LINCOLN, NE – Nebraska Wesleyan wrestling hosted the Prairie Wolf Duals on Saturday, highlighted by a thrilling victory over Westminster College before narrowly falling to MSOE in the second dual of the day. The duals marked a milestone as first-year head coach Colton McCrystal earned his first career dual win at the helm of the Prairie Wolves.
HOW IT HAPPENED
NWU 26, Westminster 22
The opening dual against Westminster featured strong performances across several weight classes, helping Nebraska Wesleyan secure a 26-22 victory.
At 125 pounds, Christopher McClanahan got NWU started on the right foot with a commanding 10-3 decision over Isaac Gawronski. Robbie Fisher kept the momentum going at 133, using a relentless pace to earn a 19-8 major decision over Henry Warfel.
Jared Gallub delivered one of the most dominant performances of the day at 141 pounds, racking up a 20-5 technical fall in just 5:42. Not to be outdone, Kellen Monroe energized the crowd with a quick pin at 2:38 in the 149-pound bout, giving NWU a commanding lead.
Kaden Ontiveros followed with fireworks of his own at 157 pounds, securing a 15-0 technical fall in just 2:27, extending the Prairie Wolves' lead to 23-0. While Westminster responded with victories at 165, 184, 197, and 285 pounds, Emilio Chavez added a crucial 18-15 decision at 174 pounds to keep NWU ahead on the scoreboard. The Prairie Wolves' strong start proved insurmountable, delivering McCrystal his first dual win.
MSOE 27, NWU 18
The Prairie Wolves faced a tough battle in their second dual of the day, falling 27-18 to a resilient MSOE squad.
Quinton Chavez opened the dual with an explosive performance, pinning Jesse Johnson at the two-minute mark of the 125-pound bout to give NWU an early lead. After a hard-fought decision loss at 133, Jared Gallub added six more points for the Prairie Wolves with a forfeit win at 141 pounds.
Kaden Ontiveros stayed sharp at 157 pounds, earning a gritty 7-2 decision over Connor Nagela. At 165 pounds, Seth Littrell thrilled the crowd, earning the riding time point to clinch a narrow 14-13 decision, extending the lead to 18-7.
However, MSOE capitalized on bonus points in the upper weights, including a pin at 184 pounds and major decisions at 174 and 197. Gavin Graham sealed the victory for MSOE at heavyweight with a pin over Donovan Mann, ending the dual at 27-18 in favor of the visitors.
UP NEXT
Nebraska Wesleyan will return to action Saturday, January 4, traveling to compete in the Central Under Armour Invitational. With a growing sense of confidence under Coach McCrystal's leadership, the Prairie Wolves look to build on their early-season momentum.
