InterMat Staff

Mo Lawal is one of the most exciting and athletic wrestlers I have ever seen. His explosive double leg attack hurts just to watch. Mo brought it half way around the world and placed seventh in his first World Championships. He was also the RPW 84 kg champion of Season 1. I was able to catch-up with him for a few moments and listen as the "Muhammad Ali of wrestling" gave me his insight on Real Pro Wrestling, the first (real) professional wrestling league. What was your experience in the taping of the first season of the show? Lawal: It was cool. I was part of the first professional wrestling league. We were treated first class all the way. I mean, flying me to LA, nice hotel, got paper to wrestle not to mention the after party and the limo with spinners. It doesn't get better than that. What did you think of the rules? Lawal: I had no problem with the rules. I think the push-out helped me. The 4 and 6 point moves made it more exciting and made wrestlers want to score more. What would you like to see added to RPW in the future? Lawal: I think there should be belts for the champions. When you watch boxing, UFC or the WWE the champs come out with belts. The are able to defend their belt and someone is able to take it away when they beat the champ. A trophy was cool but in the future having a belt coming into your match would make it more exciting and I would be defending something. A belt lets everyone know you are "The Champ." What did you think needed to be taken away or modified? Lawal: Either take the power meter away or figure out a new way to have it work. The power meter only ran down. When I was scoring or controlling the match the power meter didn't go up. The criteria for the power meter to not go down was to control the center of the mat. I might not have been controlling the center of the mat all the time but I was controlling the match. Just because someone can stand in the center and push you out of the center doesn't mean he is in control. It's alright though because I won. What do you think is the biggest impact RPW had on the kids/wrestlers wrestling today? Lawal: It gives them hope. These kids can see people from the same background as them working hard and making something of themselves. The elite wrestlers are already looked up to by kids as role models and this is a way more kids can be exposed to elite wrestling and wrestlers. It also allows them to see other great wrestlers that have not been in the news. Only a few wrestlers like Rulon Gardner and Cael Sanderson ever really make it on the news. People never hear the great stories of people like Tyrone Lewis, Daniel Cormier or Jamil Kelly. Mo LawalWhat do you think about RPW as a new professional sports league? Lawal: It can educate people about real wrestling not WWE. I am not knocking the WWE, they have to make their paper but we are real and there is a difference and now people can see. We can get more of a following by getting the word out we are on television. We can keep people informed and let people know there are alternatives. What's cool is someone like Teague Moore who doesn't actively compete in FILA or USA Wrestling events can decide to continue competing for RPW. There are alternatives for wrestlers and fans. What was some of the feedback you heard about yourself and your wrestling performance from the television show? Lawal: A lot of people said I was exciting to watch, I wrestled great and they liked my dance I did before I came out. I knew I was going to win but you got to stand out, you got to shine … you know what I mean. How important were the background stories? Lawal: The background stories were important! People had the chance to get to know the person and the athlete. I think they should show a lot more with behind the scenes stuff. Cameras in practice, in meetings, talking a little trash … really get to know the people like on a reality show … like on a soap opera. Do you think RPW can succeed? Lawal: 100%. But, we have to get off PAX (laughing). PAX isn't for sports or wrestling. When I would tell people I was going to be on television and then told them the station they laughed at me. Some people I know wouldn't even watch it on PAX they would only watch it on Fox Sports Net (FSN). I got to the point where I only told people FSN; that station has credibility PAX didn't. What can we expect from you in Season 2 of RPW? Lawal: Paper chasin and hater erasin while I win the title! Mo Lawal of the Oklahoma Slam defeated Brad Vering of the New York Outrage win the RPW Season 1 title at 84 kg.Is there anything else you want to say, any parting words? Lawal: I want to send a shout out to all the "Haters" on the internet for talking down about me and my associates. Thanks for the extra motivation you gave me to work harder and be a champ. Also, to the media for making assumptions about me, my wrestling and my conduct. I proved you all wrong and you made me stronger. Please log on to RealProWrestling.com to view more about Mo and the rest of the elite wrestlers that make up the newest league of superheroes … Real Pro Wrestling!!!

Fresno, Calif. -- With Fresno State being unable to start three weight classes due to injuries and losing a fourth to a default, the Bulldogs fell to the Roadrunners in Bakersfield 36-10. In matches that went the distance, the Bulldogs were nearly even with Cal State Bakersfield, but were unable to recover from the 24 points gained from the other matches. The Bulldogs began in an early hole, as freshman Dustin Rocha lost by technical fall to No. 17 Anthony Baza at 149 pounds, and then gave up three straight forfeits to fall behind 23-0 early in the dual. The Bulldogs recovered with a solid win from Greg Gifford, a 19-6 major decision to get Fresno State on the board. More injury troubles hurt the Bulldogs at 197-pounds, as Brandon Halsey was forced to retire on an injury default, giving the Roadrunners another 6-point match. Wins from Sean Carlson at 133 pounds and Cody Parker at heavyweight were unable to cut into that gap. Fresno State continues wrestling action on Friday, when the Bulldogs start a trip to Oklahoma with a stop in Stillwater to face No. 2 Oklahoma State. The team then heads to Norman to wrestle Oklahoma on Saturday afternoon. Cal State Bakersfield 36, Fresno State 10 January 18, 2006 149 - Anthony Baza (CSUB) t.f. Dustin Rocha (FS), 16-1 (5:58) 157 - Daniel Atondo (CSUB) accepted forfeit 165 - Brian Busby (CSUB) accepted forfeit 174 - Garth Wara (CSUB) accepted forfeit 184 - Greg Gifford (FS) m.d. Brandon Ceremello (CSUB), 19-6 197 - Colton Nichols (CSUB) default Brandon Halsey (FS), 1:30 HWT - Cody Parker (FS) dec. Eric Parker (CSUB), 16-13 125 - Brandon Zoetewy (CSUB) m.d.. Cory Borges (FS), 14-4 133 - Sean Carlson (FS) dec. Thomas Kimbrell (CSUB), 8-4 141 - Matt Schumm (CSUB) dec. Garrett Spooner (FS), 8-4

