The No. 3-ranked Knights bring a 96-dual win string against current IIAC competition into Thursday's meeting with the No. 7-ranked Duhawks, including a 38-7 decision at Loras Fieldhouse in the 2004 meeting. Wartburg hasn't dropped a league dual since the finale of the 1993-94 campaign against Buena Vista.
* Knights rewind, notes: Thursday's dual is the first competition for the Orange and Black since the squad was split four ways for three opens and the Olivet (Mich.) Comet Duals Nov. 19.
Wartburg suffered only 10 individual match losses on the day en route to four wins at the Comet Duals.
The team rolled past Wabash (Ind.) 42-9, Mt. St. Joseph (Ohio) 37-12, Lycoming (Pa.) 29-12 and Ohio Northern 29-12. Lycoming came into the tournament with a No. 12 national ranking, while Ohio Northern was No. 29.
The lower weights proved strong for head coach Jim Miller's squad. Senior Bob Kuennen of Fort Atkinson (149 pounds), freshman Zach McKray of Iowa City (133 pounds) and sophomore Willie Harris of Creston (141 pounds) each picked up four wins. Freshman Dan Schulte of La Crescent, Minn., and junior T.J. Miller of Cedar Falls, wrestling at 174 and 197, also went 4-0.
The Knights were also successful at the three open meets. Freshman Ben McCorriston of Antioch, Cal., took a home a title in the Silver Division at 125 pounds at the Augsburg College Auggie Brute-Adidas Open, while senior Dustin Bliven of Columbus Junction and freshman Heath Sheeder of Guthrie Center shared the 165-pound title at the Coe College Thanksgiving Open.
Junior heavyweight Blake Gillis of Spencer and senior 141-pounder Dustin Hinschberger of Belle Plaine highlighted the efforts at University of Nebraska-Omaha's Kauffman-Brand Open. Gillis placed third in the multi-divisional field, defeating two-time NCAA Division III national champion Ryan Allen of UW-La Crosse for the second straight weekend, while Hinschberger ended fourth, upsetting Oklahoma State's Daniel Frishkorn, ranked fourth individually in NCAA Division I, in the wrestleback, and battling No. 18-ranked Josh Wooton of Northern Illinois to a 6-2 final in the consolation final.
* Gillis earned IIAC overall and wrestler of the week honors after his third-place finish at the Kauffman-Brand Open…Hinschberger became the newest member of the school's 100-win club after placing second at the Harold Nichols Open Nov. 12. He and Gillis are tied for the team win lead with eight each, and Hinschberger hasn't suffered a loss to a Division III wrestler since his sophomore campaign…McKray and Schulte are second on the win ladder, sporting 7-0 records, while four Knights, senior 125-pounder Paul Reedy of Emmetsburg, senior 141-pounder Willie Harris of Creston, sophomore 149-pounder Jake Naig of Emmetsburg and senior 184-pounder Akeem Carter of Waterloo, have six victories.
Opponent outlook – Thursday's dual is the first for head coach Randy Steward's Duhawks. Loras garnered three top three efforts at Augsburg in their most recent action as No. 1-ranked 125-pounder Terry Morgan was an individual champion, while 157-pounder Brad Bishop, ranked No. 8, and 184-pounder Mitch Hager, ranked No. 7, each took second.
Loras has four wrestlers, including Morgan, Bishop and Hager, ranked in the National Wrestling Coaches Association/Brute-Adidas Division III Nov. 15 poll. 174-pounder Ryan Hagerty is the other one with a No. 4 ranking.
Next up – Wartburg hosts the 33rd annual Dick Walker Invitational Saturday, Dec. 10.
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