Brookings, S.D. -- The Huskers raced to a 22-0 lead and won all six competed matches, as the 12th-ranked Nebraska wrestling team returned to the win column with a 46-6 victory over South Dakota State at the Swiftel Center on Saturday afternoon. The Huskers moved to 5-2 on the season and have now won seven straight over the Jackrabbits.
Nebraska did not allow a point until a forfeit at 157 pounds and was in control from the start after early bonus-point victories from freshman C.J. Napier (133) and junior Mike Koehnlein (141). Napier had one of two pins for Nebraska on the day, as the Huskers tallied five bonus-point victories.
Napier improved his record to 12-5 with his pin at 133 pounds over Tyler Johnson in 3 minutes, 40 seconds. Napier has won three of his last four matches, including two bonus-point victories. Koehnlein also earned his 12th win of the season with his 12-2 major decision over Dustin Walraven at 141 pounds.
No. 3 Stephen Dwyer remained undefeated in dual action (7-0), as he produced Nebraska's other fall at 174 pounds, pinning Joe Rasmussen in 2 minutes, 19 seconds. Dwyer has five pins this season, second on the team behind Craig Brester (6).
Brester was part of the only match-up of ranked wrestlers, as he defeated No. 9 Tyler Sorenson by decision (8-2) at 197 pounds. Brester moved to 13-0 and now has four wins over ranked opponents this season. No. 9 Tucker Lane tallied his first technical fall win of the season with a 19-4 victory over Jeremy Swier at Heavyweight.
Junior James Nakashima earned his first dual victory with an 11-3 major decision win over Weston Blasius at 165 pounds. The Dwight, Ill., native is a newcomer to the Husker lineup after starting three matches at last weekend's Las Vegas Invitational and dropping a hard-fought 8-3 decision to No. 4 Dustin Schlatter of Minnesota on Thursday night.
Nebraska won three matches by forfeit (125, 149, 184), as several South Dakota State wrestlers are fighting through a skin infection, while the Jackrabbits won the 157-pound bout with NU's Jordan Burroughs absent due to personal family reasons.
Nebraska returns home for the first time in a month when the Huskers host a double-dual against No. 6 Central Michigan and Nebraska-Kearney next Saturday, Dec. 19 at the NU Coliseum. The Chippewas and Lopers will begin the day's action at 10 a.m., followed by Husker duals vs. Central Michigan and Nebraska-Kearney with 10-minute breaks between each match.
Results:
125 - David Klingsheim (NU) wins by forfeit (NU 6, SDSU 0)
133 - C.J. Napier (NU) wins by fall over Tyler Johnson (SDSU), 3:40 (NU 12, SDSU 0)
141 - Mike Koehnlein (NU) wins by major decision over Dustin Walraven (SDSU), 12-2 (NU 16, SDSU 0)
149 - Chris Hacker (NU) wins by forfeit (NU 22, SDSU 0)
157 - Nick Flynn (SDSU) wins by forfeit (NU 22, SDSU 6)
165 - James Nakashima (NU) wins by major decision over Weston Blasius, 11-3 (NU 26, SDSU 6)
174 - No. 3 Stephen Dwyer (NU) wins by fall over Joe Rasmussen (SDSU), 2:19 (NU 32, SDSU 6)
184 - Josh Ihnen (NU) wins by forfeit (NU 38, SDSU 6)
197 - No. 2 Craig Brester (NU) wins by decision over No. 9 Tyler Sorenson (SDSU), 8-2 (NU 41, SDSU 6)
285 - No. 9 Tucker Lane (NU) wins by technical fall over Jeremy Swier (SDSU), 19-4 (46, SDSU 6)