LEXINGTON, Va. -- Junior Corry Murray gave it everything he had, but could not find the extra two points he needed to score the technical fall, as the VMI wrestling team kicked off their 2006 Southern Conference campaign with a 19-19 tie against Davidson Wednesday evening at the Thunderdome. Murray, wrestling in the night's final match at 197 lbs., came into his match against Wil Carter as the Keydets faced a 19-15 deficit. And while he collected his fifth win in six tries this season, he could ‘only' manage an 18-5 major decision, needing just two more points to secure a five-point technical fall victory in front of a packed house that cheered him on for the entirety of the match. "Tonight was a good team effort," said VMI head coach John Trudgeon. "We just continue to struggle finding ways to win. Hopefully we're picking up lessons and learning from these matches, we just have to keep working hard, and maybe something good will happen for us." The Keydets (1-4-1, 0-0-1 SoCon) and Wildcats (1-2-1, 0-1-1 SoCon) alternated wins in the first eight classes, starting with a forfeit victory by VMI's Scott Buhman at heavyweight. At 125, Davidson senior Patrick Coman picked up a vital major decision, scoring a 9-0 win over Keydet sophomore Lam Ly to cut the VMI margin to 6-4. Freshman Brandon Stillo shut out Davidson's Travis Hunter at 133, advancing VMI's lead to 9-4 with his 4-0 decision. But the Wildcats countered at 141 lbs., as Jim Avola scored an 8-6 win over Jochen Granja to again cut the VMI lead to two at 9-7. VMI junior Sam Alvarenga then improved his record to 15-6 and 5-1 in dual matches with his hard-fought, 6-3 decision over Matt Leonard at 149. The match's momentum swung at 157 lbs., where Keydet sophomore Tommy Cunningham appeared to be well on his way to a victory with less than a minute remaining before Matt Pendle caught Cunningham out of position and pinned him at the 6:06 mark, giving the Wildcats their first lead of the night at 13-12. With four matches remaining, Chris Hardy again gave the hosts the advantage, scoring a 10-4 victory over DC's Jimmy Colavita to even his record to 10-10 on the season. But the Wildcats again countered, as Marcus Boyd won in a shootout, defeating Dustin McCabe 23-17 to move the visitors ahead, 16-15. At 184 lbs., a pair of freshmen battled it out, as VMI's Cubby Elgert and Davidson's Sam O'Hair fought in the ninth match of the evening. In complete contrast to the 174 match, Elgert and O'Hair wrestled a low-scoring match, with O'Hair finally prevailing 3-2 to set the stage for Murray in the final match. The Keydets return to action Saturday afternoon, when they travel to College Park, Md. to battle the University of Maryland in a 1 p.m. match. Next Thursday, the Keydets return to Southern Conference action, as they travel to Boone, N.C. to take on Appalachian State. VMI 19, DAVIDSON 19 285- Scott Buhman (V) wins by forfeit, VMI 6-0 125- Patrick Coman (D) maj. dec. Lam Ly, 9-0, VMI 6-4 133- Brandon Stillo (V) dec. Travis Hunter, 4-0, VMI 9-4 141- Jim Avola (D) dec. Jochen Granja, 8-6, VMI 9-7 149- Sam Alvarenga (V) dec. Matt Leonard, 6-3, VMI 12-7 157- Matt Pendle (D) fall Tommy Cunningham, 6:06, DAV 13-12 165- Chris Hardy (V) dec. Jimmy Colavita, 10-4, VMI 15-13 174- Marcus Boyd (D) dec. Dustin McCabe, 23-17, DAV 16-15 184- Sam O'Hair (D) dec. Kyle Elgert, 3-2, DAV 19-15 197- Corry Murray (V) maj. dec. 18-5, Tied 19-19 Att. -- 629

Brendan Buckley always liked the Virginia Duals. He wrestled in it while competing for Clemson, and coached there as an assistant at the University of Virginia. After taking his first team to the celebrated tournament as a head coach, Buckley likes it even more. "Wrestling here is a great experience," he said, a few days after his Columbia wrestling team went 2-2 at the 2006 Virginia Duals, defeating West Virginia and UC Davis. "This is a historic tournament. It and the National Duals are the only tournaments where teams advance, as a team, in an elimination format." And Buckley truly appreciates the dual meet format. "Dual meets really capture the excitement of college wrestling," the Andrew F. Barth Head Coach of Wrestling said. "Everyone is working to get the pin, or to get bonus points, in order to help their team. You don't always see that in tournaments." Columbia fans saw exactly that in all four of the Lions' matches at the Duals, especially the 20-16 victory over West Virginia. After taking an 11-3 lead over the 20th-ranked Mountaineers, Columbia saw its margin dwindle to two at 11-9. But junior Dustin Tillman (Fremont, Calif.), coming off an injury which had sidelined him for most of the season's first two months, defeated Eric Mullen, 4-2 at 165 pounds, and junior All-American Matt Palmer (Germantown, Md.), still hurting from an injury, gamely fought to a 7-3 victory over Kurt Brenner at 174. Another junior, Justin Barent (Worland, Wyo.), gave the Lions their third straight victory when he edged Chance Litton, 4-3 on the riding time point. West Virginia needed bonus points, but could gain only one when first-year 197-pounder Orrin Kleinhenz (Columbus, Ind.) fought off Jarred Villers again and again. The WVU wrestler earned an 11-3 major decision, but Columbia clinched the match with a 20-13 lead. "The victory over West Virginia came just when we needed it," Buckley said. "It provided our team with the opportunity to realize their potential. You could see the light go on in their eyes as the match went on. "We were aggressive, we stepped up to get bonus points, we showed that we can hang with the best in the country." Although fielding a lineup that included only five regular starters, Columbia nearly staged an upset in its first encounter of the tournament. Wrestling fourth-seeded Tennessee-Chattanooga, the Lions battled back from 16-3 and 19-6 deficits to pull within 19-13 when Barent converted two sparkling headlocks into five-point moves and defeated John Davis at 184, 12-9 (after trailing, 8-2), and Kleinhenz won a 17-9 major decision over Lloyd Rogers at 197. Prior to this week, Buckley would have been forced to forfeit the heavyweight bout, as all three contenders have missed the entire season with injuries. Instead, he sent out junior John Grando (Pueblo, Colo.) and the converted 184-pounder nearly caught Israel Silva before dropping a 5-3 decision in the 22-13 defeat. Wrestling to stay alive in the consolation bracket that afternoon, Columbia faced a formidable foe in UC Davis, ranked third in the Pac-10 and coming off two hard-fought matches at Iowa State and Arizona State. Although they are roughly 3000 miles apart, Columbia and UC Davis are keen rivals, and both coaches expected a close match. "I coached at UC Davis," Brendan Buckley explained, "and Jeff Sato, our captain, wrestled there before transferring to Columbia. We also come up against Davis when we recruit in California. We often recruit the same people." The Lions jumped out to a 10-0 lead over the Aggies, but it wasn't easy. Senior Jeff Sato (Pismo Beach, Calif.) at 125 and junior Matt DeLorenzo (Wantagh, N.Y.) at 133 both won decisions by close margins, Sato by 6-4 over Marcos Orozco and DeLorenzo by 4-3 over Omar Gaitan. First-year Sal Tirico (Lodi, N.J.) celebrated his collegiate debut — he had been injured earlier — with an 11-0 major decision over Nexi Delgado at 141. UC Davis came back to within 10-6, only to see Dustin Tillman, another Californian (Fremont), hit a takedown with 19 seconds to go to upset Frank Richmond, 9-8. But Davis took two more, one a major decision, to tie the match at 13-all. Two "newcomers" pulled it out for Columbia. Orrin Kleinhenz, a former Indiana state champion, posted a 13-5 major decision over Elliot Kelly at 197 to give the Lions a 13-5 lead, and Grando, the brand-new heavyweight, a Colorado state champion, led Evan Hendrix most of the match before dropping a 4-3 decision. By not allowing any bonus points, he gave Columbia a 17-16 victory. "Both Orrin and John did a good job for us," Buckley said. Columbia dropped its final match to Drexel, 21-15. The Dragons burst out to a 6-0 lead on victories over Sato and DeLorenzo, and Columbia never caught up. The Lions were set back when Matt Palmer aggravated an injury and had to default to Nick Kozar at 174, giving Drexel an 18-6 lead. Columbia refused to yield. Justin Barent had a fall at 184 and Kleinhenz won a 7-3 decision, bringing Columbia within 18-15, but Grando fell by 4-1 to Drexel standout Chris Cowen. Tirico continued his fine wrestling with an 8-2 decision at 141, and Dustin Tillman improved his tournament record to 4-0 with another decision. And Buckley reflected on the difference one week can make. "A week ago, we lost to American," he said. "That was a wakeup call for us. We completely redesigned our practices to work even harder. The team we put out in the Virginia Duals? It was like two different teams."

