InterMat Staff

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Follow the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships by clicking on the links below. Results: Team Scores | Brackets | InterMat Live Blog InterMat Session Recaps: I | II | III | IV | VI (Finals) InterMat Session Previews: II | III | IV | VI (Finals) InterMat Previews: Betting | Bracket Busters | Seeding Blunders Predictions/Contest: InterMat Staff | U.S. Journalists | Pick 'Em Contest Links: Schedule | ESPN3 Webcast | Seeds | InterMat Rankings Photos: WrestlersAreWarriors.com | Tech-Fall.com | The Guillotine

ESPN began airing wrestling championships in 1980, its first year as a network, and the sport continues to find a home on ESPN, ESPNU, ESPN3 and WatchESPN with full coverage of the First Round, Second Round, Quarterfinal, Semifinal, Medal Round and Final match from the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, March 21-23. ESPN networks’ commitment to the championships extends through 2024 as the worldwide exclusive multimedia rights holder. Technology: The 2013 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships begins with ESPN3’s exclusive live coverage of the First and Second Rounds on Thursday, March 21 at noon and 7:30 p.m. ET. For the fifth year the multi-screen sports network will provide an exclusive four-screen, four-mat viewing experience unique to wrestling in the First, Second and Quarterfinal Rounds. The technology was introduced in 2008 in the Quarterfinals and has expanded as coverage has grown. A growing destination for avid fan viewing, the NCAA wrestling championships on ESPN3 was up 108 percent in live minutes consumed across computers, smartphones, tablets and Xbox compared to 2011. For the seventh consecutive year, two of the four Quarterfinals, as well as the Semifinals, will be televised on ESPNU in a side-by-side format to maximize the HD viewing experience, allowing viewers to catch the action in two matches at the same time. During the Finals on ESPN Saturday, March 23 at 8 p.m., referees will wear a microphone, providing fans with even more access and understanding of the action. ESPN Analysts: In addition to enhanced viewing and audio access, ESPN wrestling analysts Tim Johnson and Anthony Robles will offer expert analysis alongside play-by-play Adam Amin on ESPN and ESPNU. Johnson has been the voice of NCAA wrestling matches for more than 25 years and brings a wealth of knowledge as a former wrestler and coach. Robles provides an in-depth understanding of the current competition as the NCAA national champion in the 125-pound division in 2011. He debuted as an announcer last year on ESPN. Special Features: Cornell senior, Kyle Dake, is attempting to make NCAA history as the first wrestler to win a title in four different weight classes. He is currently No. 1 in the 165 lbs. weight class, and has previously won at 141 lbs. (2010), 149 lbs. (2011) and 157 lbs. (2012). Penn State’s David Taylor, No.2, is the reigning 165-pound national champion and Hodge Trophy winner. NCAA champion and Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs will narrate this year’s opening feature. This year’s features will include a special tribute in memory to longtime ESPN analyst and Olympic gold medalist Jeff Blatnick who saw national coverage of the NCAA Wrestling Championships expand from 90 minutes to 11-hours and won the NCAA Division II heavyweight championship in 1978 and 1979. Schedule Date/Time (Eastern)/Match/Network Thursday, March 21 Noon - NCAA Wrestling Championships First Round,(Session 1: Mat 1, Mat 2, Mat 3, Mat 4). Shawn Kenney & Jim Gibbons on ESPN3 7:30 p.m. - NCAA Wrestling Championships Second Round (Session 2: Mat 1, Mat 2, Mat 3, Mat 4), Shawn Kenney & Jim Gibbons on ESPN3 Friday, March 22 11 a.m. - NCAA Wrestling Championships Quarterfinals (Session 3: Mat 1, Mat 2, Mat 3, Mat 4), Adam Amin, Tim Johnson, Anthony Robles & Quint Kessenich on ESPNU/ ESPN3 7 p.m. - NCAA Wrestling Championships Semifinals (Session 4) Adam Amin, Tim Johnson, Anthony Robles & Quint Kessenich on ESPNU Saturday, March 23 11 a.m. - NCAA Wrestling Championships Medal Round, Shawn Kenney, Tim Johnson & Anthony Robles on ESPNU 8 p.m. - NCAA Wrestling Championships Finals, Adam Amin, Tim Johnson, Anthony Robles & Quint Kessenich on ESPN ESPN will air more than 250 hours of NCAA winter championship games live across platforms throughout March and April, including all 63 games of the 2013 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship, as the worldwide, multi-media rights holder to 24 NCAA championships. Viewers will see the crowning of NCAA winter champions in eleven events – Men’s & Women’s Indoor Track & Field (March 8-9), Men’s & Women’s Fencing (March 22-24), Men’s Ice Hockey (March 29 – April 14), Men’s and Women’s Swimming & Diving (March 22, 23, 29-30), Wrestling (March 21-23), Women’s Basketball (March 23 – April 9), Women’s Bowling (April 13) and Women’s Gymnastics (April 20-21) - on either ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU or ESPN3.

Note: All times Central Thursday, March 21 11 a.m. Session I (Eight Mats - Pigtails and First Round) 6:30 p.m. Session II (Eight Mats - Preliminaries: Wrestleback Preliminaries, Wrestleback First Round; Championship Round: Second Round, Consolation Round) Friday, March 22 10 a.m. Session III (Eight Mats - Quarterfinals and Wrestlebacks) 6 p.m. Session IV (Six Mats - Semifinals and Wrestlebacks) Saturday, March 23 10 a.m. Session V (Three Mats - Wrestleback Semifinals and 3rd-8th Medal Rounds) 7 p.m. Session VI (One Mat - Finals and Awards Ceremony)

T.R. Foley, Brian Muir, and Will Durkee talk about the NCAAs in Des Moines. They cover the importance of the event ... and give their tournament predictions. Check out our Tumblr page at backpoints.tumblr.com. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes by searching "back points" and pushing SUBSCRIBE. Do you want to listen to a past episode? Access archives.

125: Jesse Delgado (Illinois) over Alan Waters (Missouri) The weight class with the most upsets each year isn't likely to see many before the quarterfinals. Matt McDonough (Iowa) will search for third title from the third seed, but won't be able to figure out his nemesis Jesse Delgado. Alan Waters falls short of the perfect season. 133: Logan Stieber (Ohio State) over Tony Ramos (Iowa) Logan Stieber won't be challenged until reaching the finals against Iowa's Tony Ramos. Look for Ramos to put on an inspired performance in front of his fans, but drop a close decision to the much larger Stieber. 141: Hunter Stieber (Ohio State) over Kendric Maple (Oklahoma) The most overlooked weight class in the NCAA this season will feature two undefeated, and largely untested wrestlers, Hunter Stieber and Kendric Maple. Look for Stieber to slow Maple down and earn a 4-3 decision. 149: Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Dylan Ness (Minnesota) He's wrestling on the same planet as Ed Ruth, so look for Oliver to find his second NCAA championship. Ness will be a tough opponent, only losing 6-4 in their last meeting and wrestling his best at the end of the year. Call it 9-5 Oliver. 157: Jason Welch (Northwestern) over Derek St. John (Iowa) Jason Welch versus his nemesis Derek St. John could be the second best finals matchup of the night. DSJ owns all the wins in their series, but with one final shot at an NCAA title and wrestling his best when it matters the most. I like Welch in a tight battle 165: David Taylor (Penn State) over Kyle Dake (Cornell) Really, what don't you know about these guys at this point? Back your horse. I've got Taylor. 174: Matt Brown (Penn State) over Chris Perry (Oklahoma State) I'm the Illinois Chapter President of the Matt Brown fan club. He'll need to get past a game Todd Porter of Missouri in the first round, but should he show his talents early, I'll bet him late. 184: Ed Ruth (Penn State) over Ben Bennett (Central Michigan) Should he dominate like he did last year at the NCAA tournament, then look for Ruth to win the InterMat Wrestler of the Year. Ben Bennett is all man, but he'll drop a three-point decision. 197: Dustin Kilgore (Kent State) over Quentin Wright (Penn State) Were it not for Dake and Taylor, then Dustin Kilgore and Quentin Wright's matchup would be the most expected of the tournament. Both are national champions with big move potential. Kilgore will control the pace and the scoring. 285: Tony Nelson (Minnesota) over Dom Bradley (Missouri) There isn't much movement at the heavies, and when the top three wrestlers have all beaten each other, I'll lean on the team (Minnesota) that produces heavyweight champions. Look for Nelson to repeat. Team: 1. Penn State 2. Oklahoma State 3. Minnesota 4. Missouri 5. Iowa

NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships

The InterMat staff writers and executives have broken down the brackets for this week's NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, and made their predictions. Andrew Hipps T.R. Foley Josh Lowe Mike Riordan Steve Elwood Jim Beezer

