Category: News & Updates

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By Pablo DiMaria
High School Correspondent

Class 4A
Teams that should challenge for a state title

Centennial –Centennial qualified nine wrestlers out of Region II with five region champions at 126, 138, 145, 152 and 220 pounds. The right draws and excellent wrestling by all, and they can win the state championship this weekend.

Amarillo – With 10 state qualifiers this season, the Amarillo wrestling team has a chance to finished top 5 in the state tournament this season.

Randall – Defending 4A state champions only qualified four wrestlers out of Region I. Bailer Thomason (113), Jacob Rubio (138), Bray Freeman (152) and Beau Henson (195). They are going to need for Thomason and Freeman to step it up and help Rubio and Henson to win another state team title.

Highland Park –Highland Park qualified six wrestlers to the state tournament out of Region III. Last season they finished in third place in the individual state tournament.

Returning State Champions

Jorge Santos from Carrollton Creekview, who was a runner-up to Roth in both state and region tournaments, won this year’s Region II tournament at 106 pounds for the first time. His overall varsity record for the last two varsity seasons is 60-5.

Adrian Barraza from Austin Vandegrift, who took second in the state tournament last year at 113 pounds, is back to the state tournament at 120 pounds with a 27-0 undefeated record. Last year he beat the state champion, Rogelio Salazar from Beeville A C Jones, in the Region 4 tournament finals, only to lose to Salazar 4-0 in the state finals. He is a junior that has won the Region 4 tournament three times and has placed in the state tournament twice. His overall varsity record is 93-3.

Nate Bridges from Boys Ranch is a junior who was the state runner-up last year at 120 pounds. This year he is back in the same weight class to the state tournament and will look forward to win his first state title this weekend. He is a two-time Region I champion with an overall varsity record of 93-4.

Jonah Ribera had an outstanding weekend last year in the state tournament and won a state title at 126 pounds despite finishing as the Region IV runner-up. This year he is back to the state tournament once again after finishing second in Region IV. His overall varsity record is 20-3.

Michael Gonzales-Jones from Fort Worth Boswell finished as the state runner-up to Jonah Ribera last year at 126 pounds. This season he is back to the state tournament at the same weight class after finishing third in Region II. His overall varsity record is 64-12.

Future University of Oklahoma wrestler Jacob Rubio is up a weight class after winning the state tournament at 132 pounds last year. He is a three-time Region I champion and has been in the finals of the Texas state tournament since his freshman year. He is a multiple USA Wrestling Junior National Freestyle All-American with a career record of 145-18 in scholastic wrestling. This season he was successful at placing third in the always tough Kansas City Stampede tournament.

Defending 4A state champion at 170 pounds, Bradley Rains from Friendswood, returns back to the state tournament after winning his second Region 3 tournament last weekend. A very tough wrestler in the top position, he pinned his final opponent in the region tournament in 2:37 of their match. His overall varsity record is 69-6.

Armando Pallares from Amarillo Caprock was the state runner-up last year at 170 pounds to Rains. This year he is back to the state tournament at a higher weight class. He is a two-time Region I champion with an overall varsity record of 74-3.

Beau Henson from Canyon Randall has been wrestling extremely well this season. He was the runner-up in the tough Kansas City Stampede to Derek White from Edmond North (Okla.), who is currently ranked No. 4 in the nation at 195 pounds. Just before meeting White he had six falls in the tournament. He is one of the team leaders for Randall and will try to win his second state title this weekend. He is a three-time Region I champion and has qualified to the state tournament since his sophomore season. His overall varsity record is 95-16.

Jace LaCaille from Georgetown is back in the state tournament at 220 pounds trying to make history for Georgetown and win his second state title. Last year he won a Region IV title and state as well. This year he comes into the state tournament with just one defeated in 34 matches. He is a two-time Region IV champion with an overall varsity record of 62-5.

Dakota Allen from Humble Summer Creek is back at the state tournament after finishing second to LaCaille in the finals 7-2. He is a two-time Region III champion with an overall varsity record of 47-3. This will be the second year that Allen qualifies to the state tournament with only one blemish in his record.

Class 5A
Teams that should challenge for a state tittle

Allen – Even with the lost of eight starters from last year’s state championship, the Allen wrestling team is still the clear favorite to win their fifth straight title this weekend. They qualified nine wrestlers out of Region II and won seven region titles.

Katy Seven Lakes – Seven Lakes won the Region III tournament and qualified six wrestlers to the state tournament. They should be in the running to finished top three in the state tournament.

Returning State Champions

Last year’s 106-pound state champion, Alex Minor from McKinney Boyd, is back in the state tournament, but this time at 113 pounds. Last year he defeated Howard Smith from Allen 8-7 in the finals. This year he finished third in Region II, behind Smith and undefeated freshman Coltan Williams from Lewisville Hebron. His overall varsity record is 68-4.

Howard Smith from Allen is part of a strong group that will help Allen win its fifth straight team title. Last year he finished second at 106 pounds to Minor in both Region II and the state tournament. He had a great regular season placing in the tough Walsh Ironman tournament, Kansas City Stampede, Texas Outlaw and the Hurricane Classic. His overall varsity record is 62-22.

William Homalon from Katy Morton Ranch is back in the state tournament at 126 pounds, after winning the state tournament last year at 120 pounds. He won his second Region III title last weekend, and will enter the state tournament with a 47-3 record. His three loses have been to Dillon Mouser from Summer Creek, Thayer Atkins from Trinity Christian Academy and Christian Martinez from Katy. His overall record is 104-7.

State runner-up Christian Martinez from Katy looks to be the favorite at this weight class to win a state title this weekend. Last year he finished second in the state tournament at 126 pounds to Dylan Akers from Lewisville Flower Mound. This year he comes into the state tournament as a two-time Region III champion and with a season record of 52-1. His only blemish of the season was to Zak Hensley from St. James Academy, Kansas, in the finals of the Texas Outlaw Tournament. His overall varsity record is 108-5.

Michael Oramas from Klein was the state runner-up last season at 138 pounds to Allen’s Daniel Cartagena. This weekend he will be wrestling in the state tournament at 152 pounds. He is a two-time Region III champion with an overall varsity record of 95-4. This year he owns victories over fellow state qualifiers at his weight class – Malik Pickett from Katy Stevens 3:13, Christian Mata from Clear Lake 6-0, and Marlon Ellis from Allen 4-3.

Rafay Ali from Arlington Bowie had a Cinderella story last year at the state tournament. He finished fourth in Region I, but stilled managed to make the finals of the state tournament where he lost to Oliver Pierce from Allen. This season he took second at Region I, losing in the finals to Braden Urquhart from Amarillo Tascosa who place four in the state last year at 138 pounds.

