Contact: Alex Mielcarz, Athletics Communication Graduate Assistant, ajmielcarz@noctrl.edu
NAPERVILLE, Ill. (Nov. 12, 2026) – Trailing late in the third period of his 165-pound bout, Maguire Hoeksema executed a takedown and rode out the waning seconds of the third period to deliver a thrilling comeback in North Central men's wrestling's dual against Carthage College on Thursday night inside Gregory Arena. Hoeksema's decision victory contributed three points to North Central's 51-0 dismantling of Carthage.
North Central's (2-0, 2-0 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin) 51 points are the most scored in a dual by a Cardinal team since 2024, when the Red and Black put up 55 against Illinois Wesleyan University.
The 125-pound bout delivered a tone-setter for the second consecutive dual. Xavier Villalobos wasted no time, executing an early takedown and parlaying his opponent into a danger position, pinning him soon after at the 29-second mark to put the Cardinals up 6-0 in the match.
The 29-second pin is the fastest pin achieved by a Cardinal this season.
Parker Graveman took to the mat in the 133-pound match and found himself on the comeback trail early. He started the match with a takedown, which Evan Glowinski later escaped from. Glowinski then returned the favor and performed a takedown of Graveman, then wrestled him into a danger position where Glowinski got four "swipes" from the official, signifying a four-point nearfall. A reversal at the end of the period shrank the scoring gap to 8-5 in favor of the Firebird.
Graveman started on the bottom to begin the second period. He earned a quick escape to bring the bout to within two (8-6) and performed three takedowns – with two escapes by Glowinski in between – in the period to take control of the match after the second period (15-10). Glowinski started the third period from referee's position, but was quickly put onto his shoulder by Graveman, who earned a four-point nearfall. An escape by the Carthage wrestler and a takedown in the final seconds of the period by Graveman gave him a major decision victory (22-11) to put the Cardinals up 10-0.
Carthage (0-1, 0-1) forfeited the next two weight classes (141 and 149), giving 12 more team points to the Cardinals, and victories to reigning CCIW Wrestler of the Week Matthew Maldonado (141-pounds) and Caden Chiarelli (149-pounds).
Up 22-0, freshman Daniel Ward brought home a technical fall for the home squad, outscoring his opponent 9-2 in the first period thanks to a trio of takedowns. After an escape to begin the second period, Ward executed a pair of takedowns (with an escape by the Carthage wrestler sandwiched between) to go up 15-3. With time running down, Ward contorted his opponent into a danger position and held it for a two-point nearfall just as the buzzer sounded through Merner Fieldhouse, giving him the technical fall win to add five more to the Cardinals' growing lead (27-0).
Hoeksema and Carthage's Marcus Macias put on a show for the fans in attendance in their 165-pound bout. After the two wrestled to a scoreless first period, Hoeksema elected to start the second period from the bottom, earning a quick escape point to open the scoring. Macias was able to take down Hoeksema in the latter half of the period, but Hoeksema was able to perform his second escape of the frame to make it a 3-2 match in favor of Macias going into the deciding period.
Macias began the final period in referee's position, breaking out of Hoeksema's grip for an escape point to make it a 4-2 bout. The pair then exchanged takedown attempts, with both sides defending each attempt perfectly. Finally, after 1:55 of the third period had elapsed, Hoeksema executed a highly anticipated throw, getting credit for a takedown, and sending the crowd into a frenzy. The final five seconds ticked away as Hoeksema held on for dear life to ride out the rest of the clock and prevent a would-be tying escape point for his opponent, winning by decision (5-4) and putting North Central up 30-0.
Collin Conley, who won by forfeit in the 174-pound bout in Tuesday's dual, faced off against an opponent for the first time in a dual this season on Thursday night, defeating Benjamin Schlosser by major decision (18-9). Conley took a 17-3 lead into the third period. Schlosser attempted a furious comeback, achieving an escape and a takedown to close the gap to 17-7. Conley then had to fight off multiple pin attempts by Schlosser, as he was put into danger positions on multiple occasions in the third. Conley held them all off, and allowed just a two-point nearfall in the closing moments of the bout to win 18-9 and further expand North Central's lead to 34-0.
Jake Luce earned a win by forfeit in the 184-pound bout; AJ Frescura battled his way to a dominating 18-2 technical fall win (6:22) in which he performed five takedowns, including three in the third period; and Luke Chrisse won by way of forfeit in the heavyweight bout for the second consecutive dual, giving the Cardinals the 51-0 victory.
Chiarelli and Hoeksema are now tied for the team lead in wins with seven apiece, while Villalobos and Graveman improved their records to a spotless 5-0, respectively. After the first full week of competition, Cardinal wrestlers are 106-40 in their respective bouts, with 30 wins coming by fall (five of which belong to Ethan Spacht and four to Chiarelli).
North Central is dormant this weekend, but picks back up with its third straight CCIW dual on Tuesday night when they host Wheaton College inside Wilde Res/Rec at 6 p.m.