125: Jesse Delgado (Illinois) over Alan Waters (Missouri) Coming into this season it was hard to envision Matt McDonough not capping off a sensational collegiate wrestling career with a third NCAA title in his home state. Obviously, he still has that opportunity, but I just don't see how he can overcome his kryptonite Delgado. Last year Alan Waters' season ended with a loss to Delgado in the round of 12. This year it's going to end with another loss to Delgado, but this time in the NCAA finals. 133: Logan Stieber (Ohio State) over Tony Ramos (Iowa) Logan Stieber is in the conversation for the best wrestler in college. Logie Bear has a clear path to the NCAA finals. In the bottom half of the bracket I'm expecting another Ramos-Graff battle in the semifinals, with the Hawkeye coming out on top again. This time Stieber defeats Ramos in regulation. Chalk in this weight class. 141: Hunter Stieber (Ohio State) over Kendric Maple (Oklahoma) Hunter Stieber doesn't mind being in his brother's shadow. Press him on it and he will tell you that he actually prefers it that way. The Stieber bros. have always fed off each other, and will feed off each other again this week in Des Moines. Hunter puts the only blemish on Kendric Maple's record, and the Stieber bros. finish the season with a combined record of 62-0. 149: Jason Chamberlain (Boise State) over Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State) Hopefully after this weekend Chamberlain starts getting the recognition he deserves. I see him as the best technical and tactical wrestler in this weight class, and that's why the Boise State wrestler is my pick to win the title. JO finishes his career as one of the best one-time champions in recent memory. 157: James Green (Nebraska) over Derek St. John (Iowa) Green is supremely talented, but has struggled at times closing out big matches. Call it a hunch, but I see everything coming together for Green this week. DSJ finishes as NCAA runner-up for the second straight season. 165: David Taylor (Penn State) over Kyle Dake (Cornell) It may be impossible for this match to live up to the hype, but I think it may come very close. I expect Taylor to commit to more attacks against Dake than he has in the three previous meetings. Taylor remembers the feeling of losing in the NCAA finals all too well ... and he's not going to let it happen again. History will not be made on Saturday night. 174: Logan Storley (Minnesota) over Chris Perry (Oklahoma State) On paper this weight class is a crapshoot. There is no clear-cut favorite and 8-10 wrestlers have the ability to make the finals. Perry and Storley were the most consistent wrestlers in the weight class this season. Matt Brown has the most momentum heading into the tournament. Mike Evans is more than capable of finishing on top, especially wrestling in the Hawkeye State. Two-time All-American Josh Asper is a dangerous No. 5 seed. Many (including members of the NCAA Wrestling Committee) have overreacted to Storley's Big Ten tournament performance. He lost two extremely close matches to top wrestlers in the nation's toughest conference tournament. Storley over Perry is the prediction. 184: Ed Ruth (Penn State) over Ben Bennett (Central Michigan) Crazy things happen at the NCAA tournament, but don't expect anything crazy to happen here. I like the top two seeds to cruise to the finals. Ruth is the biggest lock of any wrestler in the country to win a title this weekend. Last year Ruth gave Nick Amuchastegui his only loss of the season. This year he gives Ben Bennett his only loss of the season. 197: Dustin Kilgore (Kent State) over Quentin Wright (Penn State) Kilgore is wrestling at such a high level that I can't envision him losing. Alfonso Hernandez gave him toughest match of the year in Las Vegas, and the two will likely meet in the semifinals on Friday night. I think Kilgore makes a statement in that match and wins comfortably, and then takes out Wright in the finals. 285: Tony Nelson (Minnesota) over Chad Hanke (Oregon State) Like 174 pounds, heavyweight is difficult to forecast because the top ten seeds are so evenly matched. In the semifinals I see Nelson defeating Alan Gelogaev for the third time this season, and Hanke avenging a loss earlier this season to Dom Bradley. Nelson wins his second title. Team: 1. Penn State 2. Minnesota 3. Oklahoma State 4. Iowa 5. Missouri

125: Matt McDonough (Iowa) over Alan Waters (Missouri) Let's see, McDonough is a two-time national champion. He's wrestling a stone's throw away from where he grew up. He will have the Hawkeye contingent reinforcing every good deed he does. If it weren't for the inspiring and improbable story of Anthony Robles, we would be talking about the next four-time national Champion. Sounds like a no-brainer. McDonough outworks an overwhelmed Waters in the finals. 133: Logan Stieber (Ohio State) over Tyler Graff (Wisconsin) Graff knocks off Ramos in the semis, but doesn't have what it takes to upend Stieber, who is the sport's next big thing. 141: Kendric Maple (Oklahoma) over Hunter Stieber (Ohio State) Maple has been nothing short of dominant this year, and will knock off the younger Stieber in a matchup of unbeaten wrestlers. 149: Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Donnie Vinson (Binghamton) There is no doubt that Donnie Vinson has been on a tear lately, but his dominance has come at the hands of mediocre competition. Jordan Oliver has proven he can be as dominant (or more) at a bigger, more comfortable weight class. Oliver caps off an impressive career by capturing his second NCAA title. 157: Derek St. John (Iowa) over James Fleming (Clarion) Derek St. John knows what it's like to be on the big stage having lost to Kyle Dake last year in the NCAA finals. James Fleming's obscure storybook career ends in front of the Hawkeye faithful. 165: Kyle Dake (Cornell) over David Taylor (Penn State) David Taylor may say he doesn't consider himself the underdog, but he knows what we all know: Kyle Dake owns him. Taylor wanted nothing to do with him at the 2012 Olympic Team Trials, and has competed valiantly this season out of obligation. Some people say it's hard to beat someone three times in a season. Ask Lincoln McIlravy and Chris Bono what they think. 174: Chris Perry (Oklahoma State) over Logan Storely (Minnesota) Chris Perry follows in brother Mark's footsteps after capturing his first title. Somewhere, Mark Smith feels vindicated. 184: Ed Ruth (Penn State) over Robert Hamelin (Lehigh) I made the mistake of betting against Ed Ruth last year. After seeing him tear through the 174-pound weight class last year before pummeling Nick Amuchastegui in the finals, I learned my lesson. I won't make the same mistake twice. Ruth wins in dominant fashion. 197: Quentin Wright (Penn State) over Dustin Kilgore (Kent State) Quentin Wright is the present day Johnny Thompson. He is a gamer. Didn't Dustin Kilgore use up his eligibility three years ago? This one seems all too scripted. 285: Tony Nelson (Minnesota) over Dom Bradley (Missouri) Minnesota heavyweight pedigree continues after Nelson tops Bradley in a riveting pushing contest. Team: 1. Penn State 2. Iowa 3. Minnesota 4. Oklahoma State 5. Cornell

125: Jesse Delgado (Illinois) over Alan Waters (Missouri) There will be no fairytale ending for Matt McDonough. I think Matt probably has the second best chance for Iowa to win a title, but I don't think he can beat the man from Illinois. Jesse Delgado is on a mission after cruising through Big Tens. I like him over Waters in a wide open final. 133: Logan Stieber (Ohio State) over Tony Ramos (Iowa) Like 165, this is a weight I can't imagine anyone not named Stieber or Ramos (Iowa's best chance for a champion) making the finals. Can the beast from Glenbard North finally figure out the returning national champion? I don't think so. This one should be more fun than the slow pace of the Big Tens. Logan wins in Overtime. 141: Hunter Stieber (Ohio State) over Kendric Maple (Oklahoma) I think Hunter Stieber may be the most underrated wrestler in the tournament. I like him to overwhelm his way to the finals where he should get the much anticipated match with Kendric Maple. I like Stieber going away. 149: Dylan Ness (Minnesota) over Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State) A month ago very few fans thought Jordan Oliver could be beaten by anyone at this weight. He simply overwhelmed all his opponents, that is… until the National Duals finals. Minnesota's Dylan Ness came pretty close to pulling off the upset. I like these two to meet again in the finals, and with a major upset I like Ness in a wild one. 157: Joey Napoli (Lehigh) over Jason Welch (Northwestern) Oh boy … Is there a more wide open weight than this one? I have picked several different guys to win it over the last two weeks. I like the No. 3 seed Joey Napoli in a close match over Jason Welch. 165: David Taylor (Penn State) over Kyle Dake (Cornell) Not much more can be said about the two biggest stars in our sport. If Dake wins, he has to be linked with the very best of all time. If Taylor wins, he's known as the giant slayer. I am picking David Taylor in a match to remember. 174: Matt Brown (Penn State) over Robert Kokesh (Nebraska) This is another crazy weight with several talented guys. I really like the way Matt Brown is wrestling right now. The momentum from the Big Tens carries him to a close decision over Nebraska's only finalists, Robert Kokesh. 184: Ed Ruth (Penn State) over Robert Hamlin (Lehigh) The next two weights seem way too easy. I wonder if Kevin Steinhaus can find a way to get some offense against Ed Ruth in the semis. I doubt it. I like Ed Ruth to roll into the finals and take the crown with a win over Robert Hamlin. 197: Dustin Kilgore (Kent State) over Quentin Wright (Penn State) Can anyone stop the Dustin Kilgore train? Nope. This man isn't losing. I like him to tear his way to the finals and shouldn't have much trouble defeating Quentin Wright. 285: Tony Nelson (Minnesota) over Mike McMullan (Northwestern) Many people think this is Tony Nelson's title to lose. He's the returning champion and just capped off a great season. I like him here to make the finals and look for a rematch with Big Ten runner-up McMullan. I'm staying with the champ in a one-point decision. Team: 1. Penn State 2. Minnesota 3. Oklahoma State 4. Missouri 5. Iowa

