The Wabash College wrestling team rang in the New Year with a bang, dominating action in three victories at the University of Chicago Duals.
 
The Little Giants defeated Wisconsin-Oshkosh 31-13, won 32-9 over the host school in the second round before scoring a 42-9 win over Lakeland College 42-9. 
 
Connor Brummett knocked off two highly touted opponents in his three victories at 165 pounds on the day. 
 
In the first dual against UW-Oshkosh, Chris Diaz opened with a 7-2 victory at 125 pound, followed by a 6-0 win by AJ Belden, who was wrestling up a weight class at 133 pounds for the Little Giants. Michael Venezia came up with a dominant technical fall (17-0) at 141 pounds to put the Little Giants ahead 11-0 in the team scoring. UW-Oshkosh responded with a major decision at 149 and a pin at 157 to close the gap to 11-10. Brummett increased the Wabash advantage with a fall at 165 before 174-pounder Ethan Farmer scored a major decision against his opponent with an 11-2 score. Riley Lefever and Brett Thumm continued to stretch the lead, scoring a fall and an 11-2 major decision at 184 and 197 pounds, respectively. UW-Oshkosh took the match at heavyweight.
 
The second dual meet of the day against Chicago contained three of the most highly anticipated individual matches of the day at the 125-, 165-, and 174-pound weight classes.  At 125 pounds, Diaz squared off against returning Midwest Regional champion Devan Richter. Unfortunately for Diaz, Richter caught him in a slick head and arm throw early in the first period for a pin.  Belden scored an 8-3 decision in his matchup at 133 pounds. After a forfeit to Venezia at 141 pounds, senior Tim Locksmith made a triumphant return to the Little Giant lineup at 149 pounds after missing most of the last two seasons with injuries to score a first period technical fall in just 2:17. Freshman Kellen VanCamp followed with a 4-0 win at 157 pounds.
 
Brummett squared off against Nick Ferraro, who is currently honorable mention in the D3wrestle.com rankings at 165 pounds. The two competitors battled back and forth before Brummett scored the final takedown to come away with a 7-5 victory.
 
The 174 pound match between Farmer and Paul Papoutsis was a rematch of the third place match at the Concordia Open earlier this season, which Papoutsis won 4-2. Papoutsis took an early 3-0 lead, but Farmer fought back.  In the third period, Farmer held leads of 4-3 and 6-5, before Papoutsis tied the match up with a late escape. In the first overtime, Farmer took the only shot and finished it for an exciting 8-6 victory to avenge the early season loss. 

"I knew I needed to be more stringent and pressure him, which is what gave me the points I needed to get to overtime and, ultimately, win the match," Farmer said.
 
Lefever then scored his second of three first period falls of the day at 184 pounds. Thumm followed with a 14-7 decision at 197 pounds.  Chicago took the heavyweight match 8-3 to produce the final team score of 32-9.
 
The third and final match of the day was against Lakeland College. Diaz rebounded from his second-round loss with an 11-2 major decision to begin the match at 125 pounds at 141 pounds, Venezia secured his second technical fall on the day. Lakeland got on the scoreboard with a fall at 149 pounds, but VanCamp responded with a pin of his own at 157 pounds.
 
This dual featured the second of two highly anticipated matches on the day for Brummett at 165 pounds. He faced off against Mitchell Fucile, who was a win away from All-American status at the NCAA National Tournament a year ago. Brummett took it to Fucile throughout the entirety of the match, coming away with an impressive 9-4 victory.
 
Brummett has worked hard to consistently improve as the season progresses, making him prepared to compete against the best wrestlers in Division III. 
 
"It's so great to wrestle against tough competition like I had today," Brummett said. "It allows me to see what works and what doesn't against the best, so I can make the adjustments necessary to reach my goals."
 
Farmer and Lefever continued the Little Giant onslaught with pins of their own.  Lakeland took a close 2-0 decision at 197 pounds. Belden and Paul Snyder received forfeits at 133 pounds and heavyweight to produce the winning 42-9 result.  
 
Wabash returned to campus last Sunday, only two days after Christmas, to get ready for the dual meet portion of the schedule, and it paid off with the three victories. 
 
"The two-a-days prepared our team very well for the duals today," Venezia said. "I also felt like I was personally well-prepared and a step ahead of the competition because of the work put in this past week."
 
The Little Giants have a short week of practice this week before returning to the mats Friday at the National Wrestling Coaches Association National Duals in Fort Wayne.
 
"This week is important because we have a lot of work to do before the National Duals," Venezia said. "We will definitely have to step it up because the competition there is going to be a lot tougher than the completion we faced today. It is very important for our team to work as hard as we can to insure our readiness for the National Duals."
 
 
Round 1:
Wabash 31, Wisconsin-Oshkosh 13
125 – Chris Diaz (WC) def. Jonathan Flores (UWO), 7-2 decision
133 – A.J. Belden (WC) def. Dellas Vandenberg (UWO), 6-0 decision
141 – Michael Venezia (WC) def. Craig Mason (UWO), 17-0 technical fall
149 – Mark Choinski (UWO) def. Devin Broukal (WC), 9-0 major decision
157 – Nate Arquinego (UWO) def. Kellen VanCamp (WC), Fall (2:25)
165 – Connor Brummett (WC) def. Nick Monty (UWO), Fall (5:10)
174 – Ethan Farmer (WC) def. Julius Smith (UWO), 11-2 major decision
184 – Riley Lefever (WC) def. John DePersia (UWO), Fall (2:05)
197 – Brett Thumm (WC) def. Chris Yaros (UWO), 11-2 major decision
285 – Elijah Burdick (UWO) def. Jake Barclay (WC), 4-0 decision  
 
Round 2:
Wabash 32, UChicago 9
125 – Devan Richter (UC) def. Chris Diaz (WC), Fall (2:05)
133 – AJ Belden (WC) def. Louis Demarco (UC), 8-3 decision
141 – Michael Venezia (WC) won via forfeit
149 – Tim Locksmith (WC) def. Mason Williams (UC), 16-0 technical fall (2:17)
157 – Kellen VanCamp (WC) def. Luke Iida (UC), 4-0 decision
165 – Connor Brummett (WC) def. Nick Ferraro (UC), 7-5 decision
174 – Ethan Farmer (WC) def. Paul Papoutsis (UC), 8-6 decision (OT1)
184 – Riley Lefever (WC) def. Patrick Mulkerin (UC), Fall (1:58)
197 – Brett Thumm (WC) def. Ryan Walsh (UC), 14-7 decision
285 – Graham Grant (UC) def. Paul Snyder (WC), 8-3 decision
 
Round 3:
Wabash 42, Lakeland 9
125 – Chris Diaz (WC) def. Jimmy Spencer (LC), 11-2 major decision
133 – AJ Belden (WC) won via forfeit
141 – Michael Venezia (WC) def. Ian Gioacchini (LC), 19-3 technical fall
149 – Marcus McCauley (LC) def. Devin Broukal (WC), Fall (4:40)
157 – Kellen VanCamp (WC) def. Anthony Chiarello (LC), Fall (1:10)
165 – Connor Brummett (WC) def. Mitchell Fucile (LC), 9-4 decision
174 – Ethan Farmer (WC) def. Zavier Gonzalez (LC), Fall (6:47)
184 – Riley Lefever (WC) def. Wesley Colton (LC), Fall (2:00)
197 – Eddie Terres (LC) def. Brett Thumm (WC), 2-0 decision
285 – Paul Snyder (WC) won via forfeit