Boiling Springs, N.C. -- Gardner-Webb looked impressive on Wednesday afternoon, as the Bulldogs posted a 36-6 win over Campbell and then blew past Carson-Newman, 30-12, as it improved to 9-9 in dual match action this season. The Campbell match started with the 174-pound contest as Chad Davis posted a 17-1 technical fall victory over James Amsley to put GWU on top, 5-0, after one match. The Bulldogs would feed from Davis' quick start, as they would win the next eight matches, and hold a 36-0 lead. Brandon Beach, Brent Blackwell, Brandon Schweitzer and Cortney Roberts scored four-straight wins for the ‘Dogs to take a commanding 17-0 lead with just five bouts remaining. Josh Pniewski help to seal the GWU victory with a 15-2 major decision win over Caleb Lesnoff at 133 pounds to put the match out of reach for Davidson at 21-0. Yet the Bulldogs did not stop there, as A.J. Renteria would pick up an 8-7 victory over Elliott Berger at 141 pounds, only to be followed by back-to-back pin falls by Daniel Elliott at 149 pounds and then Adam Glaser at 157 pounds. The lone scoring for the Fighting Camels came in the last bout, as Brent Poynter pinned GWU's Jordan Lowe, preventing the Bulldogs from the shutout. The Bulldogs carried over its enthusiasm and wasted little time in taking control of Carson-Newman as both Davis and Beach would pick up victories for the ‘Dogs, while Blackwell pinned Jonathan Trevor in 4:20 to push the spread to 12-0 after just three matches. Cortney Roberts won by a forfeit at 125 pounds, while Daniel Elliot earned a tech fall victory at 149 pounds, winning 18-2. Pniewski and Renteria took decisions at 133 and 141 pounds. Gardner-Webb improves to 9-9 in dual matches on the season and will be back in action on Feb. 5, as they will compete in the East Regional Duals. Gardner – Webb Def. Campbell, 36-6 125 – (GWU) Cortney Roberts dec. Richard Apolinar, 7-5 133 – (GWU) Joshua Pniewski maj. dec. Caleb Lesnoff, 15-2 141 – (GWU) A.J. Renteria dec. Elliott Berger, 8-7 149 – (GWU) Daniel Elliott pin fall Steven Wiktorek, 2:50 157 – (GWU) Adam Glaser pin fall Nicolaus Amato, 5:16 165 – (CAM) Brent Poynter pin fall Jordan Lowe, 1:50 174 – (GWU) Chad Davis tech. fall. James Amsley, 17-1 184 – (GWU) Brandon Beach dec. Steven Higgins, 9-4 197 – (GWU) Brent Blackwell dec. Jason Cook, 8-4 285 – (GWU) Brandon Schweitzer dec. John Fennell, 5-3 Gardner – Webb Def. Carson Newman, 30-12 125 – (GWU) Cortney Roberts wins by forfeit 133 – (GWU) Joshua Pniewski dec. Kent Pierson, 8-1 141 – (GWU) A.J. Renteria dec. Robert Cate, 7-1 149 – (GWU) Daniel Elliott tech. fall Bradley Argabright, 18-2 157 – (C-N) Stephen Humphrey dec. Adam Glaser, 8-3 165 – (C-N) Justan Ransom dec. Jordan Lowe, 3-1 174 – (GWU) Chad Davis dec. William Campbell, 10-7 184 – (GWU) Brandon Beach dec. Nathan Jones, 3-2 197 – (GWU) Brent Blackwell pin fall Jonathan Trevor, 4:20 285 – (C-N) Charles Robinson pin fall Brandon Schweitzer, 1:28

All-American heavyweight Cole Konrad was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week after being named Most Outstanding Wrestler at the National Duals. Konrad pinned top-ranked and two-time NCAA Champion Steve Mocco of Oklahoma State to clinch Minnesota's 21 -14 upset of the top-ranked Cowboys. This is the third time Konrad has been named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week this season. Minnesota ended OSU's consecutive winning streak at 30, while Konrad snapped Mocco's 85-match winning streak. Mocco defeated Konrad three times last year, including an overtime decision in the finals at the NCAA Championship. In the Golden Gophers' first round matchup against Hofstra, Konrad pinned Jon Andriac in 1:44 to become the 26th wrestler in school history to reach 100 career wins. In the semifinals, Konrad clinched Minnesota's 20-15 win over Central Michigan with a 9-1 major decision against 18th-ranked Bubba Gritter. Konrad is now 24-0 on the year and has won 53 of his last 54 matches. Top-ranked Minnesota opens the Big Ten season on Friday night at the Sports Pavilion vs. Northwestern. On Sunday, the Golden Gophers host No. 7 Iowa at 2 p.m. at Williams Arena.

NORMAN, Okla. -- The match time has been set for the Oklahoma - Hofstra wrestling dual scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 12, at 12 p.m. ESPNU will be airing the event as part of its Double Sport Wrestling Invitational. The dual will be held in Oklahoma City at the Ford Center. In the other half of the Invitational, Oklahoma State and Minnesota battle each other. The Sooners return to the mat this weekend when they host Fresno State and Cal Poly in a double dual on Saturday, Jan. 21, beginning at 12 p.m. For more information on OU wrestling, visit www.SoonerSports.com.

Cedar Falls, Iowa -- The ninth-ranked Iowa State wrestlers (8-4, 0-0) will head to Cedar Falls on Sunday to take on in-state rival Northern Iowa (2-6-1) at 2 p.m. in West Gym. The Cyclones are coming off a performance at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals last weekend. That effort included a win against Northwestern and losses to eventual champion Minnesota and Missouri. Sunday's dual will be aired live on Iowa Public Television. "This will be a big for match for us as a team," head coach Bobby Douglas said. "They have a good team and we match up really well. It will be a very close meet." ISU's two-time All-American Nate Gallick (141) paces the team with 22 wins and is only four victories away from reaching the career century mark after going 3-0 at National Duals. Gallick defeated Panther NCAA qualifier C.J. Ettelson last year by way of a 13-2 major decision. The Panthers, who arguably have the toughest schedule in the nation facing the likes of Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Iowa, Central Michigan, Wisconsin and Cornell, are led by seventh-ranked two-time NCAA qualifier Nick Baima (165) who paces the team in wins with 22. Baima was named the Midlands Championships' Outstanding Wrestler after capturing a title in double overtime against Illinois' Mike Poeta. The nationally ranked sophomore Ettelson (141) has posted a 20-6 record this season including falls over Illinois' All-American Cassio Pero and Central Michigan's 12th -ranked freshman Brandon Carter. The Cyclones lead the school series, 45-17, with the last meeting a 25-16 ISU triumph at Hilton Coliseum in 2005. ISU stays on the road to face No. 8 Oklahoma (5-3) and No. 2 Oklahoma State (9-1) Jan. 28-29.