125: Jesse Delgado (Illinois) over Jarrod Garnett (Virginia Tech) A milestone for the Virginia Tech program as they earn a national finalist. Delgado proves too much for Garnett this time around as the result from the Midlands finals is reversed. 133: Logan Stieber (Ohio State) over Tony Ramos (Iowa) I don't see this playing out much differently than the Big Ten finals. The two best guys at the weight, only Stieber is just a little bit better 141 Kendric Maple (Oklahoma) over Hunter Stieber (Ohio State) This is potentially the match of the tournament. These two well be in deep plenty of times on one another. Expect fireworks. 149: Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Scott Sakaguchi (Oregon State) Jordan beats Sakaguchi in workmanlike fashion here. Sakaguchi upsets his rival Jason Chamberlain and then faces a surprise Cinderella wrestler in the semis. 157: Derek St. John (Iowa) over Dylan Alton (Penn State) Dylan Alton defeats Jason Welch and James Green again to make a surprise appearance in the finals. There, St. John beats him by five points. 165: Kyle Dake (Cornell) over David Taylor (Penn State) This is the big one. Not much scoring here, but Dake pulls off the impossible and becomes four-for-four at four weights. 174: Dan Yates (Michigan) over Josh Asper (Maryland) Maryland gets a finalist, but something weird happens. Michigan's Dan Yates and goes on an incredible run through his bracket, winning this wide open weight. 184: Ed Ruth (Penn State) over Ben Bennett (Central Michigan) More of the same for Ruth, who ekes out a major in the final seconds of his final against Bennett. 197: Alphonso Hernandez (Wyoming) over Matt Wilps (Pitt) Much like Nickerson/Escobedo a few years ago, the one versus two final everyone anticipates will occur in the consolation finals. Instead, the three and four seed meet in the finals. Wyoming's Hernandez barely edges Pitt's Wilps 285: Chad Hanke (Oregon State) over Jarod Trice (Central Michigan) Chad Hanke notches the first national title of Jim Zalesky's tenure. Trice caps off a nice career with an impressive run to the finals. Team: 1. Penn State 2. Iowa 3. Minnesota 4. Oklahoma State 5. Missouri

125: Matt McDonough (Iowa) over Nico Megaludis (Penn State) It's "all in" for the senior McDonough , already twice a national champion and three times a national finalist before his senior year NCAA tournament. Hard to believe that he's in such a bind, but I think he has a magical weekend -- though it could just as easily end up in a sixth or seventh place finish for McDonough. Alan Waters (Missouri) is the No. 1 seed here, but has failed to wrestle to seed in either of his two prior NCAA tournaments; something that could happen here in the form of a loss before the semis. 133: Logan Stieber (Ohio State) over Tony Ramos (Iowa) Outside of Dake/Taylor, this has to rate right up there with the most likely of finals matchups. Other than Ramos, nobody has found a way to neutralize Stieber's attacks from neutral and/or his turns from the top position. While outside of Stieber, next to nobody has managed the relentless pace of match that Ramos puts together on his feet. Look for these two foils to meet on Saturday night, with yet again Stieber winning a one score bout. 141: Kendric Maple (Oklahoma) over Hunter Stieber (Ohio State) Being the highest returning place finisher in this weight class, and working with an undefeated season, I'm quite frankly perplexed how Maple did not get the number one seed in this weight class. However, it's of limited relevance, as he's the two seed to fellow undefeated Stieber as the one seed. Maple is looking at a finals path, which centers around Michael Mangrum (Oregon State) as his toughest opposition; while Stieber could run into past nemeses Chris Dardanes (Minnesota) and Evan Henderson (North Carolina) along the way. 149: Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Dylan Ness (Minnesota) Oliver is an eyelash and/or the judgment of a referee away from going for a third consecutive national title, with two of them possibly being of the undefeated variety. Nonetheless, should he win all five of his front side matches this weekend, this sensational senior would end his career with a record of 127-6 and two undefeated championship seasons. It is quite frankly lunacy to pick against him. However, there is one wrestler in this bracket that could find a way to get it done, and that is Mr. March himself Dylan Ness, who was national runner-up last year from the seven seed. This year, he'll have to work from the six seed. 157: Alex Dieringer (Oklahoma State) over Jason Welch (Northwestern) Along with 125 and 174, this is one of the three weights which are truly wide open in nature; and befitting the weight class, I'm going to take the sixth seeded Dieringer to surprise top seeded Welch in the championship bout. 165: David Taylor (Penn State) over Kyle Dake (Cornell) Within traditional wrestling media circles, and especially from less traditional outlets for covering wrestling, this championship bout will have more words written or spoken about it than all the others put together. Simply put, it is a match for the ages. Dake goes for his fourth championship in four seasons across four weight classes, and would be the first four-time champion to do so without a redshirt season. Countering Dake is a prodigal talent in Taylor, who seeks his third finals bout in as many years -- losing in 2011 and dominating to a victory last year. Among Taylor's 26 victories this year, only six have not been pins or technical falls (five majors and one decision). While this is a straight homer pick for the Buckeye State native, I think the key to this match will be scoring a takedown in the first period, which I see Taylor being able to do this go around. 174: Chris Perry (Oklahoma State) over Logan Storley (Minnesota) Two reasons for picking Perry to win this weight class: (1) he's the most talented wrestler in this weight class (2) he has the most manageable path to winning a championship. Simply put, the next four best wrestlers in this weight class are all on the opposite half of Perry -- Storley, Michael Evans (Iowa), Jordan Blanton (Illinois), and Matt Brown (Penn State). Once any of those four gets to the finals, it's a 50/50 proposition between them and Perry, but determining which one is a next to impossible task. For that, I just went to the overall resumes, and Storley has the best of them. For him to be the sixth seed is a simply absurd and rash overreaction to the Big Ten tournament, failing to consider the overall season as a whole. 184: Ed Ruth (Penn State) over Ben Bennett (Central Michigan) Simply put, Ruth is a man child, and has as good a case as anyone for the InterMat Wrestler of the Year Award as well as the Hodge Trophy come season's end. He is 28-0, and only five matches have even been decision victories. He'll be in the semifinal round without a challenge, where I think either Kevin Steinhaus (Minnesota) or defending champion Steve Bosak (Cornell) can put up a fight -- namely maintain contact with Ruth, but not be in position to win. I think the other half of the draw appears very favorable for fellow undefeated Bennett, a three-time All-American in his own right, when considering questions about the health of Robert Hamlin (Lehigh). 197: Dustin Kilgore (Kent State) over Quentin Wright (Penn State) Picking against Wright in March is something done at great peril; however, Kilgore's performances over the last three years provides that impetus. Winning the national title in this weight in 2011, Kilgore then had a superlative Olympic redshirt year at 96 kilos (211.5 pounds) last year, and has been even better in the 2012-13 season -- one in which he's a listed 38-0 with just four matches being decided by decision. Looking at draws, it would be a shock if Kilgore was not in the final, while Wright is looking at a challenging semi against Matthew Wilps (Pittsburgh). 285: Tony Nelson (Minnesota) over Dom Bradley (Missouri) There's something super special about this weight class this year, a notion confirmed by the presence of two-time All-American Jarrod Trice (Central Michigan) as a No. 10 seed and a pair of past All-Americans (Jeremy Johnson and Levi Cooper) as unseeded wrestlers. However, there is a sense that this ends up being a three-person weight class with Bradley in the top half of the draw and Nelson facing Alan Gelogaev (Oklahoma State) in a possible bottom half-bracket semifinal. It becomes hard to pick against the defending national champ Nelson, who has truly grown into the weight class -- maintaining the athleticism of a high school 215-pounder, while growing to have the necessary tools in all three positions to thrive as a 285-pound wrestler. Team: 1. Penn State 2. Oklahoma State 3. Minnesota 4. Iowa 5. Ohio State

On Thursday the nation's top wrestlers will meet in Des Moines to put their wrestling careers to the test and their legacies on the line. Likewise, die-hard college wrestling fans will flock to online and offline sports books to place action on the best-valued wrestlers in the tournament. If you're not in a tournament pool right now, then you're missing out on the excitement. Though betting the NCAA wrestling tournament used to be the best-kept secret in Vegas, the lines for the NCAA tournament have tightened up over the years. Still, there is value to be had, and I'm here to help you identify that value and make better, more profitable bets. Remember, I'm in no way responsible for what you bet, or if you bet. Please, ask your wife before laying down JR's college fund this year on a bet for an unseeded wrestler to win the title at 165 pounds. For the newcomers, here's how it usually works: Each weight class is broken down with a money line on the top two or three individuals (usually by seed). Then the remaining wrestlers, or the Field, are given a collective money line to win. For clarity purposes each line uses a base amount of $100. So if the line is +150, that means you risk $100 to win $150. Likewise, if the line is -150, you risk $150 to win $100. A few numbers for thought before we break down the weight classes (all data is since the 2003 NCAA tournament): The top seed at the NCAA tournament has won almost exactly 50% of the time. A wrestler seeded third or lower has won approximately 30%. A wrestler seeded fourth or lower has won approximately 20%. The Field comes in on average twice a year. The last time all ten NCAA champs came from a third seed or higher was 1999. The last time all 10 champs came from one of the top two seeds? ... John Smith was wrestling Joe Melchiore for his second NCAA title . A winning Field bet usually pays well. Steve Bosak belonged to the 184-pound field last year that was offered at +1450 ... Let that sink in ... Got it? OK. Find the Field bet you like, and you might find your NCAA tournament expenses paid. You might also cover your flights, lodging, drinks, and more Des Moines corn than you can handle. On to this year's weight classes and my personal (pre-official) lines: 125: Alan Waters is undefeated and is rightfully your top seed. The round-robin between Matt McDonough-Nico Megaludis-Jesse Delgado had been following ro-sham-bo rules until Delgado broke format at last weekend's Big Ten tournament. ACC champ Jarrod Garnett owns a win over Delgado and should join Megaludis, Nahshon Garrett and a few more capable ACC wrestlers in the field. Tempting. The lines: Waters +135, Delgado +150, McDonough +200, Field +450 The play: McDonough's third title looks like a long shot at this point, but it's unwise to count him out, especially in his own backyard. "Dirty" Waters and Delgado have been great but if the field comes in any better than +450, it could be a nice value bet to take a chance on a pretty wide-open weight class at this point. I like the field and/or McDonough. 133: Logan Stieber proved two weekends ago at the Big Tens that he's still a notch above Tony Ramos, though the Iowa wrestler has undoubtedly closed the gap by showing an ability to escape from bottom. Tyler Graff stuck with Ramos to the end at Big Tens and Chris Dardanes is the only wrestler in the bracket who owns a win over the top seed. They will join A.J. Schopp, Jon Morrison, and a game Scotti Sentes in the field. The lines: Stieber -250, Ramos +200, Field +1450 The play: I think Logan Stieber is the biggest "lock" to win a title behind Ed Ruth. This Field line will be high, but stay away from it if you like money. Ramos has a reasonable chance to take the title and will be charged in front of a Hawkeye-heavy crowd. But ... he also has a tough lower bracket and a chance to be upset before the final, while Stieber does not. If Stieber comes in any lower than -250, bet him hard. Even with the black & gold factor, the Buckeye is still one notch above. To read the rest of this story, plus get access to all InterMat Platinum content, subscribe today. Already an InterMat Platinum subscriber? Read complete story.

