26, University of Dubuque 10
125-pounds: Anthony Pascente (Dubuque) def. Jeff Cook (NCC), 14-3 major decision
133-pounds: Brandon Malone (NCC) def. Stephen Rosenburg (Dubuque), 9-2 decision
141-pounds: Layten Binion (NCC) def. Jeremy Melendez (Dubuque), 8-4 decision
149-pounds: Adrian Collier (Dubuque) def. Ben Williamson (NCC), 5-1 decision
157-pounds: Josh Tardy (NCC) def. Kody Krenz (Dubuque), 16-1 technical fall (4:29)
165-pounds: Matt Marcotte (NCC) def. Frank Frassetto (Dubuque), 8-7 decision
174-pounds: Elton Turnage (Dubuque) def. Eric Kirkman (NCC), 10-4 decision
184-pounds: Vincent Pizzo (NCC) def. Jon Denikas (Dubuque), 5-0 decision
197-pounds: Tyler Vittal (NCC) def. Cosmo Halwix (Dubuque), by fall (5:22)
285-pounds: Emonte Logan (NCC) def. Sawyer McCaffrey (Dubuque), 7-2 decision
North Central College 23, Concordia University (Wis.) 21
125-pounds: Jeff Cook (NCC) def. Kameron Bourgeois (CUW), 19-12 decision
133-pounds: Brandon Malone (NCC) won by forfeit
141-pounds: Layten Binion (NCC) def. John Curcio (CUW), technical fall (4:19)
149-pounds: Ben Williamson (NCC) def. Ben Reagan (CUW), 3-0 decision
157-pounds: Josh Tardy (NCC) def. Pierce Holtfreter (CUW), 9-3 decision
165-pounds: Matt Marcotte (NCC) def. Quinton Lueck (CUW), 8-6 decision
174-pounds: Mason Mergener (CUW) def. Eric Kirkman (NCC), 3-1 decision (OT, TB)
184-pounds: Mitch Slatton (CUW) def. Tanner VanDalsen (NCC), by fall (4:06)
197-pounds: Mason Baumgartner (CUW) def. Tyler Vittal (NCC), by fall (1:03)
285-pounds: Sam Olsen (CUW) won by forfeit
University of Dubuque 30, Concordia (Wis.) 18
125-pounds: Anthony Pascente (Dubuque) won by forfeit
133-pounds: Stephen Rosenburg (Dubuque) won by forfeit
141-pounds: Jeremy Melendez (Dubuque), def. John Curcio (CUW), by fall (6:52)
149-pounds: Adrian Collier (Dubuque) def. Ben Reagan (CUW), by fall (0:27)
157-pounds: Pierce Holtfreter (CUW) def. Dominic Taus (Dubuque), by fall (5:25)
165-pounds: Frank Frassetto (Dubuque) def. Quinton Lueck (CUW), 4-2 decison
174-pounds: Mason Mergener (CUW) def. Elton Turnage (Dubuque), 7-3 decision
184-pounds: Mitch Slatton (CUW) def. Jon Denikas (Dubuque), 4-0 decision
197-pounds: Mason Baumgartner (CUW) won by forfeit
285-pounds: Sawyer McCaffrey (Dubuque) def. Sam Olsen (CUW), 5-1 decision