This past weekend was one of the best weekends of my life. Winning the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals team championships was a feeling unparallel to any I have had before. Going into the weekend, we were the third seed in the NAIA bracket and drew Montana-State Northern first round. Although we beaten them earlier this season in a dual at Las Vegas, we knew they would be ready to wrestle. Any team that is rooted with such tradition as they are will always be ready to go, and you have to be prepared. It was a closer dual than last time, but we prevailed, moving on to face Southern Oregon in the quarterfinals. Dana College celebrates after winning the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals title over the University of the Cumberlands, 22-13.This was one of the most unbelievable duals I have ever seen us wrestle. It just seemed like everything was going our way and we were unstoppable. We started off hot at the lower weights and it carried all the way through the upper weights, dropping only the last match of the dual. It was amazing how everyone was feeding off each other, but we had to get ready to face one of our biggest rivals in Missouri Valley College the next morning at 11 am. In the last five years I have been at Dana College, we have only beaten Missouri Valley College one time in a dual, which was last year. You can always count on a very interesting and intense dual when we get together. Whatever it says on paper you might as well throw in the trash because it never even comes close to the actual results. This was another one of those duals. We started off a little slow but picked up victories at 125 and 141 pounds. We were down 12-6 in the team score heading into my match. We knew we had to get it going in the last four matches if we were going to make it to the finals to face the winner of Lindenwood and the University of the Cumberlands, and that is exactly what we did. I held on to win 6-4 after a slight setback in the second period where I was choked out, but seniors Willie Parks and Blair Alderman were the real men of the meet, picking up bonus points to set us seven points ahead. Parks looked like a man on a mission, pinning his opponent in the second period, and Alderman was not going to be stopped, as he used an arsenal of takedowns to score a major decision and put the dual out of reach for Missouri Valley. We watched in awe as the University of the Cumberlands upset the previous seemingly untouchable Lindenwood University, and the finals were set. We were to dual the University of the Cumberlands for the National Dual Team Championship. We were hyped, as we were attempting to do something no other sport has ever achieved at our school, winning a national team title. The dual started off with a bang as unranked junior Craig Trampe (125) downed the top-ranked wrestler, 3-2. It looked as if the University of the Cumberlands was going to pull away, winning the next three matches and going up 10-3, but senior Ben Henderson (157) started a rally with a huge overtime victory. After a victory from senior Trent Leichleiter at 165 pounds, I knew I had to win to keep us in the dual meet and our championship hopes alive. I was ecstatic after picking up a fall in the first period against one of their former All-Americans, and it only contributed to the momentum of our team. We picked up wins at 184 and heavyweight to seal the deal. Steve Costanzo and the Dana College coaching staff rejoice.After winning, I was in awe. I really couldn't believe that we had won the title. It is amazing to think that seven years ago when head coach Steve Costanzo came to the program, there were only eight wrestlers and on the brink of extermination as a program. It was an awesome feeling to see the look in our coaches eyes as we won. It was an overwhelming look of happiness. I think I gave and received more high-fives and hugs than ever before and each one of them meant something. A dual team championship is a great thing, but now we look to the future, to March. I think the best thing that came out of this weekend besides bring the National Title to Blair, was that we now know that we can compete with the best of the best, as we have been telling ourselves all year. However, if we settle now, you will not see us at the top in March, but we don't plan on settling, and I am sure that none of the other teams do either. I am looking forward to a great national tournament, but we still have a few obstacles in our way over the next month and a half, and that is what we are focused on for the time being. Until next time, keep getting better. Marshall Marquardt Past Entries: Entry 8 (1/5/06) Entry 7 (12/28/05) Entry 6 (12/7/05) Entry 5 (11/23/05) Entry 4 (11/9/05) Entry 3 (10/26/05) Entry 2 (10/13/05) Entry 1 (10/1/05)

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestler Matt Keller won his fourth Southern Conference Wrestler of the Week Award of the 2005-06 season, the SoCon office announced Wednesday. Matt KellerKeller went undefeated in five matches this past weekend at the Virginia Duals. Wrestling at 133 pounds, he registered a pin and two major decisions while scoring victories over wrestlers from Columbia, Drexel, Indiana and North Carolina. The junior from McDonald, Tenn., led UTC to a third-place finish and a 4-1 record in Hampton, Va. The Mocs defeated Columbia, Drexel and North Carolina twice while falling to eventual champion Indiana in the semifinals. Keller, currently ranked as high as No. 7 nationally by the National Wrestling Coaches Association and IntermatWrestle, is the team leader with a 27-7 overall record. He also owns a 10-match winning streak. The 25th-ranked Mocs return to action Jan. 24, opening Southern Conference competition at The Citadel in Charleston, S.C.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Beginning with the Jan. 20 match against Purdue, the University of Illinois wrestling team will have four Big Ten dual meets aired on WDWS-AM 1400 radio locally and on www.fightingillini.com . The broadcast will feature play-by-play by Brian Moline and former Illini standouts as expert analysts. Joining Moline for the match vs. the Boilermakers will be two-time All-American Brian Glynn. The Illini wresting radio schedule will include two home matches — Jan. 20 vs. Purdue and Feb. 3 vs. Michigan — as well as two road duals. Fans in Champaign will be able to hear Illinois' away match at Indiana on Jan. 27 and at Iowa on Feb. 10. ILLINOIS WRESTLING RADIO SCHEDULE Fri., Jan. 20 vs. Purdue 7 p.m. Fri., Jan. 27 at Indiana 6 p.m. Fri., Feb. 3 vs. Michigan 7 p.m. Fri., Feb. 10 at Iowa 7 p.m. * all times Central

ATHENS, Ohio -- The Ohio wrestling program is hoping for a large home crowd Friday night, Jan. 20, when it faces No. 23 Northern Illinois in a crucial Mid-American Conference dual meet in the Convocation Center. The Huskies (4-4) feature five wrestlers who are nationally ranked in their respective weight classes, including No. 10 Pat Castillo at 125 pounds. Also ranked are 141-pounder Josh Wooten (11th), 149-pounder Mike Grimes (13th), 174-pounder Danny Burk (20th) and heavyweight Joe Sapp (19th). "They are pretty darn tough," said Bobcat head coach Joel Greenlee about his squad's upcoming opponent. "They're a good team but I think we can wrestle with them. I think they're better in the lower weights but that we're better in the upper weights." With the possible return of two starters, Ohio may field its healthiest lineup so far this season. Junior 197-pounder Nick Terbay (Dayton, Ohio) and redshirt freshman Jake Frerichs (Uniontown, Ohio) at 157 both have recovered enough from knee injuries to consider reclaiming their starting spots. In order to boost attendance at home meets this season, the Bobcats have tried several approaches, including hosting youth clinics, high school meets and alumni nights. According to Greenlee, the efforts have been effective. "We had a great crowd last Friday and I think it made a big difference in the meet," Greenlee said about the 25-13 victory over North Carolina State. "All of our guys were really fired up to go out and wrestle hard." Prior to this Friday's 7 p.m. main event, two area high school wrestling programs with Ohio University graduates as head coaches - Athens and Sheridan - will battle on The Convo floor. The dual meet between the Bulldogs and Generals will begin at 5 p.m. and admission is free to both events. "A lot of people have never been to a college wrestling meet but once they go, they're hooked," said Greenlee. "It's fast-paced action that's exciting. And with us going against Northern Illinois, I know it's two teams that are going to wrestle hard." Live results for Friday night's dual between Ohio and Northern Illinois will be posted on ohiobobcats.com after the conclusion of each match. Tentative lineup for Friday's dual meet: 125 - Ohio's Caleb Metcalf (11-10) vs. #10 Pat Castillo (18-5) 133 - Ohio's Terry Jackson (6-4) vs. Andy Hiatt (14-11) 141 - Ohio's Albert Madsen (6-6) vs. #11 Josh Wooton (17-6) 149 - Ohio's Aaron Gomoll (9-10) vs. #13 Mike Grimes (15-6) 157 - Ohio's Jake Frerichs (7-3) or Mike Grandominico (1-7) vs. Kalen Knull (2-6) 165 - Ohio's Kent Smith (4-9) vs. Alex Nelson (13-5) or Johnny Galloway (11-7) 174 - Ohio's Ryan Knapp (13-11) vs. #20 Danny Burk (13-7) 184 - Ohio's Brian Cesear (14-8) vs. Nick McClone (8-12) 197 - Ohio's Nick Terbay (11-7) or Larry Reichard (7-6) vs. Derick Hunsinger (8-12) HWT - Ohio's Marcus Adelman (6-4) vs. #19 Joe Sapp (14-9)

Kings Point, NY -- The USMMA Athletics Department will be hosting the twelfth annual All-Academy Wrestling Championships on Feb. 4. Witness all five federal service academies plus The Citadel, Norwich University and Virginia Military Institute compete in the biggest wrestling event of the season. With an attendance of 1,000 screaming fans, the All- Academy Wrestling Championships is the place to witness students crossing divisional lines to compete for the championship trophy. WHO: U.S. Air Force Academy U.S. Coast Guard Academy U.S. Merchant Marine Academy U.S. Military Academy U.S. Naval Academy The Citadel Norwich University Virginia Military Institute INFO: Defending Champion Navy has won the team championship five of the eleven times, with Air Force following close behind with four team wins. WHERE: Liebertz Gym, O'Hara Hall 300 Steamboat Road Kings Point, NY 11024 Parking available on campus (across from O'Hara Hall) and on Steamboat Road. Please obtain a visitors permit when you enter from Steamboat Road. WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 4, 2006 at 10 a.m. Photo opportunities available during and after event For more information please contact Sports Information Assistant Kristin Duffy at duffyk@usmma.edu or Sports Information Director Tyrone Broxton at broxtont@usmma.edu or (516)773-5455. Visit our Web site at www.KPMariners.com.