On Thursday the nation's top wrestlers will meet in Des Moines to put their wrestling careers to the test and their legacies on the line. Likewise, die-hard college wrestling fans will flock to online and offline sports books to place action on the best-valued wrestlers in the tournament. If you're not in a tournament pool right now, then you're missing out on the excitement. Though betting the NCAA wrestling tournament used to be the best-kept secret in Vegas, the lines for the NCAA tournament have tightened up over the years. Still, there is value to be had, and I'm here to help you identify that value and make better, more profitable bets. Remember, I'm in no way responsible for what you bet, or if you bet. Please, ask your wife before laying down JR's college fund this year on a bet for an unseeded wrestler to win the title at 165 pounds. For the newcomers, here's how it usually works: Each weight class is broken down with a money line on the top two or three individuals (usually by seed). Then the remaining wrestlers, or the Field, are given a collective money line to win. For clarity purposes each line uses a base amount of $100. So if the line is +150, that means you risk $100 to win $150. Likewise, if the line is -150, you risk $150 to win $100. A few numbers for thought before we break down the weight classes (all data is since the 2003 NCAA tournament): The top seed at the NCAA tournament has won almost exactly 50% of the time. A wrestler seeded third or lower has won approximately 30%. A wrestler seeded fourth or lower has won approximately 20%. The Field comes in on average twice a year. The last time all ten NCAA champs came from a third seed or higher was 1999. The last time all 10 champs came from one of the top two seeds? ... John Smith was wrestling Joe Melchiore for his second NCAA title . A winning Field bet usually pays well. Steve Bosak belonged to the 184-pound field last year that was offered at +1450 ... Let that sink in ... Got it? OK. Find the Field bet you like, and you might find your NCAA tournament expenses paid. You might also cover your flights, lodging, drinks, and more Des Moines corn than you can handle. On to this year's weight classes and my personal (pre-official) lines: 125: Alan Waters is undefeated and is rightfully your top seed. The round-robin between Matt McDonough-Nico Megaludis-Jesse Delgado had been following ro-sham-bo rules until Delgado broke format at last weekend's Big Ten tournament. ACC champ Jarrod Garnett owns a win over Delgado and should join Megaludis, Nahshon Garrett and a few more capable ACC wrestlers in the field. Tempting. The lines: Waters +135, Delgado +150, McDonough +200, Field +450 The play: McDonough's third title looks like a long shot at this point, but it's unwise to count him out, especially in his own backyard. "Dirty" Waters and Delgado have been great but if the field comes in any better than +450, it could be a nice value bet to take a chance on a pretty wide-open weight class at this point. I like the field and/or McDonough. 133: Logan Stieber proved two weekends ago at the Big Tens that he's still a notch above Tony Ramos, though the Iowa wrestler has undoubtedly closed the gap by showing an ability to escape from bottom. Tyler Graff stuck with Ramos to the end at Big Tens and Chris Dardanes is the only wrestler in the bracket who owns a win over the top seed. They will join A.J. Schopp, Jon Morrison, and a game Scotti Sentes in the field. The lines: Stieber -250, Ramos +200, Field +1450 The play: I think Logan Stieber is the biggest "lock" to win a title behind Ed Ruth. This Field line will be high, but stay away from it if you like money. Ramos has a reasonable chance to take the title and will be charged in front of a Hawkeye-heavy crowd. But ... he also has a tough lower bracket and a chance to be upset before the final, while Stieber does not. If Stieber comes in any lower than -250, bet him hard. Even with the black & gold factor, the Buckeye is still one notch above. 141: The "other" Stieber doesn't get as much recognition as his older sibling, but he has been just about as impressive this season and is (somewhat surprisingly) your top seed. Kendric Maple, the current Usain Bolt of college wrestling, hasn't really been touched either. Returning All-American Michael Mangrum has previous wins over the top seed, including one by fall in last year's medal round. He will enter a field with Mitchell Port, Evan Henderson and Citadel's "Ugi" ... by way of Mongolia. An impressive group that will try to play spoiler to a finals matchup of undefeated wrestlers. The lines: Stieber "even," Maple -150, Field +700 The play: Maple or Stieber? Every wrestling fan has been looking forward to watching this collision in Des Moines since early December. I think Maple has been very slightly more impressive and I like him to win. This is a field to keep an eye on though and Nick Dardanes should give Hunter all he can manage in the quarters. I'll take Maple at -150 and if he comes in closer to even money, even better. 149: Jordan Oliver is your top seed. Jason Chamberlain and Donnie Vinson have each avenged their only losses for the year. Dylan "Honey Badger" Ness shook off some early season injury concerns to make Oliver look human and capture the Big Ten title in dramatic fashion. He'll join Steve Santos, Scott Sakaguchi, Jake Sueflohn, Nick Brascetta and Andrew Alton in the field. They can all scrap. The lines: Oliver -185, Chamberlain +200, Vinson +350, Field +500 The play: JO dominated his way to one title and has come a hair away from winning two more. It's not hard to imagine him in a position to be wrestling for his fourth title this weekend and he has absolutely dominated at 149 pounds. That being said, this weight class offers more than meets the eye and Oliver will be harder pressed than you think to end his career atop the podium. Chamberlain is great on his feet and has a motor. Vinson has shown he's capable of big things at the dance and is relentless on top. Don't be surprised if you see Ness earn his own line from the sixth seed. If so, it will change the field line dramatically. Ness is the most dangerous wrestler in the country and puts himself in bad positions to earn rewards like nobody else, much like the honey badger. Many will take Oliver but if Ness is in the field, I like it. However, I'd urge you to think twice before touching a weight class that includes the honey badger. Might be best to leave this one alone unless the lines come in substantially different. 157: Jason Welch earns the top seed after a late rally in the Big Ten final to avenge his lone loss of the year against "Mean" James Green. Derek St. John has had Welch's number in the past and is the highest returning placer. The field is deep and STACKED. The lines: Welch +140, DSJ +120, Field +325 The play: Did I say Kendric Maple was the current Usain Bolt of college wrestling? I may have meant James Green. The guy is basically a Jordan Burroughs clone (including the south Jersey origin). It will be interesting to see if he is included in the field or gets his own line. That will be an important distinction to follow and will obviously move things accordingly. This is one of two weight classes that we've been preaching as a sure-fire field bet on the podcast all season. That has not changed. DSJ is actually my pick to win the weight class, but upsets will happen here and the field has too much value to ignore. I may combine a bet on the field with a DSJ bet. ... We'll follow suit and save 165 for last ... 174: Has there ever been a weight class this close between the 1-8 seeds in NCAA history? Not while I've been around. Chris Perry is your one seed and has taken losses by major decision and fall this season. Logan Storley took the baton shortly, before dropping two matches at his conference tourney. Mike Evans doesn't lose in Iowa and has the best 'stache in the game. Matt Brown, Josh Asper, Robert Kokesh, Jordan Blanton and Nick Heflin are all capable of winning this weight class on their given day. The lines: Perry +160, Brown +225, Evans +225, Field +200 The play: You see where I'm going with this. Evans is actually my pick to win, but this is the one weight class where I would probably take the field for even money. It will most likely pay a much better return than that. Pay attention to who it includes, but ultimately you want this field. Seeds will not hold here. 184: Ed "The Truuuuuuth" Ruth comes in top seed. Shocker. He hasn't been truly tested in two full seasons now. Ben Bennett is an undefeated three-time All-American but had some close calls at his conference tournament. Strange seeding here between Robert Hamlin and returning champ Steve Bosak considering their EIWA tournament, but that's been covered elsewhere. Hamlin and Kevin Steinhaus have both kept Ruth from running up the score. The lines: Ruth -285, Bennett +250, Bosak +250, Field +950 The play: Ruth is your biggest favorite to win his weight class as mentioned earlier and you'll have to pay up to take him. Keep an eye on that semi-final matchup with Bosak, though. I have a strange feeling about that one. The health status of Hamlin and the possible inclusion of Bosak could change this field line quite a bit. If Hamlin is healthy and Bosak is in the field, I'll take it. If not, I'll probably take a chance on Bosak to upset Ruth in the semis and repeat as champ. Nobody is a lock, not even The Truth. 197: Dustin Kilgore has a nickname but he doesn't need it. This Golden Flash has put together arguably the most dominant season of any wrestler in the tournament. Also, his 'stache status is surpassed only by Evans. Quentin Wright (the other most dangerous wrestler in the country) is also officially undefeated, though he was pinned by Matt Wilps at the All-Star classic. Wright returned the favor to Wilps in their dual. Alfonso Hernandez, Taylor Meeks, Kyven Gadson and Scott Schiller join Wilps to round out the weight class for our field. The lines: Kilgore -175, Wright +150, Field +1500 The play: Let's steer clear from the field and hope the battle of 2010 NCAA champs takes place in the final. Wright always wrestles his best when the lights are on and seems to win with technique we were all taught at the REC level. But this is a classic battle between rock and scissor. What beats rock? Nothing beats rock. Kilgore looks to be just a little too solid for Q. I'll give up the odds and put my money on him while enjoying the most exciting match of the tournament. 285: Dom Bradley comes in at the top of the bracket after his win over defending NCAA champ Tony Nelson earlier in the year. He has one loss this season to Alan "Z" Gelogaev. Z is always a threat and puts up more points than any big man since Stephen Neal. Chad Hanke, Bobby Telford and Mike McMullan are some notable names in the field. The lines: Bradley "even," Nelson +110, Gelogaev +165, Field +1150 The play: Yet another weight class with a rock-paper-scissor scenario ... Z>Bradley>Nelson>Z. I like Nelson to win but he is the slight underdog since he has to pass both Z and Bradley. Never count Z out. If you're looking for some excitement with your choice, he will deliver. I like seeds to hold until the final and I like Nelson to repeat at anything better than even money. Drum roll ... 165: Who's at this weight class again? Oh yeah ... the two best wrestlers in NCAA ... That's, right! Kyle Dake is going for "4-for-4-at-4" while David Taylor is looking to put the block on and make a case for better overall career of the two. Headlining the field will be Tyler Caldwell and Peter Yates. Caldwell has two head-scratching losses as well as a loss to each of the big two. Yates avenged his only loss of the season and is healthy sized at the weight. The lines: Dake -135, Taylor +110, Field +1500 The play: Our top two seeds will both have dangerous semi matchups but let's be serious, we're looking at a two horse race here. This is the most anticipated match in NCAA history. Why talk about anything else? The Magic Man seemed to lose focus for a split second in their Scuffle match. That's one split second too much against Kid Dynamite. The winning formula to take out the three-time champ may very well be beating him at his own game with tight defense and a riding advantage. DT looks to be the only wrestler in the country capable of executing such a game plan. My take: If Taylor couldn't do it in January, how's he going to do it when the lights are on in March? Enjoy the atmosphere, the hype and the match, and take Dake to accomplish something that will NEVER be duplicated. Official lines are usually out by mid-week (Wednesday) and individual finals lines are released the day of. Sometimes that's a good way to hedge your action or double-up if you like. Bet with your head and not your emotions. Good luck and enjoy the winnings!

