WARRENSBURG, Mo. - No.5 McKendree University men's wrestling claimed a dominant 40-10 win over Central Missouri on Thursday night to extend its winning streak to 12-straight duals. The win pushed the Bearcats to 13-1 on the season with a 5-0 conference record as they enter postseason competition this upcoming weekend.

McKendree began the dual outing with a pair of pin victories in both the 125 and 133 classes, earning a 12 team points in two matches. Redshirt sophomore Christian Mejia recorded a takedown early in the opening period which was followed by a nearfall against Trever Wishne, which led to the first points of the dual for the Bearcats. Senior Ryan Ripplinger took even less time to push the lead for the Bearcats, earning a takedown and pushing straight into a fall over Terrell Carter-Williams, which put McKendree up 12-0 over the host. 

Freshman Brody Norman (141) collected four nearfalls enroute to his matchup win versus Charles Hancock, earning a tech fall with a 16-0 count. Norman began with a strong first period, earning a takedown and two nearfalls. The second period found the freshman collecting two more nearfalls and his win in just over three minutes. With the 141 win, McKendree went up 17-0 over the Mules. 

McKendree dropped the 149 matchup but bounced back in the 157 with a fall victory by senior Jose Champagne. Champagne collected a takedown and nearfall during the first three minutes, adding a reversal in the second to take a commanding lead in the matchup. The third and final period added another reversal and a nearfall, which led to a pin by Champagne and six more points for the Bearcats (23-4). 

The 165 added six more points to McKendree's lead with redshirt freshman Cory Peterson earning the forfeiture win (29-4).

The fifth-ranked Bearcats went on to win the next three classes (174, 184, 197) as junior Joshua Jones, redshirt sophomore Rozell Baker, and graduate senior Vincenzo Scaletta, each won by decision. Jones went on the offensive early and consistently throughout his matchup in the 174 against Austin Morgan. The junior earned at least two takedowns per period, collecting three in the third and final period of the matchup. Jones won via major decision (16-5) to add four points to the Bearcats team total. The 184 featured Baker earning a pair of takedowns in the first period to build a lead over Roger Carranco, which he never looked back from, winning by 5-1 decision. Scaletta built a lead early in his dual matchup with six points in the first period  while adding three takedowns in the last two periods to push the score to a major decision (14-3) for the Bearcats.

McKendree dropped the final contest of the night with fall in the 285 class. 

The No.5 Bearcats earned a 13th dual win on the season with non-conference dual victory and a 12th-straight win dating back to January 6 at National Duals. 


UP NEXT:
McKendree men's wrestling will be competing in the GLVC Championship Duals on Saturday, February 12 in St. Charles, Missouri at Hyland Arena. The Bearcats earned the No.1 seed with a 5-0 league record this year and will take on Davenport in the first round at 10 A.M.

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