Joining Steve Foster and I this week will be 2 X NCAA qualifier Jeff Harrison of TheWrestlingRecap.com as we come to you LIVE from Kreiger's Sports Bar and Grill in West Des Moines, Iowa. Jeff's new site is a MUST see to appreciate! Check it out soon. I asked Jeff and Steve who they would like on the show and they told me so here goes. TDR this week as requested by our own Steve Foster and Jeff Harrison: Mike Duroe -- Head Coach of Cornel College in Mt. Vernon Iowa. Huge story with this reemerging program. Mychal Grenawalt of Matside Michigan. This is Michigan's new full color news source for youth, High School and collegiate wrestling. Sean Stender -- 3 x All American, Recent graduate of and now assist. coach at University of Northern Iowa under Head Coach Brad Penrith. Sean has one great teacher! Cole Konrad -- Minnesota's Mat Monster speaks out on his run for the NCAA title. Cole will answer the Question How heavy is Steve Mocco? Nick Simmons of Michigan State some call him the choker, Harrison says "just bony arms". I call him one fine wrestler. James Oliva -- Director of the award winning wrestling film "Seven Minutes". Available this spring. This will be a terrific show and all of us invite you to tune in LIVE or archived. Don't make us send the Choker after you! Tune in this Saturday to Takedownradio.com 10 AM to 12:15 PM.

Oshkosh, Wis. -- Wrestling unattached at the Dan Gable Open Jan. 13 at the Kolf Sports Center in Oshkosh, Wis., three Missouri freshmen advanced unscathed through their brackets to the top of the podium. John Olanowski, Dirk Hurrin and Max Askren took home titles at 125 pounds, 174 pounds and 197 pounds, respectively. Askren, a native of Hartland, Wis., earned his third title in an open tournament this season. Entering the bracket as the No. 1 seed at 197 pounds, Askren pinned his first two opponents in 2:53 and 5:33, the 11th and 12th falls of his redshirt season. Facing off against Patrick Bond of Illinois, Askren came away with a 7-2 win to claim the title. Askren has placed in the top four in each of the seven tournaments he's entered. Continuing the success of his first year as well, Olanowski picked up his second tournament, having claimed the 125-pound title in the freshman/sophomore division of the Missouri Open Dec. 20. A native of Virginia Beach, Va., Olanowski dispatched of his first two opponents by fall, then decisioned Aric Tarr of the University of Mary, 8-2. Competing in the first action of his collegiate career, Hurrin opened the tournament by winning a close decision over Jon Erickson of UW-Eau Claire, 4-2, then winning his next two bouts by a combined score of 25-8. Facing a talented opponent in Ryan Luna of Lindenwood in the championship match, the native of Alexandria, Va., shut out his foe to claim the top spot on the podium, 5-0.

HUSKIES BATTLE DRAGONS: The St. Cloud State wrestling team (0-2, 0-1 NCC) will travel to #11 Minnesota State Moorhead in Moorhead, Minn. (4-3) for a 7 p.m. dual meet on Friday, Jan. 20. 2005-06 RESULTS: SCSU is 0-2 in dual meet competition this season. Last year, SCSU was 0-7 overall and 0-5 in the North Central Conference dual meet season. The Huskies placed sixth at the 2005 NCAA Division II North Regional, and also placed 30th at the 2005 NCAA Division II championships. SCSU COACH STEVE GRIMIT: HUSKIES FALL AT NSU: The St. Cloud State University wrestling team (0-2 overall, 0-1 NCC) was defeated at Northern State by a 25-12 score on Jan. 12. At 141, Tom Messerli posted a big 3-2 win over Mark Burkart to start the match. At 165, Nate Schut gained a 3-1 win over NSU's Matt Englund, and then SCSU's Jason Moore posted a 6-4 win over NSU's Jason Hill at 174. To complete the SCSU win list, Nick Wasche rolled to a 10-6 decision win over Austin Johnsrud of NSU at 125. PROBABLE LINE-UP FOR SCSU (0-2) vs. #11 Minnesota State Moorhead (4-3) MATCH: 125 - Nick Wasche (5-11) 133 - Brent Johnson (2-10) or Matt Jackson (2-8) 141 - Tom Messerli (2-8) 149 - Shad Tappe (0-0) or Matt Jackson (2-8) 157 - Shane Tappe (6-6) 165 - Nate Schut (5-7) 174 - Jason Moore (2-0) 184 - Jario Sandoval (5-11) 197 - Cody Byrns (1-6) HWT - Brad Nowak (0-2) HUSKY BITES: SCSU senior Nate Schut placed fourth at the SCSU Invitational with a 2-1 record. He had to default in the match for third place at 165-pounds. Jairo Sandoval placed fifth at 174, as he tallied a default win over Cody Pahan of Ridgewater in the fifth place match...Tom Messerli was fifth at 133-pounds thanks to a solid 5-0 win over Northern State's Mark Burkhart in the fifth place match...Jason Moore has joined the squad for the second half of the season after transfering from St. Olaf. He has made a quick impact on the squad with a perfect 2-0 record that includes wins against Northern State and Augustana at 174-pounds...Shad Tappe and Shane Tappe are brothers from Detroit Lakes, Minn.

