Fast Start Drives SJU Wrestling to 32-20 Dual Win
JAMESTOWN, N.D. – Saint John’s wrestling opened its North Dakota trip with a 32-20 win at NAIA Jamestown on Saturday, Feb. 13.
The Johnnies (4-14 dual record) won six of the first seven matches, two via forfeit, to build a 32-5 lead before the Jimmies (3-12 dual record) ended the dual with three consecutive wins.
Junior Robert Tait (Faribault, Minn./Bethlehem Academy) started the dual with a 9-1 major decision at 174 pounds. Freshman Luke Dodd () followed with a major decision of his own, 12-0, at 184 pounds before sophomore Nick Pegelow earned a fall in 2:58 at 197.
The Jimmies forfeited the match at heavyweight and found the scoreboard with a technical fall at 125 pounds.
Senior Mike Pleski (Stacy, Minn./Forest Lake) posted a pin at 133 pounds and senior Ben Henle (Spicer, Minn./New London-Spicer), who is ranked eighth nationally by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA), earned a win via forfeit at 141 pounds.
The Johnnies wrap up their North Dakota trip with a 1 p.m. dual at Division II Mary on Sunday, Feb. 14, in Bismarck.
Saint John’s (SJU) 32, Jamestown (JAM) 20
125: Jesse Barajas (JAM) tech. fall Ben Kollaja, 16-0 [20-5]
133: Mike Pleski (SJU) pinned Phillip Johnson, 4:21 [26-5]
141: Ben Henle (No. 8, SJU) won by forfeit [32-5]
149: Brandon Aragon (JAM) tech. fall Branden Schorr, 23-5 [32-10]
157: Zach Pickering (JAM) major dec. Jack Barsody, 17-5 [32-14]
165: Mike Nord (JAM) pinned Teddy Erickson, [32-20]
174: Robert Tait (SJU) major dec. Matt Hernandez, 9-1 [4-0]
184: Luke Dodd (SJU) major dec. Daniel Tomaszewski, 12-0 [8-0]
197: Nick Pegelow (SJU) pinned Nathan Bernal, 2:58 [14-0]
285: Bryan Scepaniak (SJU) won by forfeit [20-0]
*the dual started at 174 pounds