YPSILANTI, Mich. – The Northern Illinois University wrestling team split four duals on Saturday at the Eastern Michigan Duals, opening the season with a 2-2 dual record after a quality day of wrestling at the EMU Convocation Center.

The Huskies defeated two Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) foes, Clarion and Bloomsburg, with convincing victories, nearly knocked off No. 24 Edinboro from the EWL and were also defeated by Purdue of the Big Ten Conference. Later in the day, several Huskies also shined in the EMU Open brackets as NIU saw 19 different wrestlers win at least one match on Saturday.

In dual action, NIU was led by a pair of Michigan natives, Steve Bleise (Chelsea, Mich./Chelsea) and Shawn Scott (Holly, Mich./Holly), who both posted perfect 4-0 records on Saturday in their matches. Bleise, a redshirt freshman 141-pounder competing in his first dual for the Huskies, began the day with a huge victory over top 15-ranked Danny Sabatello of Purdue and continued that form to earn three other dominating wins. And Scott, NIU’s returning NCAA Championships qualifier at 197, picked up four decision victories throughout the day to start his season with sound success.

On the whole, NIU wrestling head coach Ryan Ludwig thought it was a strong opening to the 2015-16 season for his team and praised the efforts of the Huskies on a long day of dual and open tournament wrestling.

“These guys wrestled hard today, and we had some outstanding individual performances,” Ludwig said. “There are a few technical areas we can sharpen up to create bonus point victories and turn some losses around. We will be back in the wrestling room this week to work on taking care of that business. But overall, I’m proud of our attacking mindset and fight today.”

Three other Huskies also earned three dual victories on Saturday. Austin Eicher (Fenton, Mich./Hartland) had a very good day at 133 pounds in his dual debut for NIU, as did the experienced pair of Gabe Morse (Alto, Mich./Alto) and Quinton Rosser (Cincinnati, Ohio/Archibishop Moeller) at 149 pounds and 184 pounds, respectively.

Full results of all four of NIU's season-opening duals and the Huskies' performances at the EMU Open are available below:

Dual One: Purdue defeats NIU, 30-9

The Huskies dropped their first dual match on Saturday to the Big Ten’s Boilermakers of Purdue by a 30-9 scoreline as the college wrestling season officially started for NIU at 8 a.m.

Bleise's stunning upset of ranked Danny Sabatello helped the Huskies pull even with Purdue at 6-6 after Gabe Morse also won by decision, but the Boilermakers stretched their lead out to 27-6 before Shawn Scott won a hard-fought match against Drake Stein at 197 pounds for NIU's third win in this dual.

Purdue 30, NIU 9
125: Ben Thornton (P) dec. Alijah Jeffery (NIU), 3-1
133: Luke Welch (P) dec. Austin Eicher (NIU), 10-4
141: Steve Bleise (NIU) dec. No. 15 Danny Sabatello (P), 15-9
149: Gabe Morse (NIU) dec. Kyle Ayersman (P), 5-2
157: No. 13 Doug Welch (P) injury forfeit Andrew Morse (NIU), 0:48
165: Chad Welch (P) tech. fall Andrew Scott (NIU), 15-0
174: Jacob Morrissey (P) maj. dec. Trace Engelkes (NIU), 14-6
184: Tanner Lynde (P) pins Quinton Rosser (NIU), 1:14
197: Shawn Scott (NIU) dec. Drake Stein (P), 8-5
HWT: Tyler Kral (P) dec. Arthur Bunce (NIU), 9-2

Dual Two: NIU gets first win, downing Clarion, 34-11

Four pins propelled the NIU wrestling team to its first victory of the season as the Huskies downed Clarion 34-11 on Saturday morning at the EMU Duals.

Alijah Jeffery (Marion, Iowa/Linn-Marr) started the trend of NIU first-period pins against the Golden Eagles, which was followed by similar displays from Eicher and Bleise. With the maximum 18-0 lead through three matches, NIU proceeded to post four more bonus-point victories in this dual, including the first pin of the year for junior 174-pounder Trace Engelkes (Winnebago, Ill./Winnebago).