Every wrestling season, it happens without fail: Fans and the wrestling media seem to focus all their attention on one or two college freshmen. Every match, every move of these superstars-in-the-making is the subject of intense discussion and dissection in articles, online wrestling forums and arenas across the country. Mike Poeta (photo courtesy of IllinoisMatmen.com).Then there are the freshmen who quietly go about their business on the mat and in the classroom, accomplishing great things in their first year of official college competition … without attracting as much attention. Mike Poeta of the University of Illinois is a prime example. It's not as if Mike is toiling away in total obscurity. But it seems only recently that the Illini 165-pounder has popped up on the radar screens of the wrestling world beyond the Land of Lincoln. So far, much of the buzz has centered on Mike moving up from 157 … and his gutsy performance in the finals at the 2005 Midlands. Lows and Highs in Highland Park Mike was introduced to wrestling at age five, participating in the Highland Park Little Giants program in the northern suburbs of Chicago. Both his dad and older brother had been involved in the sport. Mike was a natural athlete at an early age. "I did it all -- baseball, football, wrestling," says Mike. "By age ten, I decided to focus only on wrestling. I really enjoyed it. I did well in the little kids' tournaments, and got a lot of attention back then." The first two years of wrestling at Highland Park High presented its own set of challenges. "In my freshman and sophomore years, the high school program was struggling," according to Mike. "My dad helped me to find workout partners beyond Highland Park. After my regular practice at school, he'd drive me up to 45 minutes to work out with someone in another part of the city." To say that Mike and his parents weren't satisfied with the situation would be an understatement. "We even considered moving." Despite these challenges, Mike placed third his freshman and sophomore years at the Illinois high school state tournament held at Assembly Hall at the University of Illinois, earning all-state honors. He also was a two-time cadet freestyle national champion. Mike Poeta won two Illinois state titles (photo courtesy of IllinoisMatmen.com).Mike's situation improved markedly his junior year. That's when Highland Park welcomed Griff Powell and Tony Siebert -- two veterans of the University of Illinois wrestling program -- as coaches. As Mike puts it, "All the sudden I had two quality college wrestlers to go up against every day. They kicked my butt daily, which made me a better wrestler." Mike adds, "They made wrestling fun for me. It was a much better experience all around." The change helped Mike step up his performance. His last two years of high school, Mike won two Illinois state titles -- the first at 140 pounds, the second at 152 -- becoming a four-time all-state honoree. He finished his high school career with an impressive 175-5 record. Staying in State "Even as a kid, I wanted to wrestle in the state of Illinois," says Mike. "I considered Northwestern, but decided that, for me, the University of Illinois was the place to be, athletically and academically." "We were thrilled to get Mike," says Illini head coach Mark Johnson. "Griff Powell was instrumental in making that happen." "Mike is as an athletic guy as we have in this program," adds Coach Johnson. Mike redshirted his first year at Champaign/Urbana. He competed in some open tournaments, racking up a 9-1 record. Among Mike's accomplishments: placing second at the UNI Open, and winning the Missouri Open at 157. "I had been told 'don't waste your redshirt year' says Mike. "I used my redshirt year to full advantage. I gained great experience and built confidence competing in the (Illini wrestling) room, then worked out a lot this summer. I wanted to compete with the best guys right away this year." All that preparation seems to be working. As of mid-January, Mike has tallied a 16-3 record. This record is even more impressive, considering that Mike is a natural 157-pounder who has moved up to compete at 165 for the 2005-2006 season. Stepping Up a Weight Class The University of Illinois is blessed with two very talented natural 157 lb wrestlers among its starters. In addition to Mike Poeta, there's the veteran Alex Tirapelle, a senior originally from California who is a two-time Big Ten champ, and twice NCAA All-American. Alex is currently ranked first at 157 by RevWrestling and other major wrestling media organizations. The decision was made to keep Alex at 157, and move Mike up to 165. "It was the right decision for the team," says Mike. "I respect the coach's decision." As Coach Johnson puts it, "Mike handled the 165 move up very well. He's handled it with class." "Alex and I are great friends," says Mike. "We're in a great situation. Both of us get to wrestle." Mike seems to have stepped into the role with class -- and a quiet confidence. "I'm still not a 165 yet. Come March, I will be a true 165." Stepping Into the Spotlight at 2005 Midlands At the 2005 Midlands tournament held between Christmas and New Year's Eve at Northwestern University, it was Mike Poeta's first appearance on the mats … but definitely not his first time at the event. "I've gone to the Midlands all my life as a spectator, having grown up not far from Evanston," says Mike. "I've anticipated being in it since high school." Mike made a believer out of a number of fans… and other wrestlers. The Illini 165-pounder -- ranked ninth in his weight class by RevWrestling.com and other wrestling media -- edged Iowa State All-American Travis Paulson, 5-4 … then earned a 4-2 decision over Northwestern's Will Durkee. "I felt like I had a home mat advantage," according to Mike. "Lots of family and friends were in the stands." Mike Poeta was runner-up at the Midlands Championships to fellow Illinois native Nick Baima of Northern Iowa (photo courtesy of IllinoisMatmen.com)In the 165 finals, Mike went up against another Chicagoland wrestler, Nick Baima of Northern Iowa, who competed for Glenbard West High in the western suburbs. Despite both being from the same metropolitan area, the two had never wrestled each other … until the 2005 Midlands. Mike took control of the match early on, scoring two takedowns in the first two periods, but Baima scored escape points which brought the score within one point. In the third period, the sixth-ranked UNI junior scored a takedown to force the match into overtime. There was no scoring in the sudden victory period, forcing a second overtime. Baima rode Mike for the first 30-second period; in his period, Mike gave Baima the escape to go for a takedown … and came tantalizingly close with a shot with ten seconds left, but came up short, losing 6-5. It was one of the most talked-about bouts of the two-day tournament, enhancing Mike's visibility -- and reputation -- in the rest of the wrestling world. What's more, Mike's performance helped the Illini capture their third straight Midlands team title. The Next Steps… Right now, Mike is focused on the rest of the season, anticipating matches with Illinois' Big Ten rivals. When asked if he is concentrating on any specific match-ups, Mike answered, "I really don't care who I'm wrestling. I just go out with the idea of getting the win." Mike is also working hard to achieve success in the classroom. Although he has yet to declare a major, Mike is leaning towards kinesiology. He talked about the challenges of keeping up with his coursework and the demands of being a starting wrestler for a top-ranked program, then said, "I've been given an incredible opportunity. Illinois provides great resources for student-athletes." Coach Mark Johnson says, "Mike is a good student who puts a lot of effort into whatever he does, athletically and academically." "I look forward to coaching him throughout his career here at Illinois." As for the future beyond the Champaign/Urbana campus, Mike says, "I can't see my life beyond wrestling. I am definitely considering a career in coaching." Right now, that future is far away. In the meantime, wrestling fans can expect to see Mike Poeta continue to step up his performance after stepping up to the challenge of being the Illini's man at 165 pounds.

Durham, N.C. -- The Duke wrestling team dropped their fifth straight match, falling to N.C. State, 26-7, on Tuesday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils fall to 0-5 (0-1 ACC) on the season while the Wolfpack improve to 7-3 (1-1 ACC). Duke freshman Michael Degli Obizzi opened the dual meet in impressive fashion, claiming a major decision victory over N.C. State's Garrett Cummings, 13-5, at 133 pounds. The Blue Devils took a 4-0 lead in the meet with Degli Obizzi's victory. N.C. State, however, won the next six weight classes to take a commanding 20-4 lead. Jalil Dozier defeated junior Philip Wightman, 7-4, at 141 pounds, Joe Caramanica scored a major decision victory over junior Daniel Shvartsman at 149 pounds and Bryant Reams defeated freshman Addison Nuding, 3-1, at 157 pounds. Obie Simpson scored a 2-1 decision over redshirt freshman Aaron Glover at 165 pounds, Rick Brownlee defeated senior Levi Craig, 5-2, at 174 pounds and Jeremy Colbert scored a major decision victory over redshirt freshman Dan Tulley at 184 pounds. Sophomore Konrad Dudziak claimed the only other Duke victory of the night, defeating N.C. State's Mark Jahad, 9-5, at 197 pounds. N.C. State's Jainor Palma defeated freshman Wade Van Sickle, 5-2, in the heavyweight division and Jeremy Hartrum finished the meet with a 5-0 win over sophomore Kellan McKeon at 125 pounds. The Wolfpack, who had lost three of their last four contests entering Tuesday's match, snapped a two-meet losing streak with their win over the Blue Devils. The Duke wrestling team will return to action at UNC Greensboro on Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. N.C. State 26, Duke 7 133: Michael Degli Obizzi (Duke) major decision Garrett Cummings (N.C. State), 13-5 (4-0) 141: Jalil Dozier (N.C. State) def. Philip Wightman (Duke), 7-4 (4-3) 149: Joe Caramanica (N.C. State) major decision Daniel Shvartsman (Duke), 12-2 (4-7) 157: Bryant Reams (N.C. State) def. Addison Nuding (Duke), 3-1 (4-10) 165: Obie Simpson (N.C. State) def. Aaron Glover (Duke), 2-1 (4-13) 174: Rick Brownlee (N.C. State) def. Levi Craig (Duke), 5-2 (4-16) 184: Jeremy Colbert (N.C. State) major decision Dan Tulley (Duke), 12-4 (4-20) 197: Konrad Dudziak (Duke) def. Mark Jahad (N.C. State), 9-5 (7-20) HWT: Jainor Palma (N.C. State) def. Wade Van Sickle (Duke), 5-2 (7-23) 125: Jeremy Hartrum (N.C. State) def. Kellan McKeon (Duke), 5-0 (7-26)

