FARGO, N.D. – Redshirt Freshmen Michael Caliendo and Juan Mora picked up their first Bison Open titles on Saturday to lead the way for North Dakota State wrestling at the Scheels Center in front of a crowd of 401 spectators.
Caliendo staked claim to the 165-pound title with a thrilling 11-10 decision on ride time over Minnesota’s Andrew Sparks in the championship final. Caliendo also dispatched Minnesota’s Cael Carlson by major decision (16-5) in the semifinals after defeating Alex Kowalchyk by tech fall (19-3) in his first match.
Mora ran through a trio of South Dakota State wrestlers on his way to the heavyweight title. He defeated Bowen McConville 3-2 in the first tiebreaker to win the final. Mora defeated Spencer Trenary in the semis 2-1 after an opening round major decision (15-3) over Kail Wynia.
The Bison also had five other championship finalists in the tournament, with runner-up finishes from McGwire Midkiff (133), Gabriel Schumm (149), Landen Johnson (157), Gaven Sax (174), and Owen Pentz (197).
Midkiff picked up a pin over Saskatchewan’s Drake Buechler and a 9-4 win over Minnesota’s Jake Gliva before falling to Minnesota’s #27 Aaron Nagao in the final.
Schumm had three victories before falling to Minnesota’s #17 Michael Blockhus in the final. Schumm defeated Northland’s Brien Poser and Minnesota’s Blane Brenner by falls before a 7-1 win over Michael Weber in the semis.
Johnson picked up a fall over Northland’s Tate Laducer before an 11-4 win against Minnesota’s Tim Stapleton to reach the final. He then battled Minnesota’s Sebas Swiggum in the final, falling 6-4.
Sax started his day off with back-to-back 16-0 tech fall victories over Minnesota’s Devin Wasley and South Dakota State’s Kalen Meyer. Sax then defeated Mannix Morgan 5-0 in the semis before falling to Minnesota’s Jared Krattiger 4-2 in the final.
Pentz grabbed his first pin of the season over South Dakota State’s Chase McCleish to start the day before picking up a 5-2 decision over Minnesota’s Gabe Nagel to reach the final. Pentz fell to Minnesota’s Garrett Joles 6-0 in the final.
The Bison also had five third-place finishes, including Carlos Negrete (125), Gavin Drexler (141), Kellyn March (149), Mason Gode (157), and Riley Habisch (174).
North Dakota State will be back in action on Friday, November 18, as the Bison take on Binghamton in a dual meet at the Scheels Center. The dual is slated for a 7 p.m. start.
Complete NDSU Results by Ordered by Weight and Finish.
Carlos Negrete | 125 | 3rd | 3-1
W over Quincy Hulverson (Minnesota); TF 16-0
L to Troy Spratley (Minnesota); SV-1 3-2
W over Ryan Henningson (North Dakota State); TF 16-0
W over Tanner Jordan (South Dakota State); SV-1 9-7
Ryan Henningson | 125 | 6th | 1-3
L to Bailey Roybal (South Dakota State); Dec 5-2
W over Caleb Coyle (Oregon State); Dec 10-6
L to Carlos Negrete (North Dakota State); TF 16-0
L to Bailey Roybal (South Dakota State); TF 19-4
McGwire Midkiff | 133 | 2nd | 2-1
W over Drake Buechler (Saskatchewan); Fall 1:48
W over Jake Gliva (Minnesota); Dec 9-4
L to #27 Aaron Nagao (Minnesota); MD 8-0
Fernando Barreto | 133 | 4th | 2-2
W over Jagger Eisch (Minnesota); Dec 4-3
L to #27 Aaron Nagao (Minnesota); Dec 4-0
W over Sean Solis (North Dakota State); Dec 7-6
L to Jake Gliva (Minnesota); Dec 3-1
Sean Solis | 133 | 6th | 1-3
L to Jake Gliva (Minnesota); Dec 8-2
W over Drake Buechler (Saskatchewan); Fall 0:53
L to Fernando Barreto (North Dakota State); Dec 7-6
L to Jagger Eisch (Minnesota), MD 11-2
Gavin Drexler | 141 | 3rd | 3-1
W over Chase DeBlaere (Oregon State); Dec 5-2
L to Vance Vombaur (Minnesota); Dec 3-2
W over Theodore Cha (Minnesota); MD 13-0
W over Caleb Gross (South Dakota State); Dec 4-2
Walker Bents | 141 | 6th | 1-3
L to Vance Vombaur (Minnesota); Dec 11-4
W over Chase DeBlaere (Oregon State); Fall 6:31
L to Caleb Gross (South Dakota State); TF 15-0
L to Theodore Cha (Minnesota); Dec 9-5
Gabriel Schumm | 149 | 2nd | 3-1
W over Brien Poser (Northland CTC); Fall 1:26