NIU 34, Clarion 11
125: Alijah Jeffery (NIU) pins Patrick Dewitt (C), 1:28
133: Austin Eicher (NIU) pins Mike Bartolo (C), 1:18
141: Steve Bleise (NIU) pins Brock Zacherl (C), 0:54
149: Gabe Morse (NIU) maj. dec. Brodie Zacherl (C), 11-3
157: Jake Keller (C) dec. Austin Culton (NIU), 6-4
165: Evan Delong (C) maj. dec. Andrew Scott (NIU), 11-2
174: Trace Engelkes (NIU) pins Michael Pavasko (C), 0:43
184: Quinton Rosser (NIU) dec. Dominic Rigous (C), 8-6
197: Shawn Scott (NIU) dec. Dustin Conti (C), 5-2
HWT: Evan Daley (C) maj. dec. Jake Cochrane (NIU), 12-3

Dual Three: NIU batters Bloomsburg, 33-3

After a short break in the action, the Huskies notched another victory over an EWL opponent by beating Bloomsburg, 33-3.

NIU won nine of the 10 matches, including eight decisions, against their fellow Huskies as Coach Ludwig's squad dominated throughout after building a 15-0 lead through four contests.

Senior heavyweight Arthur Bunce (Munith, Mich./Dansville) capped the impressive NIU performance with his first pin of the season in 2:32 to conclude NIU's victory in the first ever matchup between the two programs.

NIU 33, Bloomsburg 3
125: Alijah Jeffery (NIU) dec. Jon Haas (B), 7-2
133: Austin Eicher (NIU) dec. Andrew Schutz (B), 9-3
141: Steve Bleise (NIU) earns forfeit win
149: Gabe Morse (NIU) dec. TC Warner (B), 6-3
157: Brendon Colbert (B) dec. Austin Culton (NIU), 4-0
165: Andrew Scott (NIU) dec. Michael Morris (B), 8-2
174: Trace Engelkes (NIU) dec. Kyle Wojtaszek (B), 6-0
184: Quinton Rosser (NIU) dec. Nick Depalma (B), 7-1
197: Shawn Scott (NIU) dec. Mike Mirra (B), 10-4
HWT: Arthur Bunce (NIU) pins Bo Spiller (B), 2:32

Dual Four: Huskies Edged by No. 24 Edinboro, 19-12

A year after dropping a 40-3 dual match against Edinboro at the EMU Duals, NIU took the nationally ranked Fighting Scots to the final match in Saturday’s final contest before eventually falling 19-12.

Facing a team that finished third at the NCAA Championships last season, NIU wrestled right with one of college wrestling’s top programs as Eicher and Bleise posted decision victories that gave the Huskies an early 6-3 lead.

Edinboro, the defending EWL dual and tournament champions, responded by winning the next four bouts, but wins by Rosser and Scott gave NIU a chance until the heavyweight match went the way of the Fighting Scots.

No. 24 Edinboro 19, NIU 12
125: Sean Russell (E) dec. Alijah Jeffery (NIU), 8-3
133: Austin Eicher (NIU) dec. Tony Recco (E), 8-2
141: Steve Bleise (NIU) dec. Tyler Vath (E), 14-7
149: Patricio Lugo (E) dec. Gabe Morse (NIU), 8-4
157: Spencer Nagy (E) dec. Austin Culton (NIU), 4-0
165: Casey Fuller (E) maj. dec. Andrew Scott (NIU), 9-0
174: Patrick Jennings (E) dec. Trace Engelkes (NIU), 8-5
184: Quinton Rosser (NIU) dec. Chris Laird (E), 8-7
197: Shawn Scott (NIU) dec. Vincent Pickett (E), 5-3
HWT: William Miller (E) dec. Arthur Bunce (NIU), 8-3

Huskies Break Out at EMU Open

The NIU wrestling team also boasted several breakout performances during the open tournament portion of Saturday’s action at Eastern Michigan as five Huskies placed in the top eight of their respective weight classes, led by the third-place finish at 157 pounds by Caden McWhirter (Prattville, Ala./Prattville), who earned his first five collegiate wins on Saturday.

Also joining McWhirter on the podiums at the EMU Open were Kirk Johansen (Glendale Heights, Ill./Glenbad North) in seventh at 125 pounds, McCoy Kent (Modesto, Calif./Enochs) and Shaun’Qae McMurtry (Lockport, Ill./Nebraska) in sixth at 141 and 165 pounds, respectively, and Caleb Gossett (St. Charles, Mo./St. Francis Howell) in eighth at heavyweight.