Future Penn State wrestler Bo Nickal, is the clear favorite in this and in most state brackets around the nation. He is a smart mat wrestler with great technique on his feet as well. He has been the most decorated wrestler in the Longhorn state and for Allen. He is a four-time Region champion, winning two region 3 titles and two region 2 tittles. He is a two-time state champion and three-time state finalist with an overall record of 176-6.

Blake Andrews from Grapevine has looked great all season long after bumping up to the 220 pound weight class from 182 pounds. In the Region tournament he pinned all three opponents in the first period. Last year he took second at the Region II and state tournament to Matt Meyer from Allen High School. This year he will be attending the state tournament as the Region II champion and with a 31-0 record.
http://awn.theopenmat.com/2014/02/tom-h-s-preview-texas-state-championships/

By Mike Kaszuba, Star Tribune
02/13/2014, 10:16pm CST

Prep state team wrestling championships – Class 1A, 2A and 3A. Apple Valley’s Dayton Racer, top, wrestled St. Michael-Albertville’s Talon Juusolain the Class 3A 138-lb match. ](MARLIN LEVISON/STARTRIBUNE([email protected] (cq all named program)

Two members of Apple Valley’s top-ranked wrestling program have abruptly withdrawn from the school and left behind a trail of questions as the team goes for a ninth consecutive state title.

With the state wrestling tournament less than two weeks away, the departures already have taken several odd twists. One of the departed wrestlers, Dayton Racer, who is nationally ranked as one of the best high school wrestlers in his weight class, this week enrolled at a small western Minnesota high school and hopes to wrestle in sectional team competition on Saturday. Racer’s eligibility with his new team still was being debated Thursday.

The controversy also has shined an uncomfortable spotlight on Apple Valley, where many of the team’s top wrestlers have come from other states and where Racer’s family has charged that jealousy from the parents of his teammates drove Racer from the school. The events have provided a look into the highly competitive wrestling subculture in which families of talented wrestlers move around the country — Racer is from southern Missouri, and has been wrestling since age 5 — to find the best high schools.

Apple Valley Principal Steve Degenaar said Racer and another wrestler, Trom Peterson, both left the school within the past three weeks, but he defended the program and said that the team’s large influx of out-of-state wrestlers was “somewhat normal in Minnesota today — the system allows it” under state high school transfer rules.

Degenaar added that the sudden shake-up “just means that our wrestling team [has] a little bit different lineup than we would have thought a month ago. But in a program such as ours there are people to fill in missing spots.”

Amateur Wrestling News in January ranked Racer as the 17th-best high school wrestler nationally in the 152-pound weight class. As a sophomore at Apple Valley, he won the 2013 big-school state title at 145 pounds, and in 2012 was the state runner-up at 138.

Apple Valley entered this season with 82 individual state champions all-time — 32 more than any other Minnesota high school. The school’s wrestling website describes the program as “one of the premier sports programs in the state of Minnesota and the United States.”

David Lee Racer, Dayton’s father, said the transfer was caused by other parents at the school who were jealous that “Dayton started getting a lot of hype” and had separated himself, talentwise, from most of his teammates. He said one parent, whose son also wrestled for Apple Valley, has “been trying to get Dayton in trouble for years.”

Dayton’s father and grandfather, David Racer Sr., both said that some parents were purposely trying to disqualify Dayton from wrestling through a series of allegations and had succeeded in January in getting the wrestler suspended from the team. “It’s definitely a conspiracy, and [a] setup,” David Racer Sr. said.

Apple Valley’s principal said Wednesday there were “a number of things that we’ve been asked to take a look at,” but he declined to provide details.

Brent Schafer, an attorney representing the Racer family, said he still was trying to sort through the allegations but added that the case may be an “example of parental bullying to the highest degree, and I think it’s kind of the underbelly of some of the high school sports.”

On Monday, Racer enrolled at tiny Wheaton High School near the Minnesota-South Dakota border and joined another highly-ranked wrestler, Cameron Sykora, at the 140-student high school. “I’ve never seen anything like it” regarding an athlete, said Wheaton Principal Russell Armstrong, who is trying to determine whether Racer can be eligible for the school’s co-op wrestling team’s next match Saturday.

“He’s that good at wrestling and he shows up at your door step, and [you ask], ‘You’re transferring to Wheaton?’ ” Armstrong said.

Racer’s father said he now has a home in Wheaton, and also had a job prospect in the area. But Racer said he did not yet know whether his son, a high school junior, planned to graduate from Wheaton. “We’ll see how things go,” he said.

Schafer meanwhile said the family also had considered enrolling Racer at two high schools in Iowa before settling on Wheaton.

Can Racer be eligible to wrestle with the co-op Border West Buccaneers as early as Saturday — after only five days in his new school? The answer remained unclear Thursday as officials in Apple Valley, Wheaton and at the Minnesota State High School League debated the case.

According to the state high school league, transfer rules for wrestlers are governed by specific “last date to join a team” regulations. According to those rules, wrestlers are eligible for the state tournament only if they were a member of the school’s team no later than the fourth Monday after the start of the regular season. However, there are some exceptions that could apply to Racer’s case and open the door.

Armstrong also said that Degenaar, the Apple Valley principal, telephoned Wednesday to tell him Apple Valley was dropping all code of conduct issues the school had with Racer — a move that could further open the long-shot possibility of Racer being eligible at Wheaton.

Armstrong said Thursday he was awaiting a decision. When Racer’s eligibility is determined — and who will determine it — is now “kind of the million-dollar question,” he said.

http://www.mnwrestlinghub.com/news_article/show/349830-two-leave-apple-valley-wrestling-team-leaving-trail-of-questions

BY BRAD BESS
Richmond Times-Dispatch

Physical strength is necessary for success on the wrestling mat at any level. Hanover’s Corbin Allen has had a wrestling season that has required just as much mental strength.

It started at the Super 32 Challenge, a highly competitive preseason tournament in Greensboro, N.C. Allen had won his first 152-pound match by pin in 1:31. But in his second match, while wrestling a fellow 2013 NHSCA national champion, he felt a pop in his left ankle.

“He went to go stand up and I returned him and he grabbed my ankle,” Allen said, “and I just rolled it and felt it pop immediately, and just happened to let go and grab it and just was screaming on the mat.”

With encouragement from his father and a taped ankle, Allen continued the match.

“With about a minute left, he ended up cutting me and I basically stood, like the Karate Kid, on one leg, and didn’t let him take me down,” said Allen, who won the match 7-5.

Fearing a broken tibia, Allen returned from Greensboro, went to the hospital and was diagnosed with a severe high ankle sprain. The doctor put Allen’s ankle in a brace and gave him crutches. The orthopedist told him he needed to be in a boot, and he would be out for a couple of months.

Allen’s first thought?

“All right, well, can I be healthy by the time Ironman comes around?” he asked.

