The UW-Whitewater men’s wrestling team played host to the North Central College Cardinals in a top-10 showdown in the Kachel Gymnasium. In what was a major early-season, measuring-stick dual for the Warhawks, they left more to be desired by the end, ultimately dropping the dual 37-29.
The Warhawks were battered and bruised in this matchup, having three starters out of their ordinary lineup. Heavyweight sophomore Isaak Smith was nursing a shoulder injury, and ranked 125-pound contender and returning national placer, senior Jalen Dunson, was recovering from a hand injury, forcing the Warhawks to rely on their depth in an important early-season test.
Junior Brayden Peet, the No. 3-ranked wrestler in his weight class nationally, was the first to compete for the Warhawks. He secured a win by decision and put Whitewater on the board 3-0.
“Mentally, [the match was] a little tough,” Peet said. “I’ve been a little sick and injured, just trying to push through. But ultimately, I got the win.”
Wrestling is as much a mental sport as it is physical, and pushing through those mental hardships is pivotal to having success on the mat.
After Whitewater fell into a 7-5 deficit, No. 12 ranked junior Gavin Kohel stepped onto the mat. One of five ranked wrestlers for Whitewater, he showed why he carries those numbers next to his name, winning his match by major decision to put the Warhawks back into the lead.
“I need to find more ways to score, but ultimately a win is a win,” Kohel said.
Even with the victory, the junior believes there is more ahead for him and is not satisfied with simply winning.
“Team-wise, we’ve got to get tougher,” Kohel said. “We’ve got to get those bonus points, got to be fighting off our backs. Getting pinned happens, but we don’t like it.”
Those bonus points proved to be the deciding factor in the dual. The Warhawks and the Cardinals split the matchups 5-5, but North Central scored nine more bonus points overall.
After Whitewater dropped another match, senior heavyweight Jordan Lewis filled in for the injured Smith in what proved to be a pivotal bout. Lewis fought hard but ultimately dropped the match by decision, allowing the Cardinals’ lead to grow.
Having Dunson out of the lineup was already a challenge for Whitewater, but his absence was especially significant in this dual. Backup sophomore Luke Berktold was tasked with wrestling No. 1 ranked senior Chip Guzman. Guzman pinned Berktold in the first period, but head coach Matt Zwaschka was not disappointed in the sophomore’s effort.
“Luke Berktold goes out there and wrestles hard all the time,” Zwaschka said. “I’ve seen that guy wrestle multiple times. He’s very skilled and probably the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the entire country.”
Another pin for the Cardinals resulted in a commanding lead, one Whitewater was going to struggle to climb out of. The Warhawks battled late, winning three of the last four matchups, but ultimately fell 37-29.
Despite the loss, Peet still believes the team has more ahead of it.
“Win conference and regionals as a team, and we can place in the top four in the country,” Peet said. “This dual is not what this team is.”
The Warhawks return to the mat Nov. 20, when they face the College of New Jersey at the Kachel Gymnasium.