Steve Elwood found three dream matches to follow in the recent Minnesota state wrestling tournament. He asked three of the participants if he could follow them as they made their way to their shot at the gold medal. All three wrestlers are former state champions and their potential rivals were also defending state champions. Two out of those six former champions had multiple titles going into the weekend. There was no way of knowing who was going to come out on top, but Elwood was going to follow it through to the end. On a mission for God Nate Thomas won a Minnesota Christmas Tournament title as a freshman in 2009 with a victory over Chad Bartschenfeld (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)Four years ago, a young fresh face burst onto the Minnesota wrestling scene with a surprising holiday championship early into his freshman campaign. This annual event, better known as the Minnesota Christmas Tournament, brings all three classes from the state together in an individual format one week after the Walsh Ironman. Most well-versed fans know this holiday tournament is tougher to win than the state championship. There are many reasons for this. They include wrestlers not quite being down to weight, football recently ending, but most important, all the tough hammers are together instead of splitting into the three classes. Nate Thomas (103 pounds from Kasson-Mantorville) managed to get his arm raised in his last match to take home the gold. Three weeks later Thomas opened eyes nationally, going 6-0 at The Clash. He finished his breakthrough season with a state championship over friend and fellow future star Kyle Gliva (Simley). There were whispers about Thomas being a four-timer and hopeful future Minnesota Gopher. Jordan Kingsley defeated Nate Thomas in the Minnesota Christmas Tournament finals at 113 pounds in 2010 (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)Entering his sophomore year, Thomas moved up a weight to 113 and was the obvious No. 1-ranked wrestler in class AA. Like usual, the Minnesota Christmas Tournament was scheduled early and Thomas was set for a collision with highly ranked AAA state placer (senior) Jordan Kingsley from Apple Valley. Kingsley was a bit too seasoned for Thomas and his length gave Nate trouble. Jordan Kingsley ended up winning his first Minnesota Christmas Tournament title and Thomas felt the bitter taste of losing in a high profile match for the first time in his high school career. It wouldn't be the last. Thomas didn't have much time to feel pity. The Clash was a few weeks away and Kasson was starting to show up on national polls. Kasson-Mantorville had their eyes on a state title against rival Simley. Nate is a deeply spiritual young man and trusts his Creator to guide his career. This isn't just a sometime thing, it's an everyday thing. Nate does not believe in superstitions and good luck charms. He believes in God. That's enough. Anything else is worshipping SOMETHING else. Little did Thomas know, a few weeks later, his faith and life were about to be tested like never before. In the second round of The Clash, Thomas had a large and muscular opponent from Grand Island. In the middle period, Nate's arm was completely pulled out of his shoulder. The pain was immediate and acute. It shot through his body like lightning and Thomas fell to his knees screaming in agony. He knew he was in trouble as the trainer looked him over and left it up to Thomas to decide to continue. "The team needed me and I wasn't going to give up six points." He finished with a win and went on to wrestle the next round with the injury. Amazingly, Thomas won all three matches the next day with a severe torn labrum, going 6-0 at The Clash for the second straight year. He visited the first of many doctors on Monday and was given the bad news. He could either have surgery right away or make it through the season and get it done at the end of the year. He was warned of the possibility of permanent paralysis if he chose to keep going. He prayed about this and after several days he chose to stay on. The team decided to keep it quiet and Nate did everything he could to protect the shoulder in each match. But at some point during every match, he had his arm pulled out of the shoulder socket. He endured that same pain as the Grand Island match, for every single match during the rest of the season. Nate Thomas fell to Brett Stolarzyk in the state championship match in 2011 (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)He made it to the state finals confident he had enough to beat Brett Stolarzyk from Stewartville. This time he lost. This was way more emotionally painful to lose than the Christmas Tournament three months earlier. "I was so confused. No one works harder than me. I thought I was the best. I didn't understand how it was possible. I cried harder than I ever had in my life." Thomas had the surgery in the summer and looked forward to his junior year. He knew if he could get his strength back he would likely face a new rival in Juan Torres, another powerful wrestler from Simley. It never happened. Thomas spent the entire season on the bench after another surgery. The pressure to return was overwhelming. Kasson had yet to knock off Simley in the team portion and they had a great shot if only Nate Thomas would get back in the lineup. Nate missed the Minnesota Christmas Tournament and The Clash. He finally made an appearance at the team sections, only to limp to a few rough wins. His coach Jamie Heidt made the tough decision of benching his superstar for the individual portion of the postseason and only using him sparingly during the team duals. Juan Torres dominated the his way to the state title at 120 pounds and Simley walked away with their fifth straight state team title. Nate Thomas won his second Minnesota Christmas Tournament title (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)Now comes the senior year and the comeback. Nate started out very strong winning the prestigious Christmas Tournament for the second time, but found his first loss ever at The Clash. However, this group of seniors had been building toward this magical season for many years and they placed higher at The Clash than they ever had before. They had their eyes on the state team title a few months away. Kasson has never won a state team title in ANY SPORT and the pressure was building. Thomas knew he had several dates with Juan Torres coming up. The first showdown was set two weeks after The Clash in the Swalla Duals. It was a high-scoring affair in Nate's favor 8-5. Torres ran out of gas in the third period since this was his first competition of the season. Everyone knew they would meet two more times at the state tournament. Torres would be in much better shape by then. Minnesota is one of the few state tournaments combining the team dual championship with the individual championship ... on the SAME weekend. In the team finals, Kasson was staring down Simley. There were several important matches, but none bigger than the match at 126 pounds. Thomas had to get a win over Juan Torres. In the first period, neither wrestler was able to get the takedown. In the second, Thomas escaped and again neither managed a takedown. Kasson-Mantorville wrestlers and fans celebrate after winning the state title (Photo/Mary Christen, The Guillotine)The third started with Torres down needing points. Nate cut Torres to tie the score at 1-1. Both wrestlers were no longer tentative and both had great opportunities to score. Midway through, Thomas used a nice double leg takedown at the edge of the circle to take the all-important 3-1 lead. Torres quickly escaped and Thomas again scored a takedown. Torres got another escape, but time was running out. Thomas won the match 5-3 to help propel Kasson to their first ever state team title. The Kasson fans were dancing in the aisles and the celebration went on for over 10 minutes. Nate knew his match was the turning point. The individual portion started the next day (Friday) and would finish on Saturday night. This part of the state tournament is not seeded, and mostly by luck, Thomas and Torres were on opposite sides of the bracket. By the time they reached the semifinals on Day 2, Thomas and Torres had taken apart their opponents. However, Torres was about to face returning state champion Ty Griffin. Nate didn't know if Torres had enough to win. He was wrong. Torres destroyed Griffin with a first-period pin. Nate Thomas and Juan Torres lock up in the state championship match (Photo/Mary Christen, The Guillotine)Now comes the showdown. This is Nate Thomas's last match as a high school wrestler. He is signed to wrestle for the University of Minnesota Gophers and is hoping to wrestle in the Olympics someday. But he has the biggest showdown of his high school career coming. Nate talks about God like some guys talk about a girlfriend. I asked him if he thinks God cares whether he wins or not. He thought hard about this: "I think I owe God the honor of using the skills he gave me. He probably doesn't care whether I win. However, winning is a bit more glorious than losing!" We shared a good laugh at that line. The time is here. The two rivals shake hands and like the first match, neither wrestler manages a takedown for the first two minutes. Both wrestlers are cautious and don't want to make a mistake. There is no room for error here. Nate Thomas gets his hand raised after winning the state championship (Photo/Mary Christen, The Guillotine)The second period starts with Thomas on top. Torres gets a