UNK Wrestling: #18 Lopers Stroll Past the NT Mavericks

 The 18th-ranked Nebraska Kearney wrestling team racked up the points to roll past Northwest Kansas Tech, 44-4, Friday night at the Health & Sports Center.

The Lopers improve to 2-2 while the Mavericks are tied for 11th in the NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association).

Using several regular starters and some youngers, UNK recorded four tech falls and two falls. The techs came by a combined score of 66-5 with the falls happening at 1:33 and 2:44.

“They went out there and did what they were supposed to do … score a lot of points, score in every position and have some fun,” said UNK head coach Dalton Jensen. 

Northwest Tech features three nationally-ranked individuals including Mongolian Otgonbayar Batsuuri as well as Cuban national Lazaro Crespo. Both have had success in many international competitions.

At 184 pounds, David City redshirt sophomore Dylan Vodicka had the win of night as he rallied from a 6-1 first-period deficit to beat Crespo. He managed a takedown with eight seconds left in the second to move ahead, 8-7, and then tacked on four more points in the third to win 12-7. Finally for UNK, nationally-ranked John Burger (149 lbs.; fall 1:33) and Crew Howard (285 lbs.; tech fall 19-3) picked up wins.

“They have a couple of really high-class guys at 174 and 184 pounds. Their 174 starter has placed at the World Championships so we wanted to see him again,” said Jensen. “Jacobi faced him at our tournament, and he made some adjustments but to get your hands on a guy that world-class is rare for this level. For Dyaln to come from behind and win, that was impressive and a confidence boost for him.”

The Bob Smith Open is tomorrow in Kansas with the dual at Chadron State set for next Friday at 7 p.m. Central time.

“Our young guys will wrestle at Hays tomorrow and Oklahoma State will have a lot of guys there so that’ll be another opportunity to see high-level competition,” said Jensen. “On paper, the Chadron dual will be very competitive. We’re the top two teams in the region right now and this is the best Chadron team I’ve seen in two decades. They are a good dual squad and we’re sitting out a couple of our starters until second semester.”