MEQUON, Wis. – The Wheaton College wrestling team absorbed a pair of losses to conference foes Carthage College and Concordia University (Wis.) on Friday evening.
The Thunder fell to 0-3 on the year. The Firebirds evened their season record at 1-1. The Falcons improved to 1-0.
Wheaton started off with a dual against Carthage and picked up a second-period pin by Cale Coppess at 141 pounds. However, it was all Firebirds across the rest of the lineup with nine wins in the 10 bouts. Three of those matches ended in pins to go with six decisions.
CARTHAGE 36, WHEATON 6
125-pounds: Chris Kish (Carthage) def. Cooper Chapman (Wheaton) by fall (4:04)
133-pounds: Zach Miller (Carthage) def. Matthew Au (Wheaton), 6-4 decision
141-pounds: Cale Coppess (Wheaton) def. Carter Leiber (Carthage) by fall (3:49)
149-pounds: Elijah Zepeda (Carthage) def. Aidan Laird (Wheaton), 5-0 decision
157-pounds: Zaren Anderson (Carthage) def. Deonta Giles (Wheaton) by fall (4:59)
165-pounds: Christian Gilbert (Carthage) def. Cael Palmer (Wheaton), 10-3 decision
174-pounds: Collin Ruiz (Carthage) def. Taggert Kazmierczak (Wheaton), 10-4 decision
184-pounds: Devin Rogers (Carthage) def. Daniel Thaler (Wheaton) by fall (1:21)
197-pounds: Diego Fuentes (Carthage) def. Hunter Kazmierczak (Wheaton), 6-2 decision
285-pounds: Mason Kochersperger (Carthage) def. Joseph Kruse (Wheaton), 8-1 decision
The Thunder wrapped up action against CUW. Wheaton staked itself to an early 18-6 lead through four matches. Cooper Chapman received a forfeit win at 125 pounds before the hosts answered back with a pin at 133 pounds. Coppess kept his hot streak rolling with a dominating victory at 141 pounds. The junior was poised to earn a technical fall victory at the beginning of the second period. However, Coppess wrangled his opponent down to his back immediately to secure the pin – his second of the night. Aidan Laird followed up with a pin of his own at 149 pounds in the final seconds of the second period.
After CUW responded with a pin, Wheaton's Cael Palmer rallied back in his 165-pound match with a 14-7 decision. The Thunder found themselves holding a 21-12 lead heading into the final four bouts.
A hard-luck injury at 174 pounds was a definitive momentum swing, as Wheaton had an 8-0 lead in the match at the time. Instead, the Falcons received a medical forfeit for six team points to draw within 21-18. The home side turned on the jets from there with a trio of first-period pins to pull away for the dual victory.
CONCORDIA (WIS.) 36, WHEATON 21
125-pounds: Cooper Chapman (Wheaton) won by forfeit
133-pounds: Anastacio Martinez (CUW) def. Matthew Au (Wheaton) by fall (1:56)
141-pounds: Cale Coppess (Wheaton) def. William Harrier (CUW) by fall (3:10)
149-pounds: Aidan Laird (Wheaton) def. Mason Markham (CUW) by fall (2:51)
157-pounds: Cole Ramos (CUW) def. Deonta Giles (Wheaton) by fall (0:20)
165-pounds: Cael Palmer (Wheaton) def. Ethan Onan (CUW), 14-7 decision
174-pounds: Brandon Monteiro (CUW) def. Taggert Kazmierczak (Wheaton), medical forfeit (3:36)
184-pounds: Dawson Galvan (CUW) def. Daniel Thaler (Wheaton) by fall (1:54)
197-pounds: Ruben Vasquez (CUW) def. Hunter Kazmierczak (Wheaton) by fall (0:16)
285-pounds: Peyton Smith (CUW) def. Joseph Kruse (Wheaton) by fall (2:54)
Wheaton returns to Mequon next Saturday, November 23 for the Concordia (Wis.) Open.
