Dawson’s technical fall lifts Northern Illinois to 20-17 win over Ohio
No. 20 Devon Dawson’s 23-6 technical fall at 285 supplied the decisive bonus points in a 20-17 Mid-American Conference dual at the NIU Convocation Center in DeKalb.
DeKalb, Ill. — Northern Illinois edged Ohio 20-17 at the NIU Convocation Center on Jan. 23, 2026.
The dual turned on bonus scoring. Ohio collected three bonus victories from ranked wrestlers, including Derek Raike’s 20-8 major decision at 157, Sal Perrine’s 22-5 technical fall at 184 and Zayne Lehman’s 20-4 technical fall at 197, giving the Bobcats a heavy bonus haul that kept them within reach.
Northern Illinois answered late. No. 20 Devon Dawson closed the dual with a 23-6 technical fall at 285 that supplied a five-team-point bonus, a swing that produced the final three-point margin.
The matchup opened with Northern Illinois taking an early edge in the lower weights. No. 29 Blake West started the dual with a 4-0 decision at 125 and Markel Baker added a 10-3 decision at 133 to build early separation for the Huskies.
Ohio responded in the middle of the card. Paul Woo delivered a 4-1 sudden-victory win at 149 and Derek Raike’s major decision at 157 followed, cutting the Huskies’ advantage. Sal Perrine and Zayne Lehman then recorded technical falls that pushed Ohio’s team total through bonus scoring.
Northern Illinois kept pressure on in the upper midweights. Brett Smith’s 2-0 decision at 165 and Tommy Bennett’s 6-5 victory at 174 over No. 13 Garrett Thompson were pivotal. Bennett’s win featured a reversal in the first period, an escape in the second and a decisive takedown late in the third; Thompson’s riding-time point at the buzzer narrowed the final margin in that bout to one.
Dawson closed the dual on the heavyweight mat. The 23-6 technical fall at 285 recorded multiple takedowns and a riding-time point across the periods and finished as a team-scoring bonus that offset Ohio’s trio of ranked bonus wins.
Northern Illinois improved in conference position with the victory, while Ohio dropped a close MAC decision. The teams traded bonus results throughout the lineup, but Dawson’s final bonus win proved the decisive swing in DeKalb.