No. 20 Ashland Grapplers Lose At Home To No. 10 Bearcats On Criteria

Forget the final score.
 
Ashland University's wrestling team is as ready to put together a strong stretch as at any point in the 2023-24 season.
 
On Sunday (Jan. 21) afternoon at Kates Gymnasium, the No. 20-ranked Eagles – featuring basically the lineup they were envisioning back in November – won five consecutive matches before ultimately losing to No. 10 McKendree on criteria, 20-19.
 
"It was good. Encouraging to see some guys out there that were coming back from injuries," said Ashland head coach Colt Sponseller. "It was a good day. Obviously, we would like to win that dual."
 
Ashland is 1-9 in duals this season, and the Bearcats 6-4.
 
Trailing 16-0 on Sunday, the Eagle comeback began. No. 8-ranked graduate 157-pounder Drew Wiechers (11-3) earned an 11-0 major decision over Logan Rathjen to get Ashland on the board, then sophomore 165-pounder Sevriano Garza (8-9) followed with an 18-3 technical fall over Christian Peiffer-Laguerre.
 
At 174 pounds, sophomore Nate Barrett (15-5) outlasted No. 7-ranked Matt Ortiz by a 2-1 count, No. 2-ranked 184-pounder Daniel Beemer (3-0) earned an 11-3 major decision over Zeke Waltz to tie the match at 16-16, then senior 197-pounder Walker Uhl, in his first action of the season, topped Logan Kvien, 6-4.
 
"That first match of the year…he doesn't necessarily have the experience and the feel of it, so to get him back into it is good," Sponseller said of Uhl. "Having that first one when another guy's had 15, 20 matches before…to see him come out and get the win was good."
 
Of Barrett, Sponseller said, "A win against a ranked opponent was good, and that's actually the second time he's beaten him. To come here and do it at home, he's that good."
 
UP NEXT
The 2024 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Championships on Saturday (Jan. 27) at 10 a.m. in Tiffin, Ohio.
 
"I feel really good with our guys that were in the lineup today, and then even the extra guys that we bring next week," Sponseller said. "We'll try to go out there and compete for a G-MAC title as a team and as individuals, so I'm looking forward to it."
  125 pounds – No. 4 Christian Mejia (MU) dec. No. 11 Luke Acuna (AU), 6-1 – 3-0 MU
133 pounds – Ryan Ripplinger (MU) maj. dec. Tyler Masters (AU), 11-0 – 7-0 MU
141 pounds – No. 5 Ronan Schuelke (MU) pin Jeremiah McKee (AU), 3:39 – 13-0 MU
149 pounds – Joey Semerad (MU) dec. Hayden Kuhn (AU), 4-2 – 16-0 MU
157 pounds – No. 8 Drew Wiechers (AU) maj. dec. Logan Rathjen (MU), 11-0 – 16-4 MU
165 pounds – Sevi Garza (AU) tech. fall Christian Peiffer-Laguerre (MU), 18-3 – 16-9 MU
174 pounds – Nate Barrett (AU) dec. No. 7 Matt Ortiz (MU), 2-1 – 16-12 MU
184 pounds – No. 2 Daniel Beemer (AU) maj. dec. Zeke Waltz (MU), 11-3 – 16-16 tie
197 pounds – Walker Uhl (AU) dec. Logan Kvien (MU), 6-4 – 19-16 AU
285 pounds – Tyler Haynes (MU) dec. Wyatt Bailey (AU), 7-4 – 19-19 tie
* McKendree wins on criteria