He was told if he did everything right, he should be fine. The Walsh Ironman tournament was scheduled for Dec. 13-14.

Allen healed in time to travel to Ohio for the Ironman event. He got off to a good start and won his first match by major decision.

“Then, the second match, against another nationally ranked opponent, I just rolled it again. That time I didn’t end up winning the match,” said Allen, who did finish the match.

He won his first consolation match by technical fall before calling it quits.

“I really don’t like going out of a tournament with a loss, so I think that’s what drove me to go and get that consolation match out of the way,” Allen said.

After returning from Ohio, Allen saw the orthopedist for a second time and surgery became a possibility. It was thought Allen’s wrestling career (he is verbally committed to the University of Virginia) may be better served by having a pin surgically inserted to his ankle to keep it in place while it could heal. That also would mean the end of his season. He had an MRI to determine the best course of action and waited a week for the results.

“That whole entire time, I was just thinking by myself, ‘What’s going to happen if I have surgery? Am I going to recover? How long is it going to be?’ All those thoughts,” Allen said. “I kind of just wanted to stay away from it, just think about it by myself and think, all right, well, if it does happen, how am I going to overcome that? Luckily, it didn’t.”

The MRI showed surgery wasn’t necessary, but Allen was sidelined with a boot.

Allen’s first match since the Ironman tournament came in the Conference 20 meet Saturday. He pinned all of his opponents, including one in 1:12 for the 152 title. Hanover won the team title and Allen was named the tournament’s most outstanding wrestler.

“I was ready to wrestle. It had been building up all year. I haven’t been able to practice, haven’t been able to step on a mat,” he said. “I was supposed to be coming back a couple of weeks before that, got snowed out, twice. That added a lot more to it. I was definitely ready to roll, all fired up. Just was ready to finally get back on the mat.”

Allen agreed mental strength has been a key part of his persistence this year, a lesson he has been taught since stepping on the wrestling mat.

“Mental toughness. That’s always been drilled into my head since I was little,” he said. “My dad’s coached me all throughout, up until now. Always, whenever we would practice, when I was about 6, 7 years old, ‘You’ve got to be mentally strong. Keep going, we’ll do 10 reps now and you get a 2-second break and you’re going to keep on going. You’re going to be tough, not only physically, but mentally.’

“You’ve got to always mentally prepare, mentally take notes,” Allen added. “And don’t let any outside distractions get you off the tracks of what you want to accomplish.

http://www.timesdispatch.com/sports/high-school/wrestling/wrestling-hanover-s-corbin-allen-dominant-in-return/article_db1b5391-aa06-56f6-851b-0cfb66363df3.html#.Uvy9_npwwTw.facebook

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By John A. Lewis Staff writer John A. Lews: 609-871-8141; email, [email protected]; Twitter, @JohnLewis19. | Updated 16 hours ago

EVESHAM — It was in sight for just a second. The Cherokee wrestling team had a one-point lead with six bouts to go in Monday’s South Jersey Group 4 quarterfinal.

A moment later it was all but impossible.

Back-to-back pins at 195 pounds and 220 propelled Toms River North back into the lead, and the Mariners went on to take eight of 14 bouts on the way to a 35-27 victory over the host Chiefs.

Toms River North (15-8) will face Cherry Hill West, a 32-25 winner over Absegami, in Wednesday’s semifinal round.

The Chiefs (21-9) suffered a setback in the very first bout, when North’s Vinny Fichera decisioned Jimmy Goldschmidt, 7-3. There were three takedowns in the bout and Fichera had all of them on the way to ending Goldschmidt’s 13-bout win streak.

Ryan Clancy (132) added a pin and Ryan O’Donnell a major decision to give the Mariners a 13-0 lead.

Cherokee won four of the next five bouts, beginning with D.J. Mele’s second-period pin of Michael DeGennaro at 145 pounds. Josh Karichner (160) also pinned, and the Chiefs took the lead with close decisions by Jesse Streb, whose last-minute takedown earned a 9-7 verdict, and Jordan Krug, whose reversal in overtime clinched a 6-4 win.

Krug’s victory put the Chiefs in the lead, 18-17, but the pendulum swung again right at that point.

Toms River North’s Alex Scherer caught Chris Pardoe with a half-nelson in the next bout, and it was 23-18.

“The pressure wasn’t that bad,” Scherer said. “You just think about your team, and all the work you’ve put in together as a team. That’s kind of motivation for your match, and that gets you through it. I hit a roll through, cement mixer, gator roll — however you want to call it. I’ve stuck a couple kids with that.”

Toms River North’s Michael Siwiec followed with a pin at 220, when he caught Logan Watkins with a power half.

“That was big for us up top,” Toms River North coach Bill Wilbert said. “Those guys have been coming up big all year for us, and even our 220-pounder (Andres Espinoza) who goes up to heavyweight, he saves bonus points for us and does a great job.”

This was no exception. Cherokee heavyweight Chris Cole’s escape accounted for the only point in a 1-0 bout, but Walter Orellana countered for Toms River North with an 11-10 victory over Shawn Webb at 106.

The two exchanged five-point moves in the first period. Webb fought off his back in the second minute and headlocked Orellana to tie the score, but the Mariners’ wrestler managed to reverse him just as the clock expired.

A takedown with 39 seconds left gave Orellana an 11-9 lead. Webb escaped with 15 seconds remaining, but couldn’t get Orellana covered before the final buzzer.

“I give them credit,” Cherokee coach Mike Booth said. “They wrestle all six minutes, and they wrestle the line — that’s what you’re supposed to do. (As a coach), you go back and watch films, and make the kids watch their matches, and try to make them a little bit more aware of situations — how much time is left, what the score is, where you are on the mat. It’s something we’ve struggled with, and we need to get better at it.”

There was even more drama at 113. Toms River North’s Ricardo Diaz held a 4-1 lead with 3:13 left in his bout with Connor Cosgrove, but Cosgrove’s attempt at a throw and headlock left Diaz with a knee injury. He used all of his injury time at that point, then limped back to the line.

Cosgrove scored a takedown in the third period, but Diaz, in obvious pain, held on to the end to secure a 6-3 win — and the clinching points.

The Mariners forfeited the final bout to Cherokee’s Alex Baider.

“(Diaz’s win) was huge for us,” Wilbert said. “He went back out. He had to. We know they’re tough down low, at 120 and 126, so that was big for us. We stole one at 126, I thought, and we knew (after that) we could battle.”

And battle they did.

2/9/2014 5:27:00 PM
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – In an unimaginable turn of events, No. 5 Northern Iowa’s 59 match points to Kent State’s 58 made the tiebreaking difference in a 19-18 Panther’s win Sunday afternoon at West Gymnasium. In its slimmest margin of victory this season, UNI remained unbeaten (11-0, 6-0 MAC). Each team won five matches: three by decision, one major decision and one technical fall.