quick escape in just six seconds. Again, neither wrestler manages a takedown in the period and it's 1-0 Torres. The third period starts with Thomas down with a quick explosion to a standing position to tie the score at 1-1. Forty seconds later, Thomas is in on a deep shot and lifts Torres into the air and slams him into the mat. It's a clean takedown and it's now 3-1. Torres wiggles out for a quick escape, but time is now running out. Torres tries a few more desperate shots, but the end is coming. Nate Thomas has made it all the way back to the top of the podium as the Class 2A state champion. The Baby-Faced Assassin vs. The Phenom Kyle Gliva gets a pin at the The Clash in late December (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)Kyle Gliva (Simley) is perhaps the most underrated wrestler in the state of Minnesota. He is the two time defending state champion, but it's his two larger teammates that seem to get all the attention. Jake Short and Nick Wanzek are two of the nation's top seniors. Both have decided to stay in Minnesota and wrestle for the Gophers. Neither has lost a high school match in several seasons. Kyle Gliva has always been in their shadow, but it has never bothered him. Yeah, he would have liked to have the press oohing and aahing at his every move, but his personality and serious workmanlike attitude wasn't nearly as fun to notice. Still, he was highly recruited by several Ivy League schools, including Columbia and Penn. He ended up choosing a neighboring state and rising power NDSU. Kyle carries an incredible 3.95 GPA and is planning on a career as an engineer. But that is going to have to wait. He is about to face "The Phenom" Brady Berge twice in the state tournament. Brady Berge has been well known in these parts since he first started wrestling as a young boy. He must have a roomful of trophies. Last year he was the state champion at 106 pounds as a seventh-grader. This year he grew to 132 pounds and is in line to become a six-time state champion, which has never been accomplished in Minnesota. Brady Berge defeated Kyle Gliva in the Minnesota Christmas Tournament finals (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)These two have met twice already this season and will meet two more times this weekend. Their first match this season was in the finals of the Minnesota Christmas Tournament. It was a back-and-forth battle with Gliva nursing a one-point lead with 20 seconds to go. I was on the top of the gym and made a comment about this match being over. I had watched Kyle wrestle since his freshman year and he never gives up a lead that late in a match. Berge obviously didn't know this ... or maybe he did. Either way, he took a desperate shot at Gliva's legs and took him to the mat with five seconds left to secure the win. The Kasson crowd rose to their feet and the screaming went on for a full minute. Gliva simply went to his corner, mad at himself for being so sloppy. "I was devastated. I had him and I let it slip away!" I have some friends who are Clash loyalists that travel from New Jersey to Minnesota to take in the event. They have been weight judges at 106 for the last four years. During Kyle Gliva's freshman year, one of them made a comment about how young he looked, and I heard the phrase "baby face." Later they watched him run the table, going 6-0 and for the first time I heard the term, "Baby-Faced Assassin." It stuck. Every year I get messages from those guys asking me how the "Assassin" is doing. He's one of their favorite wrestlers from Minnesota. I relayed this story to Kyle's mom Sue and not surprisingly, she wasn't nearly as amused as I thought she might be. Gliva and Berge Act 2 took place three weeks after that first meeting. It went into two overtimes, with Berge getting a surprising and somewhat controversial reversal as time was running out. The final score was 3-2 and now Berge (The Phenom) had beaten Gliva (The Assassin) twice. Kyle claims he has never been more motivated in his career since taking that loss. Kyle is a very hard-working young man. His coach Will Short simply loves Kyle. He has been in his corner for over a decade, and Will had a sad look on his face while talking about Kyle not being on the team next year. "I love that kid like he's my son. He's everything I could hope for in a student-athlete. Nobody outworks him in the wrestling room or the classroom. When he's gone, I'm going to tell the new kids to reach for the goals Kyle Gliva did. I'm so proud of him. The good news is I get to watch him wrestle in college!" I don't often get the chance to see Will get emotional, but he stood there beaming at me about Gliva and I swear I saw a tear in the corner of his eye. Thursday night: State team dual finals: Simley vs. Kasson-Mantorville Simley is in real trouble by the time the match at 132 pounds is about to begin. They have already forfeited a match at 106 and they had another forfeit coming at 285. It was 12 wrestlers (Simley) vs. 14 wrestlers (Kasson-Mantorville) and this was going to be a must-win for Gliva. The match starts out like a chess game with plenty of hand fighting and collar ties, but no real good scoring chances. The time goes by fast and the period ends 0-0. Berge starts the second period on top and 18 seconds later Gliva is out to take the all-important 1-0 lead. The next minute and a half was full of wild action as both guys attempted shots and both almost scored. The scrambles had every eye in the arena on them. In the end, neither was able to score and we are now finished with the second period with Kyle Gliva nursing a 1-0 lead. The third period starts with Brady Berge taking down, and to no one's surprise he escapes 16 seconds later. The electricity in the air is thick and over the next 90 seconds we were privileged to watch some of the more intense scrambles of the weekend. Still, no one could score. Overtime! Kyle Gliva celebrates with his Simley teammates after defeating Brady Berge in the state team championship (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)The next minute had both young men neutral and on their feet. The action was crazy fast and Gliva almost secures control with 14 ticks left on the clock. But again, neither wrestler could secure the takedown during the extra 60 seconds. The next 30 seconds of overtime had Gliva in the down position and he was able to break free and take a one-point lead 2-1. The next 30 seconds of overtime started with Brady Berge down and sure enough, he was able to tie it up at 2-2. Now there is only one overtime left. Gliva gets the choice since he scored the first point and to no one's surprise he chooses bottom. Halfway through the period, a mad scramble occurs and Gliva turns his hips into Berge and manages to get behind Brady. It's a reversal and Gliva officially wins 4-2. Simley uses that win to go on an amazing run only to come up three points shy of winning its sixth state title. Kasson-Mantorville, at last, earns a state championship! I saw Nate Thomas crying happy tears. Most of his teammates joined in. Friday night: Individual quarterfinals -- Gliva vs. Berge IV The Minnesota state tournament is not seeded for the individuals. There is plenty of controversy about this, but it doesn't appear like it's going to change anytime soon. As a result, the top two wrestlers in Class AA at 126 pounds were about to meet in the quarterfinals. In all likelihood, one was going to be the champion and the other would wrestle back for third. There wasn't any rational wrestling fan at the Xcel Energy Center who believed Kyle Gliva vs. Brady Berge wasn't for the state championship. One thing this non-seeding deal does is guarantee huge crowds for both days. Theirs was not the only great match on Day 1 of the individual portion that many wish would be in the state finals 24 hours later. Kyle asked for me to skip meeting him before this match. It gave me the chance to visit with his parents Keith and Sue. To say Sue gets excited for Kyle while wrestling is like saying the sun just might come up tomorrow. Intensity doesn't quite do her fanaticism justice. She can be seen matside during Kyle's match losing her voice screaming for her son to make the move she knows so well. Keith (father) is the polar opposite and seems more relaxed. They both talk of Kyle like they are lucky to have such a fun kid in the family. He has a dry sense of humor and his energy keeps their home warm. They talk of how difficult it is to eat normally as a family while Kyle is watching his weight. The answer to that dilemma is to simply eat before he gets home. Usually he can smell what they eat no matter how hard Sue tries to cover it up. Kyle loves pasta more than just about any other food. Sue makes a special red sauce with garlic and no matter how hard she tries, Kyle is going to sniff it out. He spends some of his free time gazing at the food channel and has a secret mission to visit as many "diners, drive-ins, and dives" as he can in Minnesota. Kyle Gliva gets a takedown on Brady Berge in their state quarterfinal match (Photo/Mary Christen, The Guillotine)It's time. This match begins where the last one left off with fast and furious shots taken by both young men. Both wrestlers know they must not give up a takedown in the first period. With just seconds to go, Brady Berge gets in deep on a double leg takedown and secures the 2-0 lead. The period ends this way, 2-0 Berge. You might wonder what goes through an athlete's mind when giving up an all-important, last-second takedown: "I immediately thought, 'I am going to