MARSHALL, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State University wrestling team (1-0) continues dual action tonight on the road. The Mustangs head to Sioux City, Iowa to take on Morningside College (1-0) at 7 p.m. on Wednesday night. SMSU will continue non-conference dual action on Friday, Dec. 9, at 7:30 p.m. at NCAA Division I South Dakota State University (1-2).
Mustangs (Morningside) at a glance: Morningside College opened the season ranked No. 9 in the first regular season NAIA wrestling poll. Morningside enters the dual meet with a 1-0 record on the season earning a 32-12 victory over No. 13 Dakota Wesleyan on Dec. 2. The Mustangs have four wrestlers ranked in the NAIA individual rankings, led by Joe Sievert who is ranked first at 174 pounds. Brian Bock is ranked fourth at 184 pounds, Jared Wildeboer is ranked sixth at 165 pounds and 184-pounder Andrew Anthofer is ranked eighth.
Series notes: Tonight’s dual will be the fifth meeting between Southwest Minnesota State and Morningside College. SMSU leads the all-time series 3-1-1. The two teams wrestled to a draw (18-18) last season in Marshall. SMSU was down 18-15 heading into the heavyweight match and Todd Klemz earned an 11-7 decision to tie the dual at 18.
Jacks’ at a glance: South Dakota State enters the triangular meet with a record of 1-2 in dual matches on the season. SDSU earned a 35-12 victory over Davidson at the Campbell University Triangular on Nov. 18, before falling to host Campbell 23-15. The Jacks’ last were in action in a dual meet against North Dakota State on Dec. 6. The Bison defeated the Jackrabbits 32-9. SDSU will take on NSIC-member Northern State in a dual prior to SMSU’s match-up with the Jackrabbits.
Series notes: Southwest Minnesota State and SDSU will meet for the 34th time on Friday. The Jackrabbits own a 29-4 advantage in the all-time series against the Mustangs in a series that began during the 1970-71 series. The two teams last met during the 2004-05 season.
Probable lineup:
SMSU
125 – Travis Borchert (4-3)
133 – Justin Reinsma (8-6)
141 – Ethan Hildebrandt (5-5)
149 – Codie Lane (4-4) or Cord Glanzer (2-4)
157 – Blaine Miller (4-4)
165 – Jacob Begin (9-2)
174 – Trent Molacek (3-2) or Travis Frederiksen (1-2)
184 – Micah Larson (4-4)
197 – Martin Hagen (7-4) or Andrew Rodas (4-6)
285 – Todd Klemz (3-6) or Cole Wilson (2-1)
Last time out: Southwest Minnesota State opened dual action last Wednesday night hosting St. Olaf. The Mustangs were victorious earning a 32-9 season-opening win behind three pins and two major decisions over the Oles. Travis Borchert, Martin Hagen and Todd Klemz each earned wins by fall for the Mustangs and Jake Begin and Micah Larson each earned major decisions to help the Mustangs take a large lead over the Oles.
On Saturday, the Mustangs competed in the MSU Moorhead Dragon Open and had 11 wrestlers place in the open tournament. In the Red Division (upperclassmen), Jacob Begin took home second place honors at 165 lbs. to lead the Mustangs finishing with a 2-1 record.
At 174, Trent Molacek finished in third place with a 3-1 mark, as did Justin Reinsma at 133 finishing with a 2-1 record. Ethan Hildenbrandt (141) (1-2 record), Martin Hagen (197) (2-2 record) and Travis Peralta (unattached at 184) all finished in fourth place. Codie Lane finished in fifth place at 149 with a 2-1 record.
In the Red Division, Justin Stevens, wrestling unattached, finished finished 0-2 at 125. Todd Klemz and Carter Ash both finished 0-2 at HWT.
In the White Division, Andrew Rodas (197 lbs.) and Cole Wilson (HWT) both finished with 2-1 records to earn second place finishes, with Casey Johnson earning third place at HWT with a 3-1 mark, wrestling unattached. Beau Buysse also placed, wrestling unattached, taking home sixth place at 141, finishing with a 4-2 record.