“I knew it would be tough without Ian (Miller) in the lineup, but going in I thought we matched up well against them,” Head Coach Jim Andrassy said. “I was really happy with the effort our guys gave. Even the matches we lost, we wrestled hard throughout.”

All four Golden Flashes who lost on Saturday at Northern Illinois, bounced back for victories on Sunday, while junior Tyler Small completed a 2-0 weekend. Small’s three-point tilt in the second period helped him to a 7-2 victory over Levi Wolfensperger.

Sophomore Michael DePalma then perfected his two-on-one tilt in a 17-2 tech fall over Tyler Patten. Tied 2-2 after one period, DePalma meticulously executed four different three-point tilts in the second and on in the third.

“That just shows you how important it is to be good on top,” Andrassy said.

Senior T.J. Keklak extended the Flashes’ lead to 11-5 with a 9-7 decision over Jarrett Jensen. Keklak opened the match with a four-point fireman’s carry and hung on for his first career MAC dual win.

“There isn’t a kid who deserves it more,” Andrassy said of the team captain’s work ethic. “That could end up being his last dual and he deserves to go out on top.”

The Flashes (10-9, 4-3 MAC) then dropped three consecutive tight matches from 165 to 184. Riding time made the difference in sophomore Tyler Buckwalter’s 5-4 loss to No. 11 Cooper Moore. Junior Caleb Marsh was tied 1-1 with a minute left in the third period, before getting caught in a five-point cradle.

Sophomore Cole Baxter gave Kent State the lead back 15-14, with a 9-1 major decision over Basil Minto. Baxter scored takedowns on front headlocks three different times and built up several minutes of riding time.

Riding time was even more crucial at heavyweight in redshirt freshman Mimmo Lytle’s 2-1 win over Blaize Cabell. Both wrestlers earned escapes, but Cabell’s did not come until late in the third period.

“Two or three months ago, I don’t think Mimmo wins that match,” Andrassy said. “He used his weight to his advantage on top and he’s figuring out how to win close matches.”
In the final match, No. 6 Dylan Peters claimed a 13-5 major decision over sophomore Del Vinas, to temporarily tie the dual at 18-18 all. When the first two tiebreaking criteria were not met, officials counted and recounted total match points, discovering Northern Iowa’s one-point edge.

“We looked much better than yesterday,” Andrassy said. “That was a very good team and we need to compete like that every time out. We also showed we have that ability against Michigan and Virginia Tech. But we need to be more consistent.”

Kent State heads to Ohio State’s St. John Arena Feb. 16-17 for the NWCA National Duals. Pairings for the 14-team dual tournament are expected to be released Tuesday.

Results
133 – #1 Joe Colon (UNI) tech fall Mack McGuire (KSU), 17-2 (4:38)
141 – Tyler Small (KSU) dec. Levi Wolfensperger (UNI), 7-2
149 – Mike DePalma (KSU) tech fall Tyler Patten (UNI), 17-2 (5:17)
157 – T.J. Keklak (KSU) dec. Jarrett Jensen (UNI), 9-7
165 – #11 Cooper Moore (UNI) dec. Tyler Buckwalter (KSU), 5-4
174 –#17 Cody Caldwell (UNI) dec. Caleb Marsh (KSU), 6-1
184 – #5 Ryan Loder (UNI) dec. #13 Sam Wheeler (KSU), 5-2
197 – Cole Baxter (KSU) maj. dec. Basil Minto (UNI), 9-1
285 – Mimmo Lytle (KSU) dec. Blaize Cabell (UNI), 2-1
125 –#6 Dylan Peters (UNI) maj. dec. Del Vinas (KSU), 13-5

Feb. 9, 2014

STILLWATER, Okla. – The Oklahoma State wrestling squad finished Big 12 competition with an unblemished 3-0 record, defeating in-state rival and No. 10 Oklahoma, 29-9, in front of more than 5,000 fans. The Pokes are now 8-4 on the season, winning four-straight duals.

OSU redeemed an early-season loss to the Sooners in a non-conference dual in December.

“I like the score, and 29 points in Bedlam tells you that you won a lot of matches and scored some good bonus points,” Smith said. “The matchups were a little different than I thought, but it’s definitely something that we can move forward with. Getting back on the winning side of Bedlam is always good.”

Bonus points came early in Gallagher-Iba Arena as No. 20 Eddie Klimara stuck Sean Williams, who replaced an injured Jarrod Patterson, early in the second period, giving the Cowboys a swing of momentum heading into a top-10 matchup at 133 pounds.

“I’ve really been working on my technique when I’m on top,” Klimara said. “His arms started to get tired, and the move wasn’t really a decision I had to make. These past couple matches, I’ve just been going out there and wrestling instead of over thinking it. That has helped me out a lot.”

No. 4 Jon Morrison improved to 5-0 in the series against No. 7 Cody Brewer, earning a 7-3 decision. The Orland Park, Ill., native is 6-1 against ranked opponents on the season.

Anthony Collica, ranked 20th in the nation at 141 pounds, shut out returning All-American Nick Lester, 4-0. It was his second win over Lester this season.

Another top-10 matchup was in order at 149 pounds as No. 10 Josh Kindig faced No. 2 Kendric Maple. Kindig scored the first points in the bout with a second-period escape, but he could not overcome Maple’s attacks and was handed a 7-3 loss.

No. 2 Alex Dieringer answered by adding five more points for the Pokes with his 18-2 technical fall over OU’s Dryden Dennis, who filled in for Justin DeAngelis. The bout was finished in just under six minutes, with Dieringer collecting a heap of points, including five takedowns and two nearfalls.

At 165 pounds, No. 5 Tyler Caldwell defeated Clark Glass for the second time this season, pulling out a 5-1 win over the Sooner.

Chris Perry, ranked No. 2 in the nation, was denied a much-anticipated rematch against top-ranked Andrew Howe at 174 pounds. He instead faced off against Derek Geiges, who he pinned in 1:51.

At 184 pounds, Jordan Rogers took on Howe. The Cowboy put up a fight but was defeated, 9-2, marking the Pokes second loss of the day.

Nolan Boyd bumped up to 197 pounds, where he went head-to-head with No. 4 Travis Rutt. Boyd earned four escapes, but it was not enough as Rutt walked away with a 9-4 victory. That would be the last win for the crimson and cream.

No. 19 Austin Marsden closed out the dual with a win, scoring five points in the final 10 seconds to defeat Zach Merrill, 8-2.

Oklahoma State returns to action next week, traveling to Clarion, Pa., to take on the Golden Eagles on Saturday before heading to State College, Pa., to face the No. 1 Penn State Nittany Lions on Sunday.

