When Kerry Volkmann gave his blessing for his former charge Mark Hawald to pursue the head coaching position at Mount Union College, he knew he would be making a rival stronger.

Hawald, a former JCU all-American who also has former Blue Streak All-American Rich Eslich on the coaching staff, proved Volkmann a prophet as he guided his young Purple Raiders to a 23-20 upset of John Carroll Tuesday evening in the Ohio Athletic Conference opener for both teams in Alliance, Ohio.

In just his second year at the helm, Hawald displayed a much improved team from the squad that placed sixth in the league last year. Using a line-up with eight freshman, a sophomore and a junior, Mount Union stunned a slightly more veteran JCU line-up.

It looked to be a blow out early. JCU senior Elie Naoum and sophomore Adam Kriwinsky started out with second period pins at 125 and 133, respectively. Freshman Clarence Semple followed with a major decision at 141 to give John Carroll a 16-0 lead.

The first of the unexpected decisions swung the tide. John Carroll senior Dan Mizener was upset by unheralded freshman Kevin Shadrach, 9-7, at 149. Another freshman, Bryan Skoff, pinned JCU sophomore Tyler Mickley at 157.

Mount Union's top veteran, junior Mike Manypenny, won a close battle at 165 over Devon Jurczak and what could be an OAC championship preview, 9-7. Then, in another stunner, freshman Jon Piechuta outlasted Blue Streak junior Travis Hammer, 6-5, at 174.

John Carroll's only returning OAC champion, 184-pounder Ben Adams, stemmed the tide briefly with a major decision in his 2008-09 debut. But the momentum was short-lived, as Division I transfer Bill Schindel overwhelmed James Nemunaitis for a technical fall at 197.

With the score tied at 20-20, John Carroll turned to senior Matt Harmon at 285 to win the match. But Harmon, who had never wrestled heavyweight prior to tonight, could not get past true heavyweight and 2008 OHSAA Division III state runner-up, freshman Derrick Hesson, and suffered a 7-5 loss.

Mount Union is now 1-1 overall and 1-0 in the OAC, while John Carroll falls to 1-2 and 0-1 in league action.

125 - Naoum (JCU) d. Toth (MTU), pin 4:09;  133 - Kriwinsky (JCU) d. Dennis (MTU), pin 4:18 ;  141 - Sample (JCU) d. Liggitt, 17-3 (maj. dec.);  149 - Shadrach (MTU) d. Mizener (JCU), 9-7;  157 - Skoff (MTU) d. Mickley (JCU), pin 3:17;  165 - Manypenny (MTU) d. Jurczak (JCU), 9-7;  174 - Piechuta (MTU) d.  Hammer (JCU), 6-5;  184 - Adams (JCU) d. Hathaway (MTU), 13-3 (maj. dec.);  197 - Schindel (MTU) d. Nemunaitis (JCU), 18-2 (tech fall - 6:12)'  285 - Hesson (MTU) d. Harmon (JCU), 7-5