February 13, 2005

Final Results: Northern Illinois 40, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville 0
Wt. Results Team Score (NIU-SIUE)
133: Patrick Castillo (Northern Illinois) major dec. Steve Chico (SIUE), 16-6 4-0
141: Andy Hiatt (Northern Illinois) dec. Bill Breheny (SIUE), 11-8 7-0
149: Kalen Knull (Northern Illinois), dec. Joe Rujawitz (SIUE), 4-1 10-0
157: Joe Henning (Northern Illinois) major dec. Matt Warren (SIUE), 14-2 14-0
165: Johnny Galloway (Northern Illinois) pinned John Flcht (SIUE), 9-3 17-0
174: Danny Burk (Northern Illinois) dec. Eric Scholle (SIUE),3-2 20-0
184: George Kirgan (Northern Illinois) dec. Pat Healy (SIUE), 9-2 23-0
197: Brandon Check (Northern Illinois) pinned Branden Lorek (SIUE), 6:38 29-0
Hwt: Joe Sapp (Northern Illinois) win by forfeit 35-0
125: Chad Vandiver (Northern Illinois) tech. falls Scott Audo (SIUE), 17-1, 5:00 40-0

Northern Illinois Wrestling Builds On Team Depth In 40-0 Blanking Of SIU-Edwardsville

DeKalb, IL – Multiple goals were achieved by the No. 23-ranked Northern Illinois wrestling team in a 40-0 victory over Southern Illinois-Edwardsville Sunday afternoon. Not only did the Huskies earn their 13th dual-match win of the year, but they continued to solidify their depth at a number of weight classes as three talented reserves earned victories to secure NIU’s most dominating win of the season.

In addition to wins by Patrick Castillo (133), Andy Hiatt (141) and Kalen Knull (149), the Huskies also welcomed senior George Kirgan back to the mat, as the 184-pounder earned a 9-2 win over SIUE’s Pat Healy in his first action since injuring his knee in a Nov. 28 matchup with Wisconsin at the Convocation Center.

“It was great to see George (Kirgan) back in action,” head coach Dave Grant said. “He’s worked hard to rehab his injury and will be a great addition to this team down the stretch.”
Castillo opened the Northern Illinois win with a 16-6 major-decision over Steve Chico. His 12th win of the year, Castillo stepped in for the nationally-ranked Sam Hiatt and once again showed why the 133-pound division will be in good hands next season.

Hiatt’s younger brother, Andy Hiatt, also starred in a reserve role, topping Bill Breheny for his 14th win of the season. The third NIU reserve, Knull, filled in for sophomore Mike Grimes at 149 and topped Joe Rujawitz by a 4-1 margin.

“Getting those guys into a competition is huge for building a program,” Grant said. “Everyone has to be sharp. We run very competitive practice environments, so they were ready to step in and compete today.”

NIU quickly put the contest out of reach with dominating wins by Joe Henning (157) and Johnny Galloway (165). Henning recorded a major decision with a 14-2 triumph over Matt Warren, while Galloway ran his record to a team-best 24-6 with a 9-3 win over John Flcht.

Danny Burk’s (174) 16th win of the year pushed the NIU advantage to 20-0, before Kirgan’s win over Healy, a pin by Brandon Check (197) and a forfeit by SIU-Edwardsville at heavyweight made the margin 35-0.

Perhaps the hottest Northern Illinois wrestling is Chad Vandiver at 125 pounds. Among the league’s top performers in his division, Vandiver earned his second consecutive technical fall win with a 17-1 domination of Scott Audo. The win pushed Vandiver’s overall mark to 20-9, making him the third Huskie to reach the 20-win plateau this season.

“Chad is really starting to come on,” Grant said. “He’s a talented guy and is going to do some great things in this program. It’s always important to be wrestling your best this time of the year.”

Northern Illinois wraps up the regular season on Feb. 19 at home against Eastern Michigan at 2:05 p.m.

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