No. 8 Oklahoma State 29, No. 10 Oklahoma 9
Feb. 9, 2014 :: Gallagher-Iba Arena (Stillwater, Okla.) :: Attendance – 5,135

125: No. 20 Eddie Klimara (OSU) fall Sean Williams (OU), 3:31
133: No. 4 Jon Morrison (OSU) dec. No. 7 Cody Brewer (OU), 7-3
141: No. 17 Anthony Collica (OSU) vs. No. 20 Nick Lester (OU), 4-0
149: No. 2 Kendric Maple (OU) dec. No. 10 Josh Kindig (OSU), 7-3
157: No. 2 Alex Dieringer (OSU) TF5 Dryden Dennis (OU), 18-2
165: No. 5 Tyler Caldwell (OSU) dec. Clark Glass (OU), 5-1
174: No. 2 Chris Perry (OSU) fall Derek Geiges (OU), 1:51
184: Andrew Howe (OU) dec. Jordan Rogers (OSU), 9-2
197: No. 4 Travis Rutt (OSU) dec. Nolan Boyd (OSU), 9-4
285: No. 19 Austin Marsden (OSU) dec. Zach Merrill (OU), 8-2

2/9/2014 3:57:00 PM
Wrestling Team Takes Down George Mason
BLOOMSBURG—Mike Dessino (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) won by fall to earn his 100th career victory to help lead the 25th-Bloomsburg University wrestling team to a 36-3 win over George Mason on Sunday in an EWL (Eastern Wrestling League) matchup. Prior to the match the Huskies honored the 15 members of its senior class.

Dessino jumped out to a 5-0 lead after one period and was leading 7-0 when he got his opponent turned and eventually worked the pin. The pin was the 44th for Dessino in his career, third best in school history, and gave him career win number 100 in grand style.

In addition to Dessino’s big win, Bryce Busler (Mechanicsburg/Cumberland Valley) wrestled for the first time in a month and scored a win by technical fall, 18-1, at 149 pounds, while Richard Perry (Meriden, CT/Middletown), ranked 5th in the country at 197, won his 24th straight match with a 19-8 victory at 197 pounds.

Before the match the Huskies honored the senior members of its team: Sean Boylan (Seaville, NJ/St. Marks), Nick Wilcox (Greene, NY/Greene Central), Elliot Zackoski (Scranton/West Scranton), Matt Hicks (Allentown (Annapolis, MD)/St. Mary’s, MD), Derek Goodwin (Hamburg/Hamburg), Bryce Busler (Mechanicsburg/Cumberland Valley), Kevin Hartnett (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell), Josh Veltre (Rochester, NY/Greece Olympia), Mike Dessino (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex), Sam Shirey (Beaver Springs/Midd-West), Richard Perry (Meriden, CT/Middletown), Justin Grant (Easton/Easton), Tim Santry (Hatboro/Upper Moreland), Craig Barker (Lecanto, FL/Citrus) and Mike Testen (Sayre/Athens).

Bloomsburg, 8-6, 4-2 in the EWL, will be back in action on Feb. 16-17 at the National Wrestling Duals at Ohio State. George Mason falls to 6-13, 0-2 in the EWL.

#25 Bloomsburg 36, George Mason 3
125 Sean Boylan (Seaville, NJ/St. Marks) (BU) won by forfeit.
133 Nick Wilcox (Greene, NY/Greene Central) (BU) won by decision over Vince Rodriguez (GMU) 1-0.
141 Sahid Kargbo (GMU) won by decision over Matt Rappo (Holland/Council Rock South) (BU) 9-3.
149 Bryce Busler (Mechanicsburg/Cumberland Valley) (BU) won by tech fall over Donald Takagi (GMU) 4:28 18-1.
157 Kevin Hartnett (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) (BU) won by decision over Gregory Flournoy (GMU) 6-1.
165 #15 Josh Veltre (Rochester, NY/Greece Olympia) (BU) won by decision over Ryan Forrest (GMU) 6-1.
174 Mike Dessino (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) (BU) won by pin over Zachary Martinez (GMU) 4:48.
184 Sam Shirey (Beaver Springs/Midd-West) (BU) won by decision over Ryan Hembury (GMU) 8-2.
197 #5 Richard Perry (Meriden, CT/Middletown) (BU) won by major decision over Matt Meadows (GMU) 19-8.
285 #16 Justin Grant (Easton/Easton) (BU) won by decision over Jacob Kettler (GMU) 4-0.
Individual Rankings by AWN

Match-By-Match Summary

125- Sean Boylan (Seaville, NJ/St. Marks) won by forfeit

133- Nick Wilcox (Greene, NY/Greene Central) vs. Vince Rodriguez
Locked up at the shoulders early…Fighting for hand position as they go down to the mat…Now they stand up…They reset and engage again…To the edge they go…Out of bounds they will reset at center…They stay locked up off the whistle…Both wrestlers showing patience…Rodriguez has a leg looking for the trip…Wilcox regains his footing…1st period ends scoreless…They start the 2nd in neutral…Once again they lock up off the whistle…Passive start to the 2nd so far…Yet again Rodriguez with a failed trip attempt…Under 1 minute remaining in the 2nd…Still no score…They stay locked up at center and the 2nd ends still scoreless…Wilcox starts the 3rd on bottom…Wilcox stands and escapes for the first point of the match…They lock up at center…Rodriguez has a leg…Wilcox stays on his feet…An exchange forces them out of bounds…They reset at center…1 minute left in the match…Wilcox leads 1-0…Down to the mat they go…Wilcox being defensive…An exchange in the final seconds leads to no points…Wilcox wins 1-0.

141- Matt Rappo (Holland/Council Rock South) vs. Sahid Kargbo
Off the whistle they show patience…At center they lock up…Out of bounds they will reset at center…Hand fighting but no scoring yet in the first…Down to the mat they engage…Locked up again at center…Passive 1st period ends…Rappo starts the 2nd on bottom…Scoreless until Rappo breaks free for an escape to open the scoring…Again they lock up…Near the edge Kargbo gains an arm and turns Rappo for a takedown and the lead…1 minute left in the 2nd…Rappo escapes to tie it at 2…Down to the mat they go locked up…Now they stand…Kargbo spins and scores a takedown in the dying seconds…3rd starts in neutral…Kargbo leads 4-2…They lock up at center…Kargbo shoots and drives them toward the edge…On the edge Kargbo knocks Rappo down for a takedown…It’s now a 6-2 lead for Kargbo…Under 1 minute remaining in the 3rd…Rappo gets within 3 with a late escape…Kargbo counters with a takedown of his own…With riding time Kargbo wins 9-3.

