FARGO, N.D. – The University of Wyoming wrestling team won its second Western Wrestling Conference dual in as many days by beating the North Dakota State Bison 25-15 on Sunday.
Wyoming now has an overall record of 10-3 and is 5-0 in the league, while NDSU is 9-5 and 2-1. The Cowboys broke a six-match win streak by the Bison. UW also clinched at least a share of the WWC regular season dual title for the second straight year.
The ‘Pokes won five matches, three by bonus-point margin (eight points or more), and took a forfeit at 133 pounds to obtain the final 10-point team margin.
“North Dakota State is a vastly improving team and they came out to win,” UW head coach Mark Branch said. “They were riding a win streak that included a win over No. 6 Boise State. They wrestled hard and as a team we matched their intensity.
“We got dominating performances from Mike (Martinez), Shane (Onufer), Joe (LeBlanc) and Fonz (Alfonso Hernandez). Fonz wrestled an outstanding match and really put the dual in our hands with the way he finished. He set the tone for a solid Cowboy win.”
The match began at 133 pounds, where UW’s Cory VomBaur took a forfeit, followed by two bouts where Wyoming wrestled guys above their normal weight classes due to a reoccurring stinger issue that has kept 149-pounder Cole Dallaserra out of the lineup.
Cowboy redshirt freshman Kasey Garnhart lost 6-2 to Ryan Adams who is ranked No. 30 at 141 pounds in the NCAA Coaches Panel rankings, and UW’s Chase Smith lost by a riding time point, 3-2 to Andrey Patselov at 149 pounds.
No. 9 Shane Onufer then swung the momentum back in the favor of UW at 165 pounds when he used six takedowns to earn a 14-4 major decision over Tyler Johnson. Onufer is now 22-5 this season.
At 174 pounds, Brock Smith picked up a 7-2 decision for his team over Mac Stoll.
All-American Joe LeBlanc, No. 9 ranked, then delivered at 184 pounds with an 18-2 technical fall win over Kenny Moenkedick. LeBlanc racked up four takedowns and three nearfalls on his way to his 30th win of the season. His overall record of 30-4 includes 24 bonus point margins. The win over Moenkedick was his 11th technical fall this year.
In the 197-pound match, UW’s Alfonso Hernandez was aggressive with five takedowns and two reversals, which resulted in a 15-8 win over Drew Ross.
Wyoming’s L.J. Helbig got caught at heavyweight and pinned by NDSU’s Joe Arthur at the 0:59 mark.
In the final match of the day, No. 12 Michael Martinez faced Justin Solberg, who is No. 32 at 125 pounds in the NCAA Coaches Panel rankings. Martinez made sure that the match was never a close one, as he recorded six takedowns on the way to a 14-5 major decision. He is now 25-7 this season.
Wyoming’s next competition will be their final home dual of the season, as well as Senior Night for Cowboys Alex Rieder and Cory Vombaur. UW will host Cal State Fullerton in the UniWyo Sports Complex on Friday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. MT. Rieder and VomBaur will be honored prior to the match.
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