W over Blaine Brenner (Minnesota); Fall 6:29
W over Michael Weber (North Dakota State); Dec 7-1
L to #17 Michael Blockhus (Minnesota); TF 18-3
Kellyn March | 149 | 3rd | 3-1
W over Marcos Polanco (Minnesota); SV-1 9-7
L to #17 Michael Blockhus (Minnesota); Fall 4:26
W over Blaine Brenner (Minnesota); TF 21-6
W over Marcos Polanco (Minnesota); Dec 11-4
Michael Weber | 149 | 5th | 3-2
W over Benjamin Lunn (Minnesota); Dec 6-2
W over Maxwell Petersen (North Dakota State); Dec 3-2
L to Gabriel Schumm (North Dakota State); Dec 7-1
L to Marcos Polanco (Minnesota); Dec 9-2
W over Blaine Brenner (Minnesota); MD 13-0
Clay Radenz | 149 | 1-2
W over Carson Woodburn (Saskatchewan); Fall 0:36
L to #17 Michael Blockhus (Minnesota); Fall 4:57
L to Benjamin Lunn (Minnesota); Fall 5:50
Maxwell Petersen | 149 | 1-2
L to Michael Weber (North Dakota State); Dec 3-2
W over Pedro Velazquez (North Dakota State); Dec 10-4
L to Blaine Brenner (Minnesota); Dec 5-2
Pedro Velazquez | 149 | 1-2
L to Michael Blockhus (Minnesota); TF 16-0
W over Carson Woodburn (Saskatchewan); Fall 4:49
L to Maxwell Petersen (North Dakota State); Dec 10-4
Trae Thilmony | 149 | 0-2
L to Marcos Polanco (Minnesota); MD 12-4
L to Blaine Brenner (Minnesota); MD 8-0
Landen Johnson | 157 | 2nd | 2-1
W over Tate Laducer (Northland CTC); Fall 2:31
W over Tim Stapleton (Minnesota); Dec 11-4
L to Sebas Swiggum (Minnesota); Dec 6-4
Mason Gode | 157 | 3rd | 2-1
L to Sebas Swiggum (Minnesota); MD 10-2
W over Tate Laducer (Northland CTC); TF 15-0
W over Tim Stapleton (Minnesota); Dec 4-2
Michael Caliendo | 165 | Champion | 3-0
W over Alex Kowalchyk (North Dakota State); TF 19-3
W over Cael Carlson (Minnesota); MD 16-5
W over #25 Andrew Sparks (Minnesota); Dec 11-10
Brendan Howes | 165 | 5th | 3-2
L to #25 Andrew Sparks (Minnesota); Fall 7:00
W over Hunter Meizen (Oregon State); Dec 6-0
W over Maxwell Meekins (Saskatchewan); TF 18-1
L to Cael Carlson (Minnesota); Dec 7-0
W over Alex Kowalchyk (North Dakota State); MD 9-1
Alex Kowalchyk | 165 | 6th | 2-3
W over Hunter Meizen (Oregon State); Dec 5-1
L to Michael Caliendo (North Dakota State); TF 19-3
W over Isaac Klinkhammer (South Dakota State); Dec 4-2
L to Jack Thomsen (South Dakota State); MD 16-4
L to Brendan Howes (North Dakota State); MD 9-1
Gaven Sax | 174 | 2nd | 3-1
W over Devin Wasley (Minnesota); TF 16-0
W over Kalen Meyer (South Dakota State); TF 16-0
W over Mannix Morgan (North Dakota State); Dec 5-0
L to Jared Krattiger (Minnesota); Dec 4-2
Riley Habisch | 174 | 3rd | 3-1
W over Brock Fettig (South Dakota State); Dec 8-1
L to Jared Krattiger (Minnesota); Dec 3-2
W over Kalen Meyer (South Dakota State); TF 16-0
W over Mannix Morgan (North Dakota State); Dec 3-0
Mannix Morgan | 174 | 4th | 2-2
W over Sebastian Marchland (Saskatchewan); Fall 0:56
L to Gaven Sax (North Dakota State); Dec 5-0
W over Brock Fettig (South Dakota State); SV-1 4-3
L to Riley Habisch (North Dakota State); Dec 3-0
DJ Parker | 184 | 6th | 1-3
W over Caleb Orris (South Dakota State); Dec 7-1
L to #22 Michial Foy (Minnesota); Dec 3-2
L to Roman Rogotzke (South Dakota State); TB-1 5-4
L to Caleb Orris (South Dakota State); MFF
Lathan Duda | 184 | 1-2
W over Cyncere Haskins (Northland CTC); Fall 5:54
L to #22 Michial Foy (Minnesota); MD 11-2
L to Caleb Orris (South Dakota State); MFF
Owen Pentz | 197 | 2nd | 2-1
W over Chase McCleish (South Dakota State); Fall 6:55
W over Gabe Nagel (Minnesota); Dec 5-2
L to Garrett Joles (Minnesota); Dec 6-0
Spencer Mooberry | 197 | 4th | 3-2
W over Nick Casperson (South Dakota State); Fall 3:00
W over Rowan Morgan (Minnesota); Dec 7-3
L to Garrett Joles (Minnesota); MD 14-2
W over Chase McCleish (South Dakota State); Dec 9-3
L to Gabe Nagel (Minnesota); Fall 0:48
Juan Mora | 285 | Champion | 3-0
W over Kail Wynia (South Dakota State); MD 15-3
W over Spencer Trenary (South Dakota State); TB-1 2-1
W over Bowen McConville (South Dakota State); TB-1 3-2
Check out Bison Wrestling at gobison.com and on Twitter. Buy Bison Tickets