OSHKOSH, Wis. -- Winning seven of 10 bouts, including the final six matches to rally from a 13-3 deficit, the Augsburg College wrestling team claimed a 32-13 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in a wrestling dual meet on Friday evening at Kolf Sports Center.
Augsburg (9-3 overall), the No. 4-ranked team in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III national rankings, claimed three pins and a technical fall in its final four matches to rally past No. 17-ranked UW-Oshkosh (9-4).
One of the highlights of the match came in the first bout of the evening, as Augsburg's top-ranked 157-pounder
Orlando Ponce (SR, Hialeah, Fla./Hialeah-Miami Lakes HS) scored a 9-4 victory over No. 2-ranked Nazar Kulchytskyy. Ponce improved to 16-0 on the season, while Kulchytskyy is now 38-1.
Augsburg's two other top-ranked wrestlers also scored victories on Friday. Top-ranked 149-pounder
Tony Valek (SR, Belle Plaine, Minn./Scott West) improved to 24-0 with a 2:02 pin of UW-Oshkosh's Dylan Riley to close the match. Valek claimed his 11th pin of the season and his 21st bonus-point triumph (11 pins, one technical fall, nine major decisions) in his 24 victories this season.
No. 1-ranked heavyweight
Chad Johnson (SO, Ferryville, Wis./DeSoto HS) improved to 27-1 on the season for the Auggies with a 3-2 victory over Jason LaPlante. Johnson has now won 16 straight matches.
Brad Baus (SR, Mukwonago, Wis.), ranked No. 6 at 197 pounds, improved to 22-9 on the season with his team-leading 17th pin of the season, a 59-second match-ender against Ryan Heath. Augsburg's
Boyd Suparat (JR, North Branch, Minn.) also scored a pin, a 3:25 decision over Carl DeLuca at 133 pounds.
Augsburg's
Mike Fuenffinger (FY, Hibbing, Minn.) improved to 10-6 on the season with a 4-3 win over No. 7-ranked Zachary Mueller of UW-Oshkosh at 125 pounds. At 141, No. 5-ranked
Will Keeter (SO, Twin Falls, Idaho) improved to 24-5 on the season with a 16-0, third-period technical-fall victory over Alex Mueller.
Following Ponce's win, the host Titans scored three wins in a row to take a 13-3 lead before Augsburg's comeback. Aaron Konitzer scored a 9-0, major-decision victory over
Tommy Teigen (SO, Ham Lake, Minn./Meadow Creek Christian HS) at 165; Dan Schiferl topped
Josh Kohler (SR, Monticello, Minn.) 3-2 at 174; and No. 9-ranked Sam Engelland scored a 4:38 pin of
Matt Hechsel (FY, Apple Valley, Minn.) at 184.
Augsburg has its final dual meet of the season next Friday (2/17) at 7 p.m., hosting No. 26-ranked Wisconsin-Stevens Point at Si Melby Hall.
No. 4 Augsburg (9-3) 32, No. 17 Wisconsin-Oshkosh (9-4) 13
Kolf Sports Center, Oshkosh, Wis.
Attendance: 132
Action begins at 157 pounds.
157 -- No. 1
Orlando Ponce (AUG, 16-0) dec. No. 2 Nazar Kulchytskyy (UWO, 38-2) 9-4
(Augsburg 3-0)
165 -- Aaron Konitzer (UWO, 17-11) maj. dec.
Tommy Teigen (AUG, 13-8) 9-0
(UW-Oshkosh 4-3)
174 -- Dan Schiferl (UWO, 23-9) dec.
Josh Kohler (AUG, 25-15) 3-2
(UW-Oshkosh 7-3)
184 -- No. 9 Sam Engelland (UWO, 24-2) pinned
Matt Hechsel (AUG, 18-16) 4:38
(UW-Oshkosh 13-3)
197 -- No. 6
Brad Baus (AUG, 22-9) pinned Ryan Heath (UWO, 4-17) 0:59
(UW-Oshkosh 13-9)
HWT -- No. 1
Chad Johnson (AUG, 27-1) dec. Jason LaPlante (UWO, 13-6) 3-2
(UW-Oshkosh 13-12)
125 -- Mike Fuenffinger (AUG, 10-6) dec. No. 7 Zachary Mueller (UWO, 30-6) 4-3
(Augsburg 15-13)
133 -- Boyd Suparat (AUG, 16-9) pinned Carl DeLuca (UWO, 17-16) 3:25
(Augsburg 21-13)
141 -- No. 5
Will Keeter (AUG, 24-5) tech. fall Alex Mueller (UWO, 13-14) 16-0 at 6:38
(Augsburg 26-13)
149 -- No. 1
Tony Valek (AUG, 24-0) pinned Dylan Riley (UWO, 0-6) 2:02
(Augsburg 32-13)
