DUBUQUE, Iowa -- The No. 1/2-ranked Wartburg College men's wrestling team turned in a perfect opening day at the NCAA Division III Region VI Championships, advancing all 10 wrestlers to Saturday's semifinal round.

The Knights sit atop the team standings following day one with 121 points. Championship semifinals and consolation third-round bouts are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 28.

At 125 pounds, second-seeded Brett Birchman opened his tournament with a first-round bye before posting a 15-0 technical fall in 2:48 over Brady Mouser (Illinois Wesleyan). Birchman ignited Wartburg's semifinal sweep with a 10-4 decision over Cole Blalock (Huntingdon) in the quarterfinals, accounting for 10.5 team points on the day.

Top-seeded Patrick Mullen dominated the 133-pound bracket, starting with a 17-2 technical fall in 3:54 over Tanner Higa (Dubuque). Mullen followed with a first-period pin—his eighth fall of the season—before advancing to the semifinals via a 21-5 technical fall. He totaled 14.0 team points and will face No. 5 seed Brody Neighbor (Coe) in the semifinals.

At 141, Kade Blume recorded a 17-2 technical fall in 1:49 during the second round after a first-round bye. Blume added another tech fall in the quarterfinals at 5:44, marking his ninth and 10th of the season. He contributed 12.0 team points and will meet No. 5 seed Nosa Egbon (Loras).

Third-seeded Caleb Olson advanced at 149 with a 55-second pin over Gaven Vollintine (Blackburn) before securing a 9-0 major decision in the quarterfinals. Olson totaled 12.0 team points and will face No. 2 seed Chase Fiser (Loras) in the semifinals.

At 157, top-seeded Charlie Dojan followed a first-round bye with his 15th technical fall of the season, defeating Cy Peterson (Nebraska Wesleyan) in 2:18. Dojan then pinned Damion Jones (Huntingdon) in just 34 seconds to reach the semifinals, finishing the day with 12.5 team points.

Fourth-seeded Aiden Brosinski advanced at 165 after a first-round bye and a 2:31 pin of Hayden Stout (Buena Vista). Brosinski punched his ticket to the semifinals with a 5-1 decision and will meet top-seeded Clayton McDonough (Luther). He scored 11.0 team points on opening day.

At 174, third-seeded Mike Slade recorded a 1:40 pin in the second round before cruising to an 18-6 major decision in the quarterfinals. Slade totaled 12.0 team points and will face No. 2 seed Bryce McDonough (Luther) in the semifinals.

Top-seeded Kasey Ross was dominant at 184, opening with first-period pins over Lucas Blanton (Illinois Wesleyan) in 1:56 and Casey Kinnell (Nebraska Wesleyan) in 2:51. Ross capped his day with a 15-0 technical fall over Griffin Schultz (Luther), scoring a team-best 14.5 points and advancing to face No. 5 seed Justin Wirtz (Coe).

At 197, top-seeded Cal Dorota earned a 15-0 technical fall in 2:22 over Eli Lupton (Lyon) before securing a 6-1 decision in the quarterfinals. Dorota totaled 10.5 points and will meet No. 5 seed Samuel West (Central) in the semifinals.

Defending national champion and top-ranked heavyweight Mitch Williamson closed the perfect day for the Knights with a 1:18 pin over Colton O'Hearn (Buena Vista), followed by a 12-1 major decision in the quarterfinals. Williamson recorded his 11th pin of the season and will face No. 4 seed Ka'Ron Lewis (Ozarks) on Saturday.
 
TAKE NOTE

• Blume's two tech falls (7:33) rank fourth amongst the field after day one – Mullen (9:41) also recorded a pair of tech falls, as he sits seventh.
• Ross' two falls and one tech fall are tied for second in the least amount of time (8:20).
• Dojan recorded the fifth-fastest pin at 34 seconds.
• Ross' 14.5 team points are tied for second, as Mullen's 14.0 stand fourth.

 
 
TEAM SCORES AFTER DAY ONE

1. Wartburg – 121 points
2. Coe – 112.5 points
3. Loras – 110.5 points
4. Central – 93.5 points
5. Luther – 84.5 points
6. Cornell – 80.5 points
7. Dubuque – 57.5 points
8. University of the Ozarks – 47 points
9. Huntingdon – 40 points
10. Simpson – 32 points
11. Schreiner – 26.5 points
12. Illinois Wesleyan – 24.5 points
13. Nebraska Wesleyan – 23.5 points
14. Buena Vista – 20 points
15. Eureka – 18 points
16. Westminster – 8.5 points
17. Lyon College – 6.5 points
18. Blackburn – 0 points

 
REGION VI INDIVIDUAL SEEDS
125 – Brett Birchman (2)
133 – Patrick Mullen (1)
141 – Kade Blume (1)
149 – Caleb Olson (3)
157 – Charlie Dojan (1)
165 – Aiden Brosinski (4)
174 – Mike Slade (3)
184 – Kasey Ross (1)
197 – Cal Dorota (1)
285 – Mitch Williamson (1)
 
DAY ONE RESULTS
125
Brett Birchman (2-0) placed 6th and scored 10.5 team points.