finish third.' Then I thought, 'Forget that! I'm not giving in that easy!'" The second period starts with Gliva down and he escapes 15 seconds in, to cut the lead in half. Gliva now is stalking Berge and takes several shots only to be countered with spin moves and great defense by Brady. With 29 seconds left, another mad scramble ensues and with just four seconds on the clock Gliva was able to finally take Berge down and retake the lead 3-2. Now Berge is down to start the third. Gliva must have known it was fruitless to try a two-minute ride and cuts Berge to tie the score 3-3. The next 60 seconds followed form with both wrestlers attempting leg shots only to run into a counter move that could have easily resulted in a quick two points. With 37 seconds to go, Gliva is in on a single leg, but this time it's deep. He isn't letting go and powers his way around Brady to take a 5-3 lead. There is a break and they both head back to the center with 15 seconds. Berge gets out and it's the Minnesota Christmas Tournament all over again. But this time Kyle is dialed in. He is backpedaling and blocking everything Berge throws at him. Brady tries one more desperate move only to come up empty. Kyle Gliva hugs his coach Will Short after winning his third state title (Photo/Mary Christen, The Guillotine)A day later Gliva puts the finishing touches on his third state title with a 10-1 victory over Scottie Bonds of St. Paul Humboldt. Later he told me he probably won't be remembered for the three championships, but would likely be known as the guy who stopped Brady Berge from getting six. He tipped his hat to Berge, claiming that Brady was in the top three of all the wrestlers he has ever faced in Minnesota. That says a lot about Brady. He's still has four more years of varsity. Dream Killer Although the last two bouts I described were within most fans' "sweet spot" to watch, there wasn't a fan who didn't believe the two warriors facing off in AA at 195 pounds was THE MATCH. This one also involved another Kasson-Mantorville grappler named Berge -- Broc, Brady's older and much bigger brother vs. Lance Benick from Totino-Grace. They will only meet once in the finals on Saturday night. No way was anyone leaving before these two muscular athletes met in the center of the circle. Lance invited me along for the ride and I attached my seat belt. What a ride it was. Broc Berge edged Lance Benick in the Minnesota Christmas Tournament finals (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)Broc Berge is the two-time defending state champion and finished as a Junior National freestyle finalist in Fargo last summer. Every Big Ten school took a run at him, only for Iowa to land this top recruit. He is mentioned as one of the nation's very best seniors in his class. In his career he has only one match with Benick, which happened at the Minnesota Christmas Tournament in December. It went into overtime with Berge squeaking out a late takedown in sudden victory, 5-3. After that bout, everyone expected Lance to go down to his natural weight of 182. It never happened. "There is no way I was going down to 182," said Benick. "I would much rather lose to Berge than win a state title at 182. I couldn't live with myself knowing I was running from him." I asked if it mattered if he was a three-time state champion as opposed to a four-timer. "I would rather not lose, but I would rather lose to Broc Berge than to live the rest of my life wondering if I could have beaten him." There were 17,000 people in the stands that wondered the same thing. Lance Benick went 18-0 in three Cadet National competitions in 2012, winning national titles in folkstyle, Greco-Roman, and freestyle. (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)How good is Lance Benick? Last season he easily dispatched his opponents for his first state title as a freshman. But it was four months later in July where he proved how dominant he really is. As a first-year Cadet, Lance won the USA Wrestling National Triple Crown. In Fargo, there wasn't a match that was decided by less than a technical fall or a pin. He destroyed everyone in the country. That kind of domination doesn't come around very often and the knowledgeable wrestling fans in Minnesota were licking their chops at this sophomore sensation. What motivates Lance Benick? Well, besides the thrill of being the best, he is wrestling for his mom, Joanne. She has a very serious tumor in her brain and no one really knows how much time she has left. Lance adores his mom and many times when he thinks he is completely gassed and can go no further, he thinks, "If only I go five minutes longer, and if only by doing that, my mom might live longer." He wants to win this state championship more for her than any person on the planet. Lance also designed a T-shirt for Joanne that helped raise several hundred dollars for her medical care. How serious of a student is Lance Benick? He works all year to come up with the $12,000 tuition it requires to attend Totino-Grace High School. Yep, he pays his own tuition. He doesn't think it's that big of a deal. He started buying and selling wrestling shoes over the Internet and is known as the kid with over two dozen of his own. He also works all summer with his dad on construction to raise the money. He told me he is hooked on marketing and would love to be a successful business owner someday. I'll only be surprised if he doesn't. Lance is a large young man, but gentle, and is amazingly laid back. During our interviews he yawned several times and took every hard question I could come up with a simple smile and an "aw-shucks" attitude. It's impossible to not like this guy. Saturday night: 195-pound Class AA championship Lance Benick and Broc Berge tangle in the state finals (Photo/Mary Christen, The Guillotine)The air is heavy as these two big men enter the circle. As the match unfolds I hear a fan mention how ridiculously small the circle seems for these two giants. Both start out very tentative with neither trying anything crazy. There's simply too much respect for either opponent to try anything foolish. With just under 20 seconds, Broc Berge tries the closest thing to a successful shot of the period only to be blocked cleanly by Lance. The second period starts with Berge winning the coin toss and choosing down. Within 15 seconds Broc Berge escapes to take the early lead 1-0. Now they start to open up and at the 53-second mark, Lance Benick is in deep only to have Berge scramble away grabbing onto Lance's ankle and both end up out of bounds. A few more halfhearted shots take place in the last 30 seconds and Berge keeps the 1-0 lead. Berge lets Benick up to start the third period. It's now 1-1 and the crowd is quiet and anxious. Everyone knows if there is a takedown, it will likely decide the match. There is a crazy flurry with just over a minute to go, but neither can score. The Kasson crowd starts the "Here we go, Broc ... Here we go" chant. It travels as fast as these two guys go at one other. With just under 40 seconds in regulation, Lance gets a hold of Berge's right leg and lifts him up in the air. Berge takes two hops and gets out of bounds. Time is up and it's tied 1-1 at the end of regulation. The next two minutes will go down in Minnesota wrestling lore. It will be told for years to come. The first minute of sudden victory finds both men back on their feet looking for that takedown to win the match. By now Lance Benick is no longer tentative and he tries every move he has in his offense. He tries three different times to get in on Berge's legs and arms looking for any opening. Berge does a masterful job of holding Benick at bay. The action is nonstop and the fans are holding their breath. They finish the period in another wild scramble, but there are no points awarded. Broc Berge wins the coin flip and chooses the down position for the next 30 seconds of overtime. No one expects Lance to ride Broc, but Benick has a secret weapon he was waiting to use. He calls it a "Zuniga," named after a favorite coach of his. Dave Zuniga, a 1996 Olympian and All-American Gopher wrestler, taught Lance this crossface arm headlock and Lance secured it tight for the first 12 seconds until the referee broke it. When the whistle blew again, Lance reached across Berge's upper torso and locked the Zuniga again. This time he held it while both wrestlers were standing as Lance tried to bring Broc down to the mat. It worked to perfection and the period ended still tied 1-1. Lance Benick sporting his "Dream Killer" T-shirtHere's where it became surreal. Broc Berge was in the top position for the next 30 seconds of overtime. Only, he decides to cut Benick. A friend of mine to my right asked, "What is going on? They have just wrestled seven minutes on their feet and neither could get a takedown. Now Lance doesn't need one and Broc does." Later I asked Lance what he thought about being cut loose at that moment. "I knew I was going to win," Lance said. "I had no stall calls against me and there was no way I was giving up a takedown." He was right. Berge tried everything he could, but came up short. The final score was 2-1 in favor of Lance Benick. The curious part of this match is Lance Benick won without scoring an offensive point. Later, Lance was met in the tunnel by one of his summer coaches with a T-shirt that he had been waiting for the beaming redhead to finally put on. The front of the black T-shirt had only 11 gold letters, but the two words were prophetic: "Dream Killer." Steve Elwood can be reached at steveel@rstransportinc.com.