Gettysburg, Pa. -- Andrew Goldstein (Easton, PA/Easton) won a pair of matches to lead Gettysburg in a 44-6 loss to #16 York and a 45-9 loss to King's in non-conference wrestling action on Tuesday. Goldstein, wrestling at 149, pinned Ryan Trees of King's in 2:13 and defeated York's Matt McManmon, 12-8. Goldstein ranks second on the Bullets with five falls this season. Caleb Seufert (Gaithersburg, MD/Northwest) went 1-1 on the day. His victory came against Bobby Dilliard of King's in a well fought match, 12-5. Mike Pattanite (Tabernacle, NJ/Holy Cross) also finished the meet with a 1-1 record. He lost a close 3-1 decision to Jim Bishop of King's, but rebounded to defeat Sean Griffin of York, 7-4. Gettysburg returns to action at Johns Hopkins with Muhlenberg and Ursinus on Saturday. These Centennial Conference matches begin at 10 a.m. Results: Gettysburg vs. King's 125 - Jeff Mazurek (K) wins by forfeit 133 - Dave Morgan (K) pinned Richard Masella (G), 1:47 141 - Ryan Richard (K) wins by forfeit 149 - Andrew Goldstein (G) pinned Ryan Trees (K), 2:13 157 - Caleb Seufert (G) dec. Bobby Dilliard (K), 12-5 165 - Drew Dehaut (K) pinned Josh Kaplan (G), :50 174 - Zach Dietrick (K) wins by forfeit 184 - Zach Wilkinson (K) wins by forfeit 197 - Jason Reilly (K) pinned Jeff Morgan (G), 1:55 285 - Jim Bishop (K) dec. Mike Pattanite, 3-1 Gettysburg vs. York 125 - Gary Heckler (Y) wins by forfeit 133 - Kyle Flickinger (Y) pinned Richard Masella (G), 1:52 141 - Mike Weber (Y) wins by forfeit 149 - Andrew Goldstein (G) dec. Matt McManmon (Y), 12-8 157 - Brain Alwine (Y) med. forf. Caleb Seufert (G), 1:35 165 - Jerry Bowne (Y) maj. dec. Josh Kaplan (G), 9-1 174 - Steve Johnston (Y) wins by forfeit 184 - Duane Bastress (Y) wins by forfeit 197 - Drew Baldauf (Y) maj. dec. Jeff Morgan (G), 17-3 285 - Mike Pattanite (G) dec. Sean Griffin (Y), 7-4

Augustana's Ryan King has been named the NCC Co-Wrestler of the Week for his performance at last week's NWCA/Cliff Keen Division II National Duals, the league office announced. Ryan KingKing shares the award with Les Sigman of Nebraska-Omaha. King, a senior from LeRoy, Minn., went 5-0 last week as he helped the Vikings to a fifth-place finish with a 4-1 record. King, ranked No. 6 at 149 pounds, beat two opponents ranked above him and three 2005 NCAA Division II national qualifiers. He opened the duals with a 10-5 win over No. 3 R.J. Paterniti of Gannon. He then downed Shane Unger of Nebraska-Omaha by a score of 7-1. Next, he knocked off fourth-ranked Antonio Guerra of Findlay 5-3. He capped off the duals by pinning Nebraska-Kearney's Brandon Brill in 2:40 and posting a 13-5 major decision over Jay Mattco of Pittsburgh-Johnstown. King is a two-time All-American who finished fourth at the national championships in 2005.

Team: 1. Arizona St. 2. Cal Poly 3. UC Davis 4. Oregon St. 5. Boise St. 6. Oregon 7. Cal State Bakersfield 8. Cal State Fullerton 9. Stanford 10. Portland St. Individual: 125 Pounds 1. Jeremy Mendoza (Arizona St.) 2. Chad Mendes (Cal Poly) 3. Tanner Gardner (Stanford) 4. Eric Stevenson (Oregon St.) 5. Marcos Orozco (UC Davis) 6. Cory Fish (Boise State) 133 Pounds 1. Scott Jorgensen (Boise St.) 2. Darrell Vasquez (Cal Poly) 3. Justin Pearch (Oregon) 4. Omar Gaitan (UC Davis) 5. TJ Dillashaw (Cal State Fullerton) 6. Tommy Vargas (Cal State Bakersfield) 141 Pounds 1. Derek Moore (UC Davis) 2. Kyle Larson (Oregon St.) 3. Steve Esparza (Cal Poly) 4. Skyler Woods (Oregon) 5. Tommy Owen (Boise St.) 6. Matt Schumm (Cal State Bakersfield) 149 Pounds 1. Pat Payne (Arizona St.) 2. Anthony Baza(Cal State Bakersfield) 3. Jeff Owens (Cal Poly) 4. Tyler Sherfey (Boise St.) 5. Josh Zupancic (Stanford ) 6. Morgan Atkinson (Cal State Fullerton) 157 Pounds 1. Brian Stith (Arizona St.) 2. Scott Loescher (Stanford) 3. Tony Hook (Oregon St.) 4. Ben Cherrington (Boise State) 5. Shawn Reilly (Cal State Fullerton) 6. Ryan Williams (Cal Poly) 165 Pounds 1. Joey Bracamonte (Oregon) 2. Pat Pitsch (Arizona St.) 3. Frank Richmond (UC Davis) 4. Brian Busby (Cal State Bakersfield) 5. Ray Blake (Stanford) 6. Risto Marttinen (Cal State Fullerton) 174 Pounds 1. Jeremy Larson (Oregon St.) 2. Ken Cook (UC Davis) 3. Christian Arellano (Cal State Bakersfield) 4. Ian Murphy/Ryan Budd (Cal State Fullerton) 5. Nick Hernandez (Cal Poly) 6. Chet McBee (Oregon) 184 Pounds 1. Shane Webster (Oregon) 2. CB Dollaway (Arizona State) 3. Ryan Halsey (Cal Poly) 4. Tyler Bernacchi (UC Davis) 5. Jesse Taylor (Cal State Fullerton) 6. KC Walsh (Boise St.) 197 Pounds 1. Ryan Bader (Arizona St.) 2. Casey Phelps (Boise St.) 3. Matt Monteiro (Cal Poly) 4. Dan Pitsch (Oregon St.) 5. Elliot Kelly (UC Davis) 6. Chris Chambers (Cal State Fullerton) Heavyweight 1. Cain Velasquez (Arizona St.) 2. Ty Watterson (Oregon St.) 3. Eric Parker (Cal State Bakersfield) 4. Andy Patrick (Boise St.) 5. Arturo Basulto (Cal Poly) 6. Chris Dearmon (Oregon)

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Maryland's Alex Krom was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Wrestler of the Week after going 2-0 on the week and leading the Terrapins to their first ACC win of the season, a 28-6 victory over NC State. Krom joins fellow freshman Hudson Taylor as Terps to be recognized by the conference this year. Krom began the week by recording an 8-2 decision over Navy's Spencer Manley at 141 pounds. He was one of only three Terrapins to notch a win against the 21st-ranked Midshipmen. The Easton, Pa., native then scored his third technical fall of the season with a 15-0 win over Jalil Dozier of NC State. The freshman's victory helped Maryland to its first conference win since 2002 and gave head coach Pat Santoro his first win in the ACC. Krom is now 15-8 on the season.