Champ. Round 1 - Brett Birchman (Wartburg) 2-0 received a bye () (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 - Brett Birchman (Wartburg) 2-0 won by tech fall over Brady Mouser (Illinois Wesleyan) 0-2 (TF-1.5 2:48 (15-0))
Quarterfinal - Brett Birchman (Wartburg) 2-0 won by decision over Cole Blalock (Huntingdon) 14-8 (Dec 10-4)

133
Patrick Mullen (23-4) placed 6th and scored 14.0 team points.

Champ. Round 1 - Patrick Mullen (Wartburg) 23-4 won by tech fall over Tanner Higa (University Of Dubuque) 10-15 (TF-1.5 3:54 (17-2))
Champ. Round 2 - Patrick Mullen (Wartburg) 23-4 won by fall over Tristan Mosack (Eureka) 0-2 (Fall 1:48)
Quarterfinal - Patrick Mullen (Wartburg) 23-4 won by tech fall over Tyson Zvonar (Illinois Wesleyan) 2-1 (TF-1.5 5:47 (21-5))

141
Kade Blume (19-2) placed 6th and scored 12.0 team points.

Champ. Round 1 - Kade Blume (Wartburg) 19-2 received a bye () (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 - Kade Blume (Wartburg) 19-2 won by tech fall over Luke Adams (University Of The Ozarks) 16-11 (TF-1.5 1:49 (17-2))
Quarterfinal - Kade Blume (Wartburg) 19-2 won by tech fall over Robbie Fisher (Nebraska Wesleyan) 1-1 (TF-1.5 5:44 (20-4))

149
Caleb Olson (2-0) placed 6th and scored 12.0 team points.

Champ. Round 1 - Caleb Olson (Wartburg) 2-0 received a bye () (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 - Caleb Olson (Wartburg) 2-0 won by fall over Gaven Vollintine (Blackburn) 3-16 (Fall 0:55)
Quarterfinal - Caleb Olson (Wartburg) 2-0 won by major decision over Owen Adlfinger (Cornell College) 3-1 (MD 9-0)

157
Charlie Dojan (25-0) placed 6th and scored 12.5 team points.

Champ. Round 1 - Charlie Dojan (Wartburg) 25-0 received a bye () (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 - Charlie Dojan (Wartburg) 25-0 won by tech fall over Cy Peterson (Nebraska Wesleyan) 1-2 (TF-1.5 2:18 (17-0))
Quarterfinal - Charlie Dojan (Wartburg) 25-0 won by fall over Damion Jones (Huntingdon) 28-11 (Fall 0:34)

165
Aiden Brosinski (18-5) placed 6th and scored 11.0 team points.

Champ. Round 1 - Aiden Brosinski (Wartburg) 18-5 received a bye () (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 - Aiden Brosinski (Wartburg) 18-5 won by fall over Hayden Stout (Buena Vista) 1-2 (Fall 2:31)
Quarterfinal - Aiden Brosinski (Wartburg) 18-5 won by decision over Kale Roth (University Of Dubuque) 22-4 (Dec 5-1)

174
Mike Slade (22-8) placed 6th and scored 12.0 team points.

Champ. Round 1 - Mike Slade (Wartburg) 22-8 received a bye () (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 - Mike Slade (Wartburg) 22-8 won by fall over Jaime Vazquez (Lyon College) 1-17 (Fall 1:40)
Quarterfinal - Mike Slade (Wartburg) 22-8 won by major decision over Nolan Howell (Cornell College) 3-1 (MD 18-6)

184
Kasey Ross (24-0) placed 6th and scored 14.5 team points.

Champ. Round 1 - Kasey Ross (Wartburg) 24-0 won by fall over Lucas Blanton (Illinois Wesleyan) 1-2 (Fall 1:56)
Champ. Round 2 - Kasey Ross (Wartburg) 24-0 won by fall over Casey Kinnell (Nebraska Wesleyan) 0-2 (Fall 2:51)
Quarterfinal - Kasey Ross (Wartburg) 24-0 won by tech fall over Griffin Schultz (Luther) 2-1 (TF-1.5 3:33 (15-0))

197
Cal Dorota (22-4) placed 6th and scored 10.5 team points.

Champ. Round 1 - Cal Dorota (Wartburg) 22-4 received a bye () (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 - Cal Dorota (Wartburg) 22-4 won by tech fall over Eli Lupton (Lyon College) 10-10 (TF-1.5 2:22 (17-2))
Quarterfinal - Cal Dorota (Wartburg) 22-4 won by decision over Kam Royster (Loras) 2-1 (Dec 6-1)

285
Mitch Williamson (20-0) placed 6th and scored 12.0 team points.

Champ. Round 1 - Mitch Williamson (Wartburg) 20-0 received a bye () (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 - Mitch Williamson (Wartburg) 20-0 won by fall over Colton O`Hern (Buena Vista) 0-2 (Fall 1:18)
Quarterfinal - Mitch Williamson (Wartburg) 20-0 won by major decision over Carson Slorah (Simpson) 10-5 (MD 12-1)