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Published Thursday February 16, 2006 Sigman's big pin breaks tie as No. 1 Mavericks edge No. 6 Augustana
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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Les Sigman's 67th straight win couldn't have been more timely for the University of Nebraska at Omaha wrestling team Wednesday night.

Sigman broke a 17-17 tie with a pin over No. 6-ranked heavyweight Cris Bietz in the final match, giving UNO a 23-17 win and its first undefeated season in 36 years.

The No. 1-ranked Mavericks also wrapped up their seventh North Central Conference title in a 10-0 season.

Augustana, ranked No. 6 in NCAA Division II, fell to 12-5. The Vikings took advantage of a forfeit at 125 pounds to claim a 6-0 lead before Dan Hilario, Mitch Waite, Shane Unger and Patrick Allibone reeled off wins to put UNO on top 14-6.

Viking 165-pounder Cody Henriksen then upset No. 5-ranked Ross Taplin, 5-3, narrowing the margin to 14-9. But No. 2-ranked J.D. Naig answered with a solid 6-2 win over No. 4-ranked Dusty Wilking in the next match at 174.

The Vikings tied the match with a decision at 184 and a technical fall by No. 1-ranked Tim Boldt at 197.

That set the stage for Sigman, the three-time national champion, who took an 8-4 lead in the first period before notching the fall early in the second.

The only other UNO team to go undefeated in dual matches was the 1969-70 Don Benning-coached squad that was 14-0 before going on to win the NAIA national championship.

UNO returns to the mat Feb. 26 at the NCAA II North Regional at Sapp Fieldhouse.

Results Wednesday:

• 125: Chris Trampe, Augustana, won by forfeit.
• 133: No. 6 Dan Hilario, UNO, dec. Jeremie Degen, 11-5.
• 141: No. 3 Mitch Waite, UNO, dec. No. 6 Andre VanderVelde, 11-6.
• 149: No. 6 Shane Unger, UNO, dec. Aaron Haddorff, 10-6.
• 157: No. 1 Patrick Allibone, UNO, tech. fall over Matt McDougall, 18-1.
• 165: Cody Henriksen, A, dec. No. 5 Ross Taplin, 5-3.
• 174: No. 2 J.D. Naig, UNO, dec. No. 4 Dusty Wilking, 6-2.
• 184: No. 4 Nate Buys, A, dec. Nate Oviatt, 4-2, OT.
• 197: No. 1 Tim Boldt, A, tech. fall over Nick Edmonds, 22-7.
• Hwt: No. 1 Les Sigman, UNO, tech. fall over No. 6 Cris Bietz, 4:41.

Washingtons make hall of fame

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Brothers Mel and Roy Washington, both national champions as members of the University of Nebraska at Omaha wrestling team, were inducted into the New York Section 8 wrestling Hall of Fame Wednesday night, said their former UNO teammate, Curlee Alexander of Omaha.

The late Roy Washington, who changed his name to Dhafir Muhammad before his senior season in college, was a three-time national champion from 1968 through 1970 at 145 and 150 pounds. Mel won national championships at 177 pounds in 1969 and 1971.

The brothers remained in Omaha after college. Their impact lasted far beyond their college days, said Alexander, a 119-pound national champion on the 1969 team.

"They were very instrumental in getting wrestling around here to where it's at," he said.
-Nick Rubek

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