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ -- Drexel University swept the Colonial Athletic Association Wrestling awards, as Ryan Hluschak was named the CAA Wrestler of the Week, and Steve Mytych was named the CAA Rookie of the Week, for all competition January 10-16. Hluschak, a sophomore from Slatington, PA (Northern Lehigh), was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 2006 Virginia Duals, winning all five of his bouts to complete a perfect 6-0 week. He led Drexel to a fifth place finish at the 16-team VA Duals. Hluschak, the third ranked 157 in the CAA, began the week with a CAA victory against Rider. At the VA Duals he won a pair of major decisions and a fall. Mytych, a freshman from Northampton, PA (Northampton), was 4-2 last week with a CAA victory against Rider. At the VA Duals Mytych, who is currently ranked 19th in the nation at 125 pounds, defeated previously ranked Anthony Burke of Virginia and is now 17-6 overall, including a perfect 5-0 in CAA duals.

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. -- Freshman 149-pounder Clint Shirk (Julian, Pa./Bald Eagle Area) was named LHU Bookstore Athlete of the Week for the week ending Jan. 15, the sports information office announced today (Jan. 18). This is the first award for Shirk and the second for the Lock Haven University wrestling squad this season. Shirk, who hadn't competed for the Bald Eagles since Nov. 19, showed little rust in his 10-2 drubbing of No. 10 Penn State University's Jason Lapham. Lapham got things started with a first minute takedown, but Shirk eventually escaped and took down the Nittany Lion. Shirk then rattled off seven more points before Lapham knew what happened, getting Shirk his team-leading sixth major decision. He improves to 5-3 on the season. Shirk and the rest of the Bald Eagles are back in action Sunday, Jan. 22 at the Ashland Duals, hosted by Ashland University. The LHU Bookstore sponsors the Athlete of the Week to better promote Lock Haven student-athletes. The LHU Bookstore is available for all academic texts, athletic apparel and more. The LHU Bookstore is located in the Parson's Union Building on the campus of Lock Haven University.

The finals of this weekend's Five Counties Wrestling Tournament were filled with unexpected results. The "Beast of the West," held at Fountain Valley High School, featured a number of the top seeds, nay -- a number of the top-ranked wrestlers in California -- losing in the finals. Of the 14 weight classes, only six No. 1 seeds were crowned champions. In the marquee bout of the evening, Northview's No. 2-seeded Caleb Flores came out on top against Fremont's No. 1 Filip Novachkov in dramatic fashion. Down 4-3, Flores seemed to get a match-deciding break when Novachkov was called for locking hands with 50 seconds left in the third period. The penalty point tied the bout, 4-4, and if Flores could escape, he'd emerge the winner. But instead, Novachkov rode him out and forced an overtime. After neither could manage a takedown in the first sudden victory, the choice went to Flores. He could either pick top or bottom for the final OT. And despite Novachkov's success in riding him in the third, Flores chose down and escaped in the final seconds to win 5-4. About the decision to pick bottom, Flores said "It was tough, but I trusted my coaches. My coaches said I should go down, I listened to them and it worked out for me." The match didn't go as Flores had planned. After getting the opening takedown, Flores released Novachkov at the beginning of the second period, hoping to earn more points from their feet. But instead, Novachkov got a takedown of his own. "I felt good enough to take him down again. I took him down in the first period and I felt if I did it once I could do it again. That's been my strategy all year long. And he just caught me on a nice pass-by and got me good. But I came back and finished the match. Somehow, someway I found a way to win, you know?" About a rematch, Flores said, "Most likely, it's gonna happen again. So whatever comes, comes, but I gotta train hard because I know he's going to be training hard." Another dramatic bout was won by Flores' teammate, 140-pounder Shad Manigault. In the third period, Manigault was up 3-1 on Bakersfield's Anthony Box (the No. 1 seed) while both were on their feet. Box suddenly got in deep on duck-under for a potential match-tying takedown. But before Box could finish, Manigault hit a magnificent counter and put Box on his back for a pin. When asked if he was worried when Box began the move, Manigault was quite frank. "Yeah, I was. I felt a little shaky, but when I got in control, I knew it was going to happen. I just felt it. We drill that, but I don't really do it. But we keep drilling it so it sets it in our mind. So I know it's there when I get in that position." Billy Murphy (photo by John Sachs)One finals match that went as expected was won by Hughson's Billy Murphy, considered by many to be the best 130-pound wrestler in the country. Not satisfied to hold onto an 8-2 lead late in the third period, Murphy released Buchanan's Josh Betancur, took him down and then turned him for back points on the way to 13-3 win. Murphy's punishing style is sure to be a great fit next year at Virginia Tech, where he'll be coached by one of most famous brawlers in the sport, 1996 Olympic Gold medalist, Tom Brands. At 112, Cavalry Chapel's Justin Paulsen was a surprise 5-4 winner over Campolindo's Nikko Triggas. Not only had Triggas collected a number of impressive victories this season, but also became the only wrestler in the tournament to pin each and every opponent on the way to the finals. The non-stop scrambling of Paulsen and Triggas in the third period engendered much applause from the audience. At 171, Central Catholic's Louis Bland, arguably the best sophomore in the country, escaped with a 6-5 victory over Gilroy's Hunter Collins. Up 2-0 in the second, Bland was suddenly reversed and then put to his back. A nosebleed call stopped the action and Bland got back in control, scoring a winning takedown with just 12 seconds left. However, a non-call for a last second escape by Collins was quite unpopular with the crowd. Although they had only one finalist, (125-pound champ Todd Schravien) Poway used balance to wrap up the team title before the finals even began. They dominated the 86-team field, finishing with eight placers (a first, three thirds, three sevenths, and an eighth place finish) and 190 points, well ahead of second place Buchanan (151.5) Tournament director and FVHS coach Brad Woodbury deserves a lot of credit for organizing this event. The presentation leading up to the finals featured some of the most spectacular fanare ever seen at a high school wrestling tournament. A laser light show during introductions (which included a DJ, massive sound system, and video presentation) made it feel like James Brown might emerge from the sea of dry ice instead of the finalists. Finals Results: 103 -- Boris Novachkov FRM dec. Thomas Williams SOH, 6-2 112 -- Justin Paulsen CCH dec. Nikko Triggas CAM, 5-4 119 -- Caleb Flores NVW dec. Filip Novachkov FRM, 5-4 125 -- Todd Schavrien POW dec. Gabriel Suarez CIM, 5-2 130 -- Billy Murphy HUG maj. dec. Josh Betancur, 13-3 135 -- Chris Drouin CHA maj. dec. Adin Duenas GIL, 5-2 140 -- Shad Manigault NVW pinned Anthony Box BAK, 4:47 145 -- Tony Webber BAK dec. John Luscombe TL, 5-3 152 -- Luke Manuel NU dec. Jason Welch LL, 7-4 160 -- Matt Boger BUC pinned Justin Danz PIN, 1:00 171 -- Louis Bland CCA dec. Hunter Collins GIL, 6-5 189 -- Abraham Otrambo LOA dec. Anthony Castillo TUR, 2-0 215 -- Ryan Flores BUC dec. Jack Clayton VAC, 8-3 Hwt -- Chris Lewis CW dec. Kurt Kilmet CAR, 7-4 Team Standings: 1. Poway 190.0 2. Buchanan 151.5 3. Northview 139.0 4. Bakersfield 128.0 5. Freemont 107.0 6. Vacaville 106.5 7. Temecula Valley 103.0 8. Cimarron Memorial 94.5 9. Cavalry Chapel 94.5 10. Clovis West 92.5