The No. 20 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater wrestling team received critical contributions throughout its lineup Thursday night to defeat No. 5 UW-La Crosse 22-16 in a thrilling Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference dual match at Kachel Gymnasium.
 
With the Warhawks (8-4 overall, 3-1 WIAC) clinging to a 19-16 lead heading into the final match of the night, freshman Jordan Festge (Madison, Wis./Madison East) stepped to the mat against the Eagles' Clay Broze, who is ranked sixth in the nation by the National Wrestling Coaches Association and ninth by D3wrestle.com, at 285 pounds.
 
Trailing 6-1 in the third period, Festge dramatically turned the match with a takedown and four-point near fall, flipping the lead to his side at 7-6.
 
After Broze escaped to level the match at 7-7, Festge earned another takedown before the final horn to give UW-Whitewater the upset victory and hand UW-La Crosse (11-4, 3-1) its first conference loss.
 
Freshman Brandon Arteaga (Lake Zurich, Ill./Lake Zurich) gave the Warhawks the lead for good with a first-period fall at 157 pounds. With the win, he improved to 12-8 on the year.
 
Freshman Nicholas Bonomo (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North) used a last-second takedown to defeat Alex Friedman in a major decision, 12-4, and improve to 20-5 on the season. Both wrestlers are ranked as contenders by D3wrestle.com at 184 pounds.
 
Seniors Matt Adcock (Bloomingdale, Ill./Lake Park), Tom Gerszewski (Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake South) and sophomore Isaiah Vela (West Chicago, Ill./St. Charles East) were winners by decision for the Warhawks.
 
At 141, Adcock, ranked second by the NWCA and third by D3wrestle.com, moved to 19-7 with a 6-4 triumph over Grant Sutton. Gerszewski, slotted No. 9 by the NWCA and No. 6 by D3wrestle.com at 165, bested Derek Weinmann by a 6-2 count.
 
Vela, ranked seventh by the NWCA and ninth by D3wrestle.com, posted an 8-6 victory at 149 pounds.
 
UW-Whitewater hosts the Rocky Rococo Border Brawls this Saturday starting at 11 a.m. The Warhawks are scheduled to begin the day with a dual against WIAC foe UW-Eau Claire.
 
See below for complete results from Thursday's matches.
 
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Wrestling
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Kachel Gymnasium – Whitewater, Wis.
 
No. 20 UW-Whitewater 22, No. 5 UW-La Crosse 16
 
125: Ryan Weinmann (UW-La Crosse) d. Zac Denny (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem) by major decision, 15-5
133: Dustin Weinmann (UW-La Crosse) d. Joseph Brodman (Tiffin, Ohio/Calvert) by major decision, 12-0
141: Matt Adcock (Bloomingdale, Ill./Lake Park) d. Grant Sutton (UW-La Crosse) by decision, 6-4
149: Isaiah Vela (West Chicago, Ill./St. Charles East) d. Mason Geary (UW-La Crosse) by decision, 8-6
157: Brandon Arteaga (Lake Zurich, Ill./Lake Zurich) d. Michael Murnane (UW-La Crosse) by fall, 2:39
165: Tom Gerszewski (Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake South) d. Derek Weinmann (UW-La Crosse) by decision, 6-2
174: Tyler Schneider (UW-La Crosse) d. Connor Price (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) by decision, 5-3
184: Nicholas Bonomo (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North) d. Alex Friedman (UW-La Crosse) by major decision, 12-4
197: Zach Tooley (UW-La Crosse) d. Bowen Wileman (Milton, Wis./Milton) by technical fall, 19-0 (4:58)
285: Jordan Festge (Madison, Wis./Madison East) d. Clay Broze (UW-La Crosse) by decision, 9-7
 
Time of match: 1:33
Attendance: 314
 
Records:
No. 5 UW-La Crosse 11-4, 3-1 WIAC
No. 20 UW-Whitewater 8-4, 3-1 WIAC