Here are the full NIU Results from the EMU Open:

125 pounds
Kirk Johansen, 7th
Johansen pins Luke Nace (Ohio), 3:26
Elijah Oliver (Indiana) maj. dec. Johansen, 16-5
Johansen tech. fall Kristopher Hill (Unattached), 21-5
Johansen tech. fall Arick Shankles (Edinboro), 17-1
Johansen dec. Logan Griffin (Michigan), 13-7
Angelo DiSabato (Ohio) dec. Johansen, 6-3
Johansen dec. Michael Volyanuk (Michigan), 8-3

141 pounds
McCoy Kent, T-6th
Kent dec. Kyle Noonan (Central Michigan), 12-5
Ke-Shawn Hayes (Ohio State) maj. dec. Kent, 17-4
Kent maj. dec. Matt Liggett (Clarion), 13-2
Kent dec. Ian Cole (Lake Erie), 10-6
Kent dec. Kyle Ayersman (Purdue), 7-6
Kent dec. Sal Maradino (Ohio State), 3-2
Kent maj. dec. Nate Hagan (Edinboro), 11-3

Brad Green
Zehlin Storr (Michigan) dec. Green, 9-3
Green pins Lawrence Blackful (Tiffin), 3:57
Jayce Carr (Cleveland State) dec. Green, 10-5

149 pounds
Max Fisher
Fisher dec. Ryan Montgomery (Cleveland State), 6-3
Fisher dec. Grant Turnmire (Cleveland State), 7-5
Austin Thompson (Michigan) maj. dec. Fisher, 15-5
Mark Bozzo Jr. (Michigan State) dec. Fisher, 9-2

157 pounds
Caden McWhirter, 3rd
McWhirter dec. Bret Romanzak (Ashland), 4-0
McWhirter maj. dec. Jesse Stamann (Michigan), 9-0
McWhirter maj. dec. Tanner Miller (Ohio), 12-1
McWhirter maj. dec. Tevin Machart (Central Michigan), 9-1
Jake Ryan (Ohio State) dec. McWhirter, 11-8
McWhirter pins Christian Baughman (Lake Erie), 1:55

Josh Davis
Anthony DeCarlo (Ohio State) dec. Davis, 1-0
Bret Romanzak (Ashland) maj. dec. Davis, 10-0

165 pounds
Shaun’Qae McMurtry, T-6th
McMurtry dec. Logan Ritchie (Michigan), 13-9
McMurtry dec. Peter Andreotti (Purdue), 3-1
T Schoffstall (Edinboro) dec. McMurtry, 15-14
McMurtry dec. Bryce Martin (Indiana), 11-10
McMurtry pins Seth Williams (Ohio State), 5:00

Dan Andress
Logan Massa (Michigan) pins Andress, 1:32
Andress dec. Christian Price (Ashland), 5-3 (SV2)
Bryce Martin (Indiana) tech. fall Andress, 20-4

174 pounds
Marco Orlandi
Jerald Spohn (Kent State) maj. dec. Orlandi, 12-3
Orlandi dec. Shane Mast (Kent State), 9-8
Hayden Bronne (Tiffin) pins Orlandi, 3:40

184 pounds
Michael Aldrich
Charlie Keenan (Kent State) dec. Aldrich, 5-2
Aldrich dec. Caleb Stockmaster (Kent State), 3-2
Aldrich dec. Sean Prather (Ohio State), 3-1
Jordan Ellingwood (Central Michigan) maj. dec. Aldrich, 9-0

197 pounds
Luke Greenberg
Jared Langley (Eastern Michigan) dec. Greenberg, 9-3
Gerald Beck (Findlay) tech. fall Greenberg, 16-0

Heavyweight
Caleb Gossett, T-8th
Adam Robinson (Central Michigan) dec. Gossett, 2-1
Gossett pins Zach Wood (Lake Erie), 3:42
Gossett dec. Mike Siwiec (Rider), 6-4
Gossett dec. Evan Loughman (Lake Erie), 10-3
Gossett forfeit win over Jordan Karst (Utah Valley)

Next up, the Huskies will head to the Michigan State Open next Sunday for another day of wrestling. NIU’s next dual matchup will be its Mid-American Conference and home opener against Central Michigan on Thursday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. in the NIU Convocation Center.

--NIU--