Contact: Sam Fretto, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, sjfretto@noctrl.edu
Alvernia Results
Wabash Results
TCNJ Results
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa. (Jan. 10, 2024)- After a 22-day break, the North Central College men's wrestling team returned to action for the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) National Duals in Cedar Falls, Iowa, at the DNI- Dome. The Cardinals bounced back after an early loss to Alvernia University and won their next two duals against Wabash College and The College of New Jersey.
North Central fell to Alvernia in a tight matchup 22-18 before finding success squashing Wabash 32-6 and putting away TCNJ 32-13.
North Central standout and second-ranked 125-pounder Christian Guzman went all three matches today for North Central. He won all three to remain undefeated with a 20-0 record, starting with a 17-1 technical fall victory over Alvernia's 11th-ranked Keito Shaw. Guzman got two more tech falls, with a 16-1 victory over Wabash's Andrew Punzalan and a 17-2 victory over 13th Matt Griffin (TCNJ).
Ethan Spacht got in for a pair of matches in the 133-pound weight class. Spacht split his opportunities, securing a victory over James King (Alvernia) with a 10-0 major decision. Spacht had a tougher matchup in his second match as he faced seventh-ranked James Day from Wabash. He was able to keep the match close but ultimately fell in a 4-2 decision. No. 10 ranked Julian Valtierrez got his number called for the 133-pound match against TCNJ, where he would fall to Garrett Totten by an 18-2 technical fall. Spacht moves to 11-6 on the season, and Valtierrez is 7-2.
The Cardinals deployed 13th-ranked 141-pound Bradley Rosen for all three matches, where he would have a clean sweep going 3-0. He earned three technical fall victories, dispatching Garrett Gehr (Alvernia) 18-1, Mason Weynat (Wabash) 16-0, and 14th-ranked Sam Kotch (TCNJ) 17-1. Rosen's perfect day moves him to 10-1 on the season.
North Central used three wrestlers in the 149-pound weight class. Tyler Starr faced off against Chance Babb (Alvernia), where he would fall by an 11-6 decision. Harrison Konder took the reins in the dual against Wabash and defeated Josyah Hyland by an 11-4 decision. TCNJ's No. 14 ranked Michael Conklin saw Kenny Siwicki in the third dual, and he beat Siwicki by a tech fall (17-1). Starr, with a rare loss this season, is now 14-6.
Konder and Siwicki manned the 157-pound weight class, as Konder wrestled three total times on the day and Siwicki twice. Konder fell to 13th-ranked Jason Rezac (Alvernia) via fall (4:52). Siwicki took on Andrew Ross (Wabash) and took him down in a 6-1 decision, before Konder faced Jason Gioradno (TCNJ). Konder got an 8-1 decision victory to put that match away. Konder went 2-1 on the day as he improved to 12-8, while Siwicki is 9-5 after his 1-1 day.
No. 12 rated Alex Villar wrestled in all three duals for North Central as he came away 1-2 in the 165-pound weight class. Villar's first match of the day saw him facing the top-ranked wrestler of his weight class, Matt Lackman (Alvernia). Despite it being a close match, Villar still fell in a 5-3 decision. He changed his fortunes with a tech fall (18-1) victory over Ayden Lutes (Wabash). Villar faced another ranked wrestler of the 165-pound class as he took on fourth-ranked Nicholas Sacco (TCNJ). The match would swing Sacco's way with a 5-0 decision. Villar is 14-4 on the season, with all of his losses this year coming to ranked opponents.
Javen Estrada wrestled all three matches in the 174-pound weight class on day one of the NWCA National Duals, and he came away 2-1. The first match of the day for Estrada set up a ranked bout as he entered the match eighth-ranked and his opponent, Nate Lackman (Alvernia), ranked second. Estrada fell to Lackman by an 11-1 major decision. He bounced back with a 16-4 major decision over Jaylen Young (Wabash) and a fall victory over ninth-ranked Hunter Mays (5:44). Estrada has six pins on the season as he has moved to 13-3.
The 184-pound class was dominated by Payton Geigner for North Central as he went 3-0 with three major decisions. Geigner, 13th-ranked, defeated Hayden McLellan (Alvernia) 10-1, Zachary Huckabee (Wabash) 8-0, and James Romaine (TCNJ) 9-0. Geigner is 18-3 this season with seven major decisions, the most on the team.
Elijah Brockie opened the day for the Cardinals in the 197-pound weight class, and Casey Aikman finished. Brockie took on sixth-ranked Isaac Kassis but fell via decision (8-2). Aikman took over from there, finishing 2-0 on the day, including a huge upset win over fifth-ranked Charles Baczek (Wabash) by an 8-7 decision. Aikman finished the day with a decision (8-3) over DJ Henry (TCNJ). Brockie is 11-8 this season, with Aikman improving to 12-3.
A duo of No. 9-ranked Robby Bates and Aidan Trujillo wrestled for the Cardinals in the 285-pound weight class as they combined for a 1-2 day. Bates opened the day facing Mauro Pellot (Alvernia), where he would fall by a 9-4 decision. Trujillo took over for the 285-pound bout against Wabash as he faced Titus Waters. Waters defeated Trujillo via decision (4-1). Bates helped the Cardinals finish strong on the day, scoring a fall victory (5:28) over Matthew Coon (TCNJ). Bates is now 15-3 this season, with Trujillo moving to 8-7.
Day two of the NWCA National Duals begins tomorrow for North Central as they have a dual against the Vermont State University Castleton set for 9 a.m. in the DNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Click HERE for the full schedule.
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