FARGO, N.D. – Redshirt Freshmen Gavin Drexler and Max Petersen led the way for North Dakota State wrestling on Saturday at the Bison Open, claiming titles in front of 422 spectators inside the Scheels Center.
Drexler, who picked up his first national ranking earlier in the week at No. 33, backed it up in the Bison Open 141-pound bracket, as he picked up three victories to sweep through the bracket, including a 6-4 win over No. 24 Vance Vombaur of Minnesota in the championship match. Drexler also had a major decision victory over Parker Janssen of South Dakota State and a win by decision over teammate Walker Bents, who went on to finish fifth overall in the bracket.
Petersen claimed the other individual title for the Bison after three wins in the 149-pound bracket. After defeating Minnesota’s Theo Cha in his opener, Petersen then won by injury in the first period over No. 11 Kellyn March of the Bison. Petersen then picked up another upset victory as he defeated Minnesota’s No. 17 Drew Roberts by a 10-8 decision to claim the title.
True freshman Boeden Greenley was one of three other Bison who reached the final on Saturday. Greenley picked up an 11-3 major decision victory over last year’s champion at 157 pounds Sebas Swiggum in his first collegiate match. Greenley then defeated teammate Landen Johnson 7-5 to reach the final, before falling to No. 9 Michael Blockhus of Minnesota in the final.
Johnson would go on to take third overall, avenging a loss to Swiggum in last year’s final to go 3-1 on the day. Johnson also had a pair of bonus-point decisions with a major decision to start the day before a tech fall to reach the third-place match.
Like Greenley, true freshman Adam Cherne reached the final in his Bison debut at 184 pounds, going 3-1 on the day before falling to Minnesota’s Max McEnelly in his final match. Cherne started off his career with a pin of South Dakota State’s Shane McConville at 2:04. He then had a win by decision over teammate Aidan Brenot, before a major decision win over South Dakota State’s Jaxon Bowes. Brenot would go on to take third overall.
Redshirt freshman Brendan Howes to second overall at 165 pounds, reaching the final. Howes started off with a tech fall over Jacob Fister of South Dakota State before a pin on Minnesota’s Hunter Lyden at 65 seconds in the semifinal match. Howes fell to Minnesota’s Blaine Brenner by decision in the final.
Carlos Negrete Jr. would take second overall at 125 pounds. Negrete picked up a pair of decisions, but fell to No. 29 Tanner Jordan of South Dakota State in sudden victory to take the runner-up spot.
Spencer Mooberry would overcome an early loss to take third overall at 197 pounds. Mooberry fell in a battle by fall in his opener to Minnesota’s Rowan Morgan. He then reeled off four straight victories, including a pair of major decisions and avenging his loss to Morgan.
Full NDSU Results from Bison Open:
125 | Carlos Negrete Jr | 2nd | 2-1
W over Brandon Meredith (South Dakota State); Dec 6-2
L to #29 Tanner Jordan (South Dakota State); SV-1 6-3
W over Brandon Morvari (Minnesota); Dec 2-0
133 | Ryan Henningson | 5th | 1-2
L to Chase DeBlaere (Oregon State); NDSU); Dec 8-4
L to Derrick Cardinal (South Dakota State); NDSU); Fall 5:17
W over Amantee Mills (NDSU); Inj.
133 | Amantee Mills | 6th | 1-3
L to Derrick Cardinal (South Dakota State); TF 19-2
W over Julian Perez (NDSU); MD 14-4
L to Chase DeBlaere (Oregon State); Dec 12-7
L to Ryan Henningson (NDSU); Inj.
133 | Julian Perez | 0-2
L to Tyler Wells (Minnesota); TF 20-3
L to Amantee Mills (NDSU); MD 14-4
141 | Gavin Drexler | 1st | 3-0
W over Parker Janssen (South Dakota State); MD 10-1
W over Walker Bents (NDSU); Dec 3-0
W over #24 Vance Vombaur (Minnesota); Dec 6-4
141 | Walker Bents | 5th | 1-2
L to Parker Janssen (South Dakota State); Dec 5-1
L to #33 Gavin Drexler (NDSU); Dec 3-0
W over Thomas Moralez (NDSU); TF 15-0
141 | Thomas Moralez | 0-3
L to #24 Vance Vombaur (Minnesota); TF 17-1
L to Caleb Gross (South Dakota State); Fall 2:29
L to Walker Bents (NDSU); TF 15-0
149 | Maxwell Petersen | 1st | 3-0
W over Theo Cha (Minnesota); Dec 15-11
W over #11 Kellyn March (NDSU); Inj. 2:25
W over #17 Drew Roberts (Minnesota); Dec 10-8
149 | Tanner Gerber | 4th | 2-2
L to #17 Drew Roberts (Minnesota); TF 17-1
W over Pedro Velazquez (NDSU); Dec 7-0
W over #11 Kellyn March (NDSU); Inj.