149- Bryce Busler (Mechanicsburg/Cumberland Valley) vs. Shohei Takagi
Off the whistle they lock up…Quickly they spin out of bounds…Off the reset they lock up at center…They spin and Busler opens the scoring with a takedown…Followed by a conceded escape to Takagi…From the mat they stand up…Out of bounds they will reset…Busler gains a leg for another takedown…Busler leads 4-1 with 1 minute remaining in the 1st…Busler gets an arm up…Pressures Takagi to his back for 3 points…End of 1 Busler leads 7-1…Busler starts the 2nd on top…Busler maintains control off the whistle…Forces Takagi to his back for another 3 count…Increases the lead to 10-1…Yet again Busler forces Takagi to his back…3 points…Same sequence same result…Bulser wins by tech fall 18-1.

157- Kevin Hartnett (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) vs. Greg Flornouy
At center they show patience…Flornouy with control early…Now they mutually reset…They engage and lock up at the shoulders…Flornouy gains a leg…Hartnett puts pressure on Flornouy’s head…Hartnett changes the tide and scores the first takedown…Near the edge they stay in…Toeing the line and then they go out…Short time in the 1st Hartnett leads 2-0…That’s how the 2nd will start…Hartnett starts on top on the mat and the board…Off the whistle they stand…Flornouy breaks free for 1…At center they lock up…Down to the mat they go…They engage…Hartnett overpowers Flornouy for a takedown near the edge…Out of bounds they will reset…Hartnett leads 4-1 under 1 minute left in the 2nd…Off the whistle they stand but Hartnett holds control…To the edge they go…The score remains 4-1 going to the 3rd…Hartnett starts on bottom…Off the whistle Hartnett fights to stand…Flornouy concedes the escape…Standing near center they lock up at the shoulders…They engage and spin to the edge…Out of bounds they’ll reset again…Off the reset they lock up…Down to the mat they go…Short time remaining…Hartnett holds on for a 6-1 decision with riding time.

165- Josh Veltre (Rochester, NY/Greece Olympia) vs. Ryan Forrest
Fighting for hand position off the whistle…To the edge they go…Circling around near the line…Locked up at the shoulders…Mutual reset at center…Now they engage and tie up at the shoulders…1 minute remaining in the 1st, no score…Down to the mat they go…Passive 1st period ends scoreless…Veltre starts the 2nd on bottom…Veltre breaks away for an escape to open the scoring…At center they lock up again…Veltre trying to outmuscle Forrest…Down on the mat they spin…Veltre gains position behind Forrest for a takedown…Short time remaining in the 2nd Veltre leads 3-0…That score goes to the 3rd…They start at neutral…Veltre showing patience…A sequence sends them out of bounds…They reset at center…1 minute remaining in the 3rd…Veltre with a shot…Gets behind Forrest for 2 points…Lead increased to 5-0…Forrest scores an escape in the dying seconds…Veltre wins with riding time for a 6-1 decision.

174- Mike Dessino (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) vs. Zach Martinez
At center off the whistle they tie up…They stay locked up at the shoulders at center…Down to the mat they go…Now they stand again…Down again with Dessino spinning behind Martinez for the first points of the match…Martinez warned for stalling…Dessino trying for an arm to turn Martinez…He gets an arm…Dessino cranks the arm…Period ends before the whistle is blown…Dessino earns 3 points…He’ll start the 2nd on bottom leading 5-0…Dessino has an ankle…Reverses Martinez for 2 points…Dessino with the headlock forces Martinez to his back for a count…Again Dessino cranks the arm…Dessino earns the pin at 4:48.

184- Sam Shirey (Beaver Springs/Midd-West) vs. Ryan Hembury
They tie up at the shoulders off the whistle…At center they remain locked…A sequence of spins and then a mutual reset…1 minute remaining in the 1st…Another sequence of spins leads to another lock up…Shirey goes in for a single leg shot…No points…A passive 1st comes to an end…No score…Shirey starts the 2nd on bottom…Shirey breaks free and escapes to open the scoring…Shirey gets a leg and gains position for a takedown and a 3-0 lead…Hembury springs free for an escape…At center they spin and engage down on the mat…3-1 Shirey going to the 3rd…Shirey starts the 3rd on top on the mat and the board…Hembury takes the conceded escape as they mutually reset…Locked up at the shoulders again…Short time remaining in the 3rd…Shirey catches Hembury and scores a takedown and 3 back points…Shirey holds on for the 8-3 decision.

197- Richard Perry (Meriden, CT/Middletown) vs. Matt Meadows
Off the whistle they spin and go out…Right back where they started at center…To the edge they go…Meadows gets a leg…Now Perry has a leg…Down on the mat they engage and tie up…Meadows gains control on both legs to open the scoring…Perry with a quick escape and takedown combination for 3 points…A Meadows escape ties it at 3…Perry quickly scores a takedown and 2 back points…Meadows escapes again…Short time remaining in the 1st…High scoring 1st ends with Perry up 7-4…He starts the 2nd on top…Off the whistle they go down to the mat…Perry holds control early in the period…Meadows stands and spins for an escape…Lead cut to 7-5…Perry scores a hard charging double leg takedown…He pushes Meadows’s head into the mat…Perry holds control…Short time remaining in the 2nd…Perry takes a 9-5 lead to the 3rd…He’ll start on bottom…Perry scores an escape to increase his lead to 10-5…Perry takes advantage of a missed Meadows shot and gains position for another 2 points…Meadows takes a conceded escape…Down to the mat they spin…Perry with another 2…Followed by another conceded escape for Meadows…Short time remaining in the 3rd…Another takedown and conceded escape for Perry…Perry scores a takedown in the dying seconds and wins by major 19-8.

285- Justin Grant (Easton/Easton) vs. Jake Kettler
At center they tie up at the shoulders…Fighting for hand position they mutually reset…Under 1 minute remaining in the 1st…Grant slams Kettler to the mat to open the scoring…Minimal scoring in the 1st…Grant leads 2-0…He’ll start the 2nd on bottom…After fighting off being slammed Grant spins away for an escape…Increases the lead to 3-0…At center they lock up…A spinning sequence sends them out of bounds…They reset at center…Short time remaining in the 2nd…Grant leads 3-0…That score goes to the 3rd…Grant starts on top…Grant lifts Kettler and slams him to the mat…Grant maintains control…1 minute remaining…Near the edge they battle…On the mat Grant holds control…Short time remaining in the match…Grant holds on for the 4-0 decision with riding time.

Dylan Ness lifts the Gophers over Penn State with important bout win

Feb. 9, 2014
MINNEAPOLIS – The No. 3 University of Minnesota Golden Gopher wrestling team upset No. 1 Penn State Nittany Lions in front of 5,603 fans at the Sports Pavilion on Sunday afternoon. With the victory over Penn State, the Gophers clinched a share of the 2014 Big Ten Dual Meet Championship.

