JACKS DROP HEARTBREAKER TO PANTHERS, 13-19

Sunday, February 8

Brookings, S.D.

1 p.m.

South Dakota State University

Northern Iowa

Colin Dupill, a wrestler in a blue singlet, scrambles against a wrestler in a purple singlet during a match with UNI

Photo by: Jenna Batka

2/8/2026 3:57:00 PM | Wrestling

BROOKINGS, S.D. - The Jacks dropped four of the last five matches on Sunday, as they found themselves on the losing end of a dual, dropping a heartbreaker to #19 UNI, 13-19.

Daniel Guanajuato got the Jacks off to a good start when he faced Brandon Paez at 125 pounds. Guanajuato scored a takedown in the first off a Paez attack and never looked back, shutting out Paez and scoring the decision, 5-0.

Derrick Cardinal made his return to the lineup at 133 pounds, where he took on No. 21 Julian Farber. After a scoreless first, Farber made the first move, scoring on a takedown to get the advantage, 5-0, heading to the third. Farber went back to work in the third, scoring consecutive takedowns and getting the major decision, 10-1, giving the Panthers the lead.

No. 11 Julian Tagg got some revenge on the Panthers when he went up against Connor Thorpe at 141 pounds. Tagg scored twice in the first and second periods and was hunting a tech fall going into the third. Thorpe battled back in the third and held Tagg to a major decision, giving the Jackrabbits back the lead, 7-4.

At 149 pounds, Colin Dupill stepped up against Iowa transfer Caleb Rathjen. After giving up an early takedown, Dupill battled back and scored one of his own to finish the first period. After giving up another takedown in the second, Dupill got to Rathjen's legs and almost finished a takedown with a minute remaining, but Rathjen was able to roll out of it and score a takedown of his own to get the decision, 10-6, tying the dual at 7-7.

In a rematch from a month ago at the NWCA National Duals, No. 15 Cael Swensen took on Cael Rahnavardi. Swensen scored takedowns in the first and third periods and locked up the ride time point, securing a decision over Rahnavardi, 8-2, giving the Jacks the lead heading into the break.

The freshman, Jacob Herm, got the nod at 165 pounds and took on No. 6 Ryder Downey. After a scoreless first, in which Downey fended off Herm's multiple attacks, Downey was able to scramble and score a takedown to give him a 3-0 lead heading to the third. Herm went back to work in the third, hunting the tying takedown, but after another scramble, Downey ended up with the deciding takedown, scoring a decision, 7-1.

A marquee matchup occurred at 174 pounds when No. 14 Moses Espinoza-Owens took on No. 12 Jared Simma. Not a lot separated the two wrestlers throughout the bout but Simma scored the deciding takedown in the second and never allowed Espinoza-Owens to wrestle back into the match. Espinoza-Owens forced two stall calls in the third, but it proved futile as he dropped the bout, 5-2.

Brock Fettig and Nick Fox matched up again at 184 pounds. Tied 1-1 in the third in a closely contested match, Fox ultimately got the better of Fettig again, scoring a takedown with under 20 seconds remaining in the bout, to secure a decision, 4-1.

Down 6 with two bouts to go, the Jacks would need to take both matches to come away with the win. No. 5 Bennett Berge took on Carson Babcock at 197 pounds. Berge got to Babcock's legs on a shot and lifted him over his head in the first, but couldn't finish the takedown as the score remained 0-0 heading to the second. Berge scored an escape and ran through Babcock in the second to score a double leg takedown that decided the match, scoring a decision 4-1.

A familiar position between the two schools, the dual came down to the heavyweights as No. 24 Luke Rasmussen took on Adam Ahrendsen. Ahrendsen struck first, scoring a takedown in the first and riding Rasmussen out to finish the period. After scoring an escape in the second, Rasmussen fought back and scored a takedown of his own in the third on an ankle pick. After much rolling around, Ahrendsen scored a reversal that sealed the dual, taking the match 5-4 and the dual, 13-19.

NOTES

Attendance: 1,512

UP NEXT
The Jacks are back next weekend as they host the Jackrabbits Open on Feb. 15th inside the SJAC, starting at 11 a.m.

RESULTS:
#14 SDSU 13, #19 UNI 19
125: Daniel Guanajuato (SDSU) over Brandon Paez (UNI) (Dec 5-0)
133: #21 Julian Farber (UNI) over Derrick Cardinal (SDSU) (MD 10-1)
141: #11 Julian Tagg (SDSU) over Connor Thorpe (UNI) (MD 14-3)
149: Caleb Rathjen (UNI) over Colin Dupill (SDSU) (Dec 10-6)
157: #15 Cael Swensen (SDSU) over Cael Rahnavardi (UNI) (Dec 8-2)
165: #6 Ryder Downey (UNI) over Jacob Herm (SDSU) (Dec 7-1)
174: #12 Jared Simma (UNI) over #14 Moses Espinoza-Owens (SDSU) (Dec 5-2)
184: Nick Fox (UNI) over Brock Fettig (SDSU) (Dec 4-1)
197: #5 Bennett Berge (SDSU) over Carson Babcock (UNI) (Dec 4-1)
285: Adam Ahrendsen (UNI) over #24 Luke Rasmussen (SDSU) (Dec 5-4)