L to Daniel Kimball (South Dakota State); MD 11-1
149 | Clay Radenz | 5th | 3-2
L to #17 Drew Roberts (Minnesota); TF 17-2
W Trae Thilmony (NDSU); Dec 7-5
W Theo Cha (Minnesota); Fall 2:03
L to Daniel Kimball (South Dakota State); Dec 8-1
W over #11 Kellyn March (NDSU); Inj.
149 | Kellyn March | 6th | 1-3
W over Trae Thilmony (NDSU); Fall 6:54
L to Maxwell Petersen (NDSU); Inj. 2:25
L to Tanner Gerber (NDSU); Inj.
L to Clay Radenz (NDSU); Inj.
149 | Trae Thilmony | 0-2
L to #11 Kellyn March (NDSU); Fall 6:54
L to Clay Radenz (NDSU); Dec 7-5
149 | Pedro Velazquez | 0-2
L to Daniel Kimball (South Dakota State); Dec 7-1
L to Tanner Gerber (NDSU); Dec 7-0
157 | Boeden Greenley | 2nd | 2-1
W over Sebas Swiggum (Minnesota); MD 11-3
W over Landen Johnson (NDSU); Dec 7-5
L to #9 Michael Blockhus (Minnesota); MD 14-1
157 | Landen Johnson | 3rd | 3-1
W over Moses Espinoza-Owens (South Dakota State); MD 11-2
L to Boeden Greenley (NDSU); Dec 7-5
W over Ryan Dolezal (South Dakota State); TF 20-0
W over Sebas Swiggum (Minnesota); Dec 12-5
157 | Michael Weber | 5th | 2-2
W over Kyler Wong (Minnesota); TF 15-0
L to #9 Michael Blockhus (Minnesota); MD 12-4
L to Sebas Swiggum (Minnesota); Dec 7-2
W over Ryan Dolezal (South Dakota State); MD 13-0
165 | Brendan Howes | 2nd | 2-1
W over Jacob Fistler (South Dakota State); TF 17-1
W over Hunter Lyden (Minnesota); Fall 1:05
L to Blaine Brenner (Minnesota); Dec 7-1
165 | Zane Licht | 0-2
L to Blaine Brenner (Minnesota); TF 15-0
L to Tim Stapleton (Minnesota); Fall 5:44
174 | Mason Gode | 6th | 1-3
L to Ethan Riddle (Minnesota); Dec 6-2
W over Spencer Steiner (Minnesota); Dec 5-0
L to Devin Wasley (Minnesota); Dec 5-0
L to Riggin Boger (South Dakota State); Dec 8-5
184 | Adam Cherne | 2nd | 3-1
W over Shane McConville (South Dakota State); Fall 2:04
W over Aidan Brenot (NDSU); Dec 8-4
W over Jaxon Bowes (South Dakota State); MD 13-4
L to Max McEnelly (Minnesota); TF 19-4
184 | Aidan Brenot | 3rd | 2-2
L to Max McEnelly (Minnesota); TF 19-4
W over Jaxon Bowes (South Dakota State); MD 13-5
L to Adam Cherne (NDSU); Dec 8-4
W over Shane McConville (South Dakota State); TF 21-4
197 | Spencer Mooberry | 3rd | 4-1
L to Rowan Morgan (Minnesota); Fall
W Jared Thiry (South Dakota State); Dec 5-4
W over Macray Klohs (NDSU); MD 11-0
W over Rowan Morgan (Minnesota); Dec 11-9
W over Brett Mower (Oregon State); MD 17-3
197 | Macray Klohs | 0-2
L to Brett Mower (Oregon State); MD 9-0
L to Spencer Mooberry (NDSU); MD 11-0
285 | Devon Dawson | 4th | 1-2
W over Regan Bollweg (South Dakota State); Fall 2:03
L to Bowen McConville (South Dakota State); Dec 4-1
L to Kail Wynia (South Dakota State); SV-1 4-1
Check out Bison Wrestling at gobison.com and on X (Twitter). Buy Bison Tickets