The dual started with a bout at 125 between No. 2 Nico Megaludis of Penn State and Jordan Kingsley of Minnesota. Kingsley was unable to top second-ranked Megaludis and fell by major decision giving the Nittany Lions an opportunity to pull ahead by four early on.

No. 8 David Thorn won by decision over No. 16 Jimmy Gulibon allowing the Gophers to come within one of the Nittany Lions after the second bout.

No. 6 Chris Dardanes rejoined the starting lineup at 141 but ultimately fell to No. 2 Zain Retherford allowing Penn State to lead 7-3 going into 149. No. 3 Nick Dardanes came away with a victory in the second thirty second sudden victory, catching the Gophers up to the Nittany Lions 7-6.

No. 8 Dylan Ness had the crowd on its feet after an electrifying victory over No. 4 Dylan Alton of Penn State by fall at 5:23. The Gophers went into the intermission leading 12-7.

After the half, Danny Zilverberg fell by major decision to No. 1 David Taylor, 13-3 but the Gophers held onto the lead, 12-11.

No. 6 Logan Storley came up big for the Gophers as he defeated No. 3 Matt Brown by decision, 8-3, allowing the Golden Gophers to sit at a 14-11 advantage. The Gophers would go on to lose the next two duals as No. 8 Kevin Steinhaus and No. 1 Scott Schiller were unable to defeat their Penn State opponents. The loss for Schiller ended a 24-bout winning streak for the redshirt junior. After the two Gophers losses at 174 and 184, Minnesota was down by three with one bout to decide it all.

No. 5 Tony Nelson was able to win it for the Gophers with a 6-0 decision over Jonathan Gingrich. This victory broke a three-bout losing streak for the heavyweight redshirt senior. Nelson’s decision lifted the Gophers over No. 1 Penn State by just one, 18-17.

Next weekend, the Golden Gophers will travel to Columbus, Ohio to compete in the NWCA National Duals.

RESULTS:
125 Nicholas Megaludis (Penn State) won by major decision over Jordan Kingsley (Minnesota) 19-5. 0 4.00
133 David Thorn (Minnesota) won by decision over James Gulibon (Penn State) 2-0. 3.00 0
141 Zain Retherford (Penn State) won by decision over Christopher Dardanes (Minnesota) 4-0. 0 3.00
149 Nick Dardanes (Minnesota) won in sudden victory 2 over Zachary Beitz (Penn State) 6-4. 3.00 0
157 Dylan Ness (Minnesota) won by pin over Dylan Alton (Penn State) 5:23. 6.00 0
165 David Taylor (Penn State) won by major decision over Daniel Zilverberg (Minnesota) 13-3. 0 4.00
174 Logan Storley (Minnesota) won by decision over Mathew Brown (Penn State) 8-3. 3.00 0
184 Edward Ruth (Penn State) won by decision over Kevin Steinhaus (Minnesota) 7-1. 0 3.00
197 Morgan McIntosh (Penn State) won by decision over Scott Schiller (Minnesota) 8-4. 0 3.00
285 Anthony Nelson (Minnesota) won by decision over Jonathan Gingrich (Penn State) 6-0. 3.00 0

Dual set to air live on Big Ten Network at 2 p.m. (Eastern)/1 p.m. (Central)

The No. 1- ranked Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (13-0, 7-0 B1G) will trek to Minneapolis for a Sunday showdown with the third-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers (9-1, 6-1 B1G). The dual meet begins at 2 p.m. Eastern (1 p.m. Central) and will air live on the Big Ten Network. Penn State, which has clinched at least a share of the 2014 Big Ten regular season title, can win the crown outright with a victory while Minnesota can claim regular season Co-Champion laurels with a victory of its own.

The Nittany Lions are coming off a successful trip through the state of Michigan last weekend. Penn State hit the road for two dual meets on 1/31 and 2/2 and came away with two lop-sided victories. The Nittany Lions downed Michigan State on 1/31 by a 42-3 score, winning nine of ten bouts (including four pins). Two days later, Penn State took down #11 Michigan 32-9 in front of a sold out Keen Arena crowd, winning eight of ten bouts (including three straight tech falls). In all, Penn State went 17-3 in both duals with four pins, four tech falls, three majors and six decisions. Penn State outscored MSU and UM 74-12.

Penn State’s win over previously unbeaten (in conference) Michigan last Sunday clinched a share of the regular season Big Ten title. Minnesota, this weekend’s opponent, will be looking to grab a share of the crown, however. Penn State is 7-0 in conference action while Minnesota is 6-1. The dual is the conference finale for each team.

Penn State is led by a balanced and deep line-up. All-American Nico Megaludis is 20-2 and ranked No. 2 at 125; red-shirt freshman Jimmy Gulibon is 13-9 and ranked No. 16 at 133; sophomore Jordan Conaway is 15-5 at both 133 and 125 this year; true freshman Zain Retherford is 23-0 and ranked No. 2 at 141; junior Andrew Alton is 8-1 and ranked No. 8 at 149; red-shirt freshman Zack Beitz is 11-7 and ranked at 149 in other national rankings; All-American Dylan Alton is 15-0 and No. 4 at 157; senior James Vollrath is 11-7 at 157 as well; All-American David Taylor is 23-0 and No. 1 at 165; All-American Matt Brown is 23-1 and ranked No. 3 at 174; All-American Ed Ruth is 22-1 and No. 2 at 184; sophomore Morgan McIntosh is 22-2 and No. 5 at 197; and junior Jimmy Lawson is 16-4 and No. 12 at 285. Lawson is out this weekend, giving junior Jon Gingrich (19-4 overall) the nod at 285.

The Gophers are coming off a 35-6 win over Indiana on Sunday afternoon. Minnesota won eight of ten bouts in the dual victory. Minnesota sports a talented and balanced line-up as well. Junior Scott Schiller is 24-0 and ranked No. 1 at 197 while Tony Nelson is 21-4 and No. 5 at 285. Brothers Nick and Chris Dardanes form a formidable due at 141 and 149. Chris is 15-3 and No. 6 at 141 while Nick is 18-2 and No. 3 at 149. Dylan Ness is 14-4 and No. 8 at 157 while David Thorn is 17-4 and No. 8 at 133. Logan Storley sports a 22-3 mark and is No. 6 at 174 and Kevin Steinhaus is 10-2 and No. 8 at 184.

Minnesota leads the all-time series 13-6-1, including the last meeting between the two schools, two years ago during the 2011-12 season. Minnesota downed Penn State 23-14 on 11/20/11 in Rec Hall. The two teams tied the last time they met in Minnesota, an 18-18 draw on 2/13/11 (during the 2010-11 season).

The Nittany Lions return to Rec Hall for a national showcase dual, hosting the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Sunday, Feb. 16. The sold out Rec Hall dual begins at 2 p.m.

