Auggies score 32-13 win over Titans
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.
Augsburg 32 UW-Oshkosh 13
157: #1 Orlando Ponce (AC) Defeated #2 Nazar Kulchytskyy (UWO), 9-4
165: Aaron Konitzer (UWO) Defeated Tommy Teigen (AC), 9-0
174: Dan Schiferl (UWO) Defeated Josh Kohler (AC), 3-2
184: #9 Sam Engelland (UWO) Pinned Matt Hechsel (AC), 4:38
197: #6 Brad Baus (AC) Pinned Ryan Heath (UWO), 0:59
285: #1 Chad Johnson (AC) Defeated Jason LaPlante (UWO), 3-2
125: Mike Fuenffinger (AC) Defeated #7 Zachary Mueller (UWO), 4-3
133: Boyd Suparat (AC) Pinned Carl DeLuca (UWO), 3:25
141: #5 Will Keeter (AC) Defeated Alex Mueller (UWO), 16-0 (6:38)
149: #1 Tony Valek (AC) Pinned Dylan Riley (UWO), 2:02