FARGO, N.D. — Bowen McConville reached the finals of the heavyweight division and 12 other South Dakota State wrestlers earned top-six placings Saturday at the season-opening Bison Open.
A senior from Renton, Washington, McConville went 2-1 on the day, starting with a 22-4 technical fall over Owen McGillivray from the University of Saskatchewan.
Both of McConville’s last two matches went to overtime. He recorded a 3-1 sudden victory over Keaton Kluever of Minnesota in the semifinals but dropped a 3-2 decision to North Dakota State’s Juan Mora in the first overtime tiebreaker.
Three other Jackrabbit wrestlers placed in the top six of the heavyweight class, including freshman Luke Rasmussen, who posted a third-place finish. After being pinned by Kluever in his collegiate debut, the Brookings native reeled off three consecutive victories. He pinned McGillivray in his first match of the wrestlebacks and edged teammate Spencer Trenary, 3-1, in the consolation semifinals.
That set up a rematch with Kluever, and this time Rasmussen came out victorious by fall, putting Kluever’s shoulders to the mat in 6 minutes and 37 seconds.
Trenary placed fifth at heavyweight, with Jackrabbit freshman Kail Wynia taking sixth.
Also recording a third-place finish for SDSU was 165-pounder Jack Thomsen. A junior, Thomsen also turned in a 3-1 record on the day. He began the day with a first-period pin of Maxwell Meekins of Saskatchewan. After dropping a 9-4 decision to Minnesota’s Andrew Sparks, Thomsen notched a 16-4 major decision over North Dakota State’s Alex Kowalchyk and a 10-4 decision against Minnesota’s Cael Carlson in the third-place match.
Placing fourth for the Jackrabbits were Tanner Jordan (125 pounds) and Caleb Gross (141), who each posted 2-2 records, as well as 184-pounder Roman Rogotzke with a 3-2 record.
Other fifth-place finishers were Bailey Roybal (125 pounds), Ryan Dolezal (157), Kalen Meyer (174), and Caleb Orris (184). Another freshman, Brock Fettig, took sixth in the 174-pound division.
UP NEXT
The Jackrabbits open the home portion of their schedule with two events next weekend at Frost Arena. SDSU hosts Augustana in dual action at 7 p.m. Friday, followed by the Daktronics Open on Nov. 20.
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