With the full season of Rec Hall duals sold out prior to the start of the campaign, a very limited number of standing room only tickets are available for some Rec Hall duals. People may check availability and purchase tickets by calling 1-800-NITTANY or by visiting the Penn State Athletics ticket office located in the BJC. Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at www.twitter.com/pennstateWREST and on Penn State Wrestling’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling. The 2013-14 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.

THIS WEEK
The No. 1- ranked Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (13-0, 7-0 B1G) will trek to Minneapolis for a Sunday showdown with the third-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers (9-1, 6-1 B1G). The dual meet begins at 2 p.m. Eastern (1 p.m. Central) and will air live on the Big Ten Network. Penn State, which has clinched at least a share of the 2014 Big Ten regular season title, can win the crown outright with a victory while Minnesota can claim regular season Co-Champion laurels with a victory of their own.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions return to Rec Hall for a national showcase dual, hosting the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Sunday, Feb. 16. The sold out Rec Hall dual begins at 2 p.m.

ON THE AIR
TV – LIVE on the BTN.
Live Web Video – BTN2go
Radio – Full season live on WRSC (103.1 FM/1390 AM) State College; WBPZ 1230 AM Lock Haven; 1370 WWCB Corry; WLAK (103.5 FM) Huntingdon; WMRF (95.7 FM) Lewistown; WIEZ (670 AM) Lewistown. Also live at GoPSUsports.com as part of the All-Access package as are select home duals.

#1 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (13-0, 7-0 B1G)
WT NAME EL HT/HS REC
125 #2 Nico Megaludis Jr. Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional 20-2
133 #16 Jimmy Gulibon Fr. Latrobe, Pa./Derry Area 13-9
Jordan Conaway So. Abbottstown, Pa./New Oxford 15-5
141 #2 Zain Retherford Fr. Benton, Pa./Benton 23-0
149 #8 Andrew Alton Jr. Mill Hall, Pa./Central Mountain 8-1
OR Zack Beitz Fr. Mifflintown, Pa./Juniata 11-7
157 #4 Dylan Alton Jr. Mill Hall, Pa./Central Mountain 15-0
James Vollrath Sr. Richboro, Pa./Council Rock South 11-7
165 #1 David Taylor Sr. St. Paris, Ohio/St. Paris Graham 23-0
174 #3 Matt Brown Jr. West Valley City, Utah/Cyprus 23-1
184 #2 Ed Ruth Sr. Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Township 22-1
197 #5 Morgan McIntosh So. Santa Ana, Calif./Calvary Chapel 22-2
285 Jon Gingrich Jr. Wingate, Pa./Bald Eagle Area 19-4
OUT #12 Jimmy Lawson Jr. Tom’s River, N.J./Manchester Township 16-4

#3 MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS (9-1, 6-1 B1G) / trend it at #PSUwrMINN
WT NAME EL HT/HS REC
125 Sam Brancale Fr. Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie 8-5
133 #8 David Thorn Sr. St. Michael, Minn./Albertville 17-4
141 #6 Chris Dardanes Jr. Chicago, Ill./Oak Park-River Forest 15-3
149 #3 Nick Dardanes Jr. Chicago, Ill./Oak Park-River Forest 18-2
157 #8 Dylan Ness Jr. Bloomington, Minn./Kennedy 14-4
165 Danny Zilverberg Sr. Wayzata, Minn./Albertville 14-8
174 #6 Logan Storley Jr. Roslyn, S.D./Webster 22-3
184 #8 Kevin Steinhaus Sr. Pennock, Minn./Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunberg 10-2
197 #1 Scott Schiller Jr. West Fargo, N.D./West Fargo 24-0
285 #5 Tony Nelson Sr. Cambridge, Minn./Isanti 21-4

Individual rankings are Intermat and team rankings are Intermat TPI as of 2/4

Written by Austin Marshall
Edmond’s Dixon brothers have arrived. In February of last year, the triplets—Lance, Joel, and Andrew—each won the state championship in their weight class and led Edmond North High School to a state title. The brothers made headlines this fall by committing to wrestle for Coach Mark Cody at the University of Oklahoma. After being aggressively recruited by several of the nation’s premier college wrestling programs, the brothers Dixon are poised to rise quickly in the world of collegiate wrestling.

Wrestling has always been a family affair for the Dixons. Whether it’s in-season training, wrestling camps in the summer, or the dozens of hours spent traveling to and from duels and tournaments, the family keeps a packed schedule. The three, like so many successful Edmond wrestlers, learned the sport as members of the Edmond Generals wrestling team. They were taking swimming classes when their mother, Linda, enrolled them in the program. Their talent was evident from a young age. After decorated amateur careers throughout middle and high school, the three are now poised to make names for themselves on the national stage as individuals and as a family.

The brothers realized that many top-tier programs—the University of Iowa, the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University, to name a few—may not be able to offer scholarships to all three. The “economics of a wrestling program,” as the brothers refer to it, could have made it impractical to offer each of the three a scholarship in the same year. Imagine the Dixon’s surprise when seven schools offered them full scholarships. “Then it just became a struggle to pick the best fit for all of us,” the brothers said. Each of the Dixons had his reasons for attending OU. Joel was impressed by the family atmosphere. Lance saw an opportunity for the Dixons to help build the program into a national powerhouse. “We could have gone to a top-notch wrestling school and been another cog in the wheel of success, or, we could help build a wrestling program in our home state. It was a no-brainer,” Lance said. Andrew, who aspires to be an orthopedic surgeon after his wrestling career is over, was drawn to the University’s medical school. “It means a great deal to us to be able to stay together,” the brothers agreed. “We wrestle better when we have each other’s support and encouragement. We make each other better.”

Their success is not the result of natural talent alone. To excel at a sport as physically demanding as wrestling in a state as competitive as Oklahoma requires years of hard work and dedication. In high school, the Dixons would practice after school, come home for dinner, and then go to The Edge Sports Training Facility where their personal trainer, Denny Bonewitz, would work with them until 9pm. After returning home and completing homework, the Dixons would wake up and repeat the cycle again.
The brothers will be anything but idle after their senior years of high school. They’ll report to OU on June 1st, where they will enroll in summer courses and begin training with the rest of the team. In July, the Dixons compete in Fargo, North Dakota, for the Freestyle National Championships. They are scheduled to compete in Junior World Nationals and will represent Oklahoma in Dual Nationals, as well.

Perhaps most importantly, the Dixons’ decision to attend OU together made their mother very happy. Linda Dixon was very impressed by Coach Cody’s emphasis on family and academics and was obviously pleased to have all three sons remain close to home. “I didn’t want to raise professional wrestlers,” Linda said, “I wanted to raise professionals.” By attending OU, her sons each get to pursue their wrestling careers while having access to a world-class university. If their past is any indication, the future is bright for these Edmond triplets.