One UNI Panthers wrestler won a 2016 MAC title at the conference championships.. Three others earned automatic bids to the NCAA national wrestling tournament, and three of those four are former NE Iowa high school all stars.

The team finished fifth overall with 73.5 points, just 2.5 points out of third place.

UNI Panthers Who Placed:
125 pounds – Dylan Peters / second, NCAA qualifier
141 pounds – Trevor Jauch ( / fifth
157 pounds – Bryce Steiert / second, NCAA qualifier
165 pounds – Cooper Moore / third, NCAA qualifier
184 pounds – Drew Foster / fifth
285 pounds – Blaize Cabell / first, NCAA qualifier

The North East Iowa connection includes: Peters (Denver H.S.), Steiert (Waveverly-Shell Rock H.S.), and Cabell (Independence H.S.).

Cabell won his first MAC title and grabbed the only qualifying spot for the NCAA tournament with a 6-5 decision over Buffalo’s Jake Gunning.

Peters secured his third trip to the NCAA tournament with a spot in the finals, but he was looking for his second MAC title at 125 pounds. His first title was as a redshirt freshman in 2014. For the second consecutive year, Peters finished second. He lost by 9-5 decision to Barlow McGhee of Missouri.

Steiert dropped just his second major decision of the year in the finals. He lost 10-2 to Le’Roy Barnes of Missouri, but he secured his spot at the NCAA tournament yesterday.

CONSOLATIONS:
UNI went 1-2 in the first round of consolations with Cooper Moore being the only Panther to advance to the third-place match. Moore beat Central Michigan’s Colin Heffernan before getting a 4-1 decision over Ohio’s No. 27 Austin Reese to take third.

Trevor Jauch fell 10-5 to No. 14 Steve Bleise of Northern Illinois to get bumped into the match for fifth place. He followed it up with a 40-second fall against Ohio’s Noah Forrider.

Drew Foster was pinned by top seed No. 9 Willie Miklus of Missouri and faced No. 29 Andrew Romanchik of Ohio for fifth place. His win set up a final match to decide a true fourth place for the final NCAA qualifying position. He came back to be edged out in a tie breaker to Joe Ariola of Buffalo.

RESULTS: UNI Wrestlers...

125 – No. 5 Dylan Peters – 2nd place
Day 1:
Peters pinned Del Vinas (Kent State), 5:27
Peters dec. Shakur Laney (Ohio), 9-5
Day 2:
No. 10 Barlow McGhee (Missouri) dec. Peters, 9-5

141 – No. 32 Trevor Jauch – 5th place
Day 1:
No. 15 Zach Horan (Central Michigan) dec. Jauch, 3-2
Jauch dec. Brandon Lapi (Buffalo), 2-1
Day 2:
No. 14 Steve Bleise (Northern Illinois) dec. Jauch, 10-5
Jauch pinned Noah Forrider (Ohio), 0:40

157 – No. 21 Bryce Steiert – 2nd place
Day 1:
Steiert maj. dec. Andrew Morse (Northern Illinois), 11-0
Steiert dec. No. 10 Luke Smith (Central Michigan), 6-3
Day 2:
No. 29 Le’Roy Barnes (Missouri) maj. dec. Steiert, 10-2

165 – No. 17 Cooper Moore – 3rd place
Day 1:
Moore dec. Shaun McMurty (Northern Illinois), 13-6
Dakota Juarez (Eastern Michigan) dec. Moore, 4-3
Day 2:
Moore dec. Colin Heffernan (Central Michigan), 11-5
Moore dec. Austin Reese (Ohio), 4-1

184 – Drew Foster – 5th place
Day 1:
No. 15 Jack Dechow (Old Dominion) dec. Foster, 3-2
Foster dec. Quinton Rosser (Northern Illinois), 7-2
Foster dec. Derek Hillman (Eastern Michigan), 8-4
Day 2:
No. 9 Willie Miklus (Missouri) pinned Foster, 5:37
Foster dec. No. 29 Andrew Romanchik (Ohio), 5-2
true fourth match – Joe Ariola (Buffalo) dec. Foster, 2-1

285 – No. 15 Blaize Cabell – 1st place
Day 1:
Cabell dec. Cody Johnston (Missouri), 10-6
Cabell maj. dec. Newton Smerchek (Central Michigan), 15-6
Day 2:
Cabell dec. Jake Gunning (Buffalo), 6-5

TEAM SCORING
Missouri, 127.5
Central Michigan, 91.5
Ohio, 76
Kent State, 75.5
Northern Iowa, 73.5
Northern Illinois, 65
Buffalo, 56
Eastern Michigan, 54.5
Old Dominion, 36.5

 

More From Q98.5