Kearney, Neb. – The 11th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney wrestling team upset future MIAA (Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association) foe Central Oklahoma, 21-15, Thursday night in the Health & Sports Center.

UNK improves to 11-2 on the season while UCO drops to 12-3. The Lopers have won the last three meetings against the Bronchos and also end UCO's win streak at 10. 

UNK scored the first points of the dual by getting a 10-5 decision by fourth-ranked ranked sophomore Josh Smith (Houston, Texas) at 125 lbs. UCO tied the dual at three score when seventh-ranked Trison Graham held on for a 9-8 decision over sophomore Stephen Weimer (Clovis, Calif.)

Weimer recorded a takedown and two-point near fall in the last 10 seconds but lost due to riding time.

After getting a forfeit win at 141 pounds, the Lopers saw second-ranked junior T.J. Hepburn (East Hampton, Conn.) fight out of an early hole at 149 lbs. to earn a pin Austin Standage at the 5:21 mark of the third period.

At 157 lbs., the Bronchos' seventh-ranked Cory Dauphin needed overtime to defeat sophomore Islam Abitov (Osh, Kyrgyzstan/Kearney H.S.). Abitov tied the score at three by getting an escape and a technical point in the third period but Dauphin recorded the win as he rode Abitov for 30 seconds and then escaped in the first OT period.

The Lopers kept UCO at bay by getting a win at 165 pounds. Fifth-ranked junior Joey Wilson (Half Moon Bay, Calif.) used three takedowns to beat eighth-ranked Derrick Adkins, 9-4, but UCO won at the next weight class when Kelly Henderson got a takedown with 14 seconds left to edge sophomore Drew Comito (Spokane, Wash.), 3-1.

UCO won three of the last four matches but sophomore Ross Brunkhardt (Merino, Colo.) upset seventh-ranked Tanner Keck, 3-1, at 184 lbs. to secure the dual win for the Lopers.

Brunkhardt, now on a 15-match win streak, got an escape early in the second period to lead 1-0 and then Keck escaped early in the third to tie things up. Neither wrestler scored in the first sudden victory period and each rode each other rode for 30 seconds in the first overtime. 

In the second one minute sudden victory period, Brunkhardt scored a takedown with 15 seconds left to give UNK a 21-9 lead.

The Bronchos got back-to-back decisions to close out the night as fifth-ranked Jarrett Edison won 5-1 at 197 lbs and freshman Cody Dauphin used an early takedown to upset fourth-ranked senior Ben Hohensee (Monett, Mo.), 3-2, at 285 lbs.

UNK is at  top-ranked Nebraska-Omaha Saturday night.