Basketball's bracket busters make upsetting a top seed look easy. A few talented roundballers in unfamiliar jerseys tossing alley-oops year-in and year-out make the idea of a major upset seem normal across all sports. But they're not, and in wrestling upsets by unseeded wrestlers are extraordinarily rare. And yet it happens. There were unseeded semifinalists each of the past two years, and three in 2010: 2012: Hofstra's Justin Accordino (149) who beat No. 12 seed Ivan Lopouchanski (Purdue), No. 5 seed Ian Miller (Kent State) and unseeded Nick Lester (Oklahoma) before losing to Frank Molinaro 5-0. Accordino finished in sixth place. 2011: Utah Valley's Ben Kjar (125) beat unseeded Steve Bonnano (Hofstra), No. 4 seed James Nicholson (Old Dominion) and No. 5 seed Zach Sanders (Minnesota) before losing to eventual champion Anthony Robles (Arizona State) 4-2. Kjar took fourth place. 2010: Purdue 125-pounder Cashe Quiroga (Purdue) beat No. 7 seed James Nicholson (ODU), unseeded Joe Langel (Rutgers), and unseeded Fred Santaite (Boston) to make the semifinals where he lost to eventual champion Matt McDonough 14-3. Quiroga finished in sixth place. Binghamton's Justin Lister (157) beat No. 11 seed Neil Erisman (Oklahoma State), unseeded Thomas Scotton (North Carolina) and No. 3 seed Jesse Dong (Virginia Tech) before losing to runner-up Chase Pami (Cal Poly) 14-3. Lister finished in fourth place. Oklahoma's Tyler Caldwell (165) beat No. 12 seed Paul Young (Indiana), No. 5 seed Colt Sponseller (Ohio State) and unseeded Chris Brown (ODU) to make the semifinals and where he lost to Andrew Howe (Wisconsin) 4-1. Caldwell earned in fifth place. It's a statistical improbability that your wrestler will be Cinderella. Of the 120 available semifinal spots over the past three years only FIVE went to unseeded wrestlers. That means 630 unseeded wrestlers had an opportunity to make the semifinals, but only FIVE of those men accomplished the task. Your unseeded wrestler has less than a .8 percent chance of being this season's bracket busters. Even when given ten chances over two years we've been unable to guess these upsets correctly. So your wrestler becoming this season's bracket buster is about as likely as your nephew catching this bear in a spladle. The wrestlers listed below are not necessarily the best unseeded wrestlers, just the ones who might have a path to the semifinals that is both conceivable and assisted by other upsets. If you look above at the last three years you can see that almost all the semifinalists ran into an unseeded wrestler in the quarterfinals or second round. They didn't have to wrestle three consecutive top 12 opponents, because other potential busters were assisting them on their forward march. Also a factor is the pre-existing injuries to seeded opponents in your quarter of the bracket. If just one No. 5 seed comes in with a broken rib and it could signal an upset that could lead to the type of runs we read about above. But again, let's play this honest, there is less than a one-percent chance of any unseeded wrestler making it to the semifinals, much less the ones you or I select and justify. I recommend you just enjoy the process and if one of them hits be sure to leave your congratulatory notes in the comments section! 125: Christian Cullinan (Central Michigan) The Tom Borrelli-coached wrestler is coming off a disappointing MAC tournament, which dropped him out of seeding contention. However, if he's able to capture his midseason form, he's capable of wrestling for an upset. First Round: Joe DeAngelo (North Carolina State) DeAngelo (7-7) stole the fourth qualification spot when Shane Gentry (Maryland) was injured in the semifinals. Second Round: No. 2 Nico Megaludis (Penn State) Cullinan split his two matchups this season with Pitt's Anthony Zanetta, who beat Nico Megaludis of Penn State 3-2 in December. Quarterfinals: Nick Soto (Chattanooga) Soto could wrestle No. 5 Jarrod Garnett in the second round. Though Garnett is capable of winning the tournament, one of his two losses this season came to Soto, a 10-9 decision in November. 133: Vinny Dellefave (Rutgers) Another wrestler with a disappointing conference tournament, Dellefave was pinned by Matt Bystol (Columbia) in the EIWA quarterfinals. First Round: No. 12 Jordan Conaway (Penn State) Lowest seeded wrestler in the bracket, Conaway has improved all season. He beat Dellefave 6-1 in February, but with some familiarity and tape, Dellefave could manage his first upset. Second Round: No. 5 Chris Dardanes There is little objective reason to think that Dellfave would pull the upset. However, Dardanes wrestles a lot of close matches, which could allow for an inspired Dellefave to create a tight match and create opportunities to win late. Quarterfinals: Sam Speno (North Carolina State) The unseeded NC State wrestler has a win over Jordan Conaway and is a dangerous, salty wrestler. Given head coach Pat Popolizio's tendency to get his wrestlers to perform at NCAAs, there's a chance Speno could be the guy to make a streak, though ultimately fall to Dellefave. Zach Neibert enters the NCAAs with a 16-9 record (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)141: Zach Neibert (Virginia Tech) The No. 13 ranked wrestler has seen a lot of very tough opponents this season. He’s lost many of his close matches to top opponents but with that experience could find ways to improve once at the tournament. First Round: No. 11 Mike Nevinger (Cornell) The Cornell wrestler is coming off a surprising 4-3 loss to Franklin & Marshall's Richard Durso in the EIWA semifinals. Second Round: No. 6 K. Undrakhbayar Neibert lost the first meeting 3-1, but if he makes it past Nevinger, and figures out Ugi's style on their feet, he should be in position for the upset. Quarterfinals: No. 3 Mike Mangrum (Oregon State) Nevinger lost to Mangrum 7-3 in February, but with their first match behind him, Neibert can defend against the attacks that caused him problems. 149: Donnie Corby (Central Michigan) Corby is still one of the most accomplished unseeded and unranked guys at the weight with wins over No. 15 David Habat (Edinboro) and No. 19 Derek Valenti (Virginia), a 2011 All-American. The Chippewa's advancement will be dependent on the health of Air Force's Cole VonOhlen. First Round: Dan Osterman (Michigan State) Corby won their last meeting 3-2. Second Round: No. 4 Cole VonOhlen (Air Force) If VonOhlen's shoulder isn't better by this match he'll be in for a long seven minutes against the heavy-handed Corby. Quarterfinals: No. 5 Steve Santos (Columbia) I like Santos to be an All-American, but Corby matches up well, and when it comes to quarterfinals anything is possible. 157: Georgi Ivanov (Boise State) Ivanov is on a 12-match win streak since losing to R.J. Pena (Oregon State) in a dual meet on January 5. He avenged that loss at the conference tournament and picked up a win against No 12 Jedd Moore (Virginia) First Round: Dan Zilverberg (Minnesota) Tough opponent for Ivanov to face first round, but has lost to common opponent R.J. Pena. Second Round: Taylor Walsh (Indiana) Walsh lost a 4-3 decision to No. 3 Joey Napoli at Midlands. Familiarity breeds opportunity and Walsh wins their match only to get knocked off by Ivanov. Quarterfinals: No. 11 Walter Peppelman (Harvard) If Peppelman can hold Alex Dieringer down he's advancing to the quarters. Ivanov gave Moore fits on bottom at Virginia Duals and earned a reversal. He can repeat the same against Peppelman. 165: Pierce Harger (Northwestern) Talented training partner to top-seeded 157 Northwestern wrestler Jason Welch, Harger is in the best position in a bracket that doesn't offer much hope on the top and bottom quarters versus Kyle Dake and David Taylor. First Round: No. 4 Tyler Caldwell (Oklahoma State) Everyone is on the lookout for Dake and Taylor to screw up in the first round. Maybe Caldwell gets distracted and Harger converts an early takedown to a tough ride from top? As we know, there will be upsets in the first round and given the emotional ups and downs Caldwell has experienced in 2012-2013, he's as ripe as any wrestler to fall in an early round. Second Round: Johnny Greisheimer (Edinboro) Harger won their December matchup 5-3. Quarterfinals: No. 5 Steven Monk (North Dakota State) When you're hot, you're hot. Monk's top game is a watered down version of what Harger gets every day from Welch. The Wildcat can create scoring opportunities from overly aggressive tilt attempts and high leg rides. 174: Bryce Hammond (Cal State-Bakersfield) A much tougher wrestler than his 32-8 record indicates. Hammond is capable of big points from creative scrambles. First Round: No. 6 Logan Storley (Minnesota) Maybe Storley's Big Ten tournament was as a fluke, or maybe he was hurt. Either way, there is a possibility that he's not emotionally or physically 100 percent. Hammond has seen the brackets and knows he's wrestling a possibly wounded opponent. Second Round: No. 11 Blake Staufer (Arizona State) Hammond won their last meeting at Pac-12's by a 10-4 decision. Quarterfinals: Lee Munster (Northwestern) On a run of his own, Munster beats Mike Evans (they haven't met this season), but is tripped up by Hammond who has found his form as a freshman. 184: Daniel Rinaldi (Rutgers) With the exception of last week's 7-2 decision loss to Brown wrestler Ophir Bernstein, the Rutgers wrestler's only losses came to top five opponents. He's way undervalued as an athletic talent and one of the best unseeded wrestlers in the tournament. First Round: C.J. Magrum (Ohio State) They've lost to the same people, but not much else to go on except Rinaldi and Rutgers have something to prove in 2013. Second Round: Casey NewBerg (Kent State) Ductin Kilgore's wrestling partner knocks off the dinged up Robert Hamlin (Lehigh) in the first round, setting up the meeting with Rinaldi. The Rutgers wrestler pulls out the hard-fought win. Quarterfinals: No. 11 Mike Larson (Missouri) Larson is 1-2 versus No. 6 Ryan Loder during the year and faces him in the second round. Rinaldi wins the quarterfinal matchup and moves onto the semifinals. Mario Gonzalez was edged by Blake Rosholt at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals last month, but could get another crack at him in the second round of the NCAAs (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)197: Mario Gonzalez (Illinois) There aren't many quadrants from which to launch a successful semifinal run, and with Matt Wilps as his expected opponent, Gonzalez is the longest shot on the list. He is coming off a nice Big Ten tournament where he beat Nathan Burak (Iowa). Pigtail: Jace Bennett (Cornell) Gonzalez has a win over common opponent Caleb Kolb of Nebraska, who Bennett lost to 7-5. First Round: Kyven Gadson (Iowa State) Though I have Gadson as an All-American, I can see a warmed-up Gonzalez doing well against an emotionally-drained Gadsen in the first round. I'll be pulling for Gadson, who did win the pair's only matchup of the season, 9-5. Second Round: Blake Rosholt (Oklahoma State) The duo wrestled to sudden victory in late February, with Rosholt coming away the 3-2 winner. Gonzalez earns the tight win at NCAAs. Quarterfinals: Richard Perry (Bloomsburg) Perry wrestled No. 3 Matt Wilps to a 5-4 decision at the EWL conference tournament and sudden victory tiebreaker in January. If Perry upsets Wilps, which is the tightest matchup any of the top four seeds face at 197, it could give Gonzalez a matchup he likes. Perry has only faced one other Big Ten wrestler this season, Northwestern's Alex Polizzi. 285: Jeremy Johnson (Ohio) Heavyweight is the most dependable 1-2-3-4 semifinal showcase in the tournament. Unseeded wrestlers almost never make a run, and that'll stay the same this season, with the possible exception of Jeremy Johnson. First Round: Jimmy Lawson (Penn State) Johnson beat Lawson 5-2 at the Southern Scuffle. Second Round: Alan Gelogaev (Oklahoma State) This will be a battle of mobile, high-scoring heavyweights, making almost anything possible, including the major upset. The two haven't met this season, though Z pinned Johnson last season at the Reno Tournament of Champions. Quarterfinals: No. 10 J.T. Felix (Boise State) Felix is a huge talent that could give Telford a challenge in the second round. Johnson lost a lopsided 8-3 decision to Felix in December, which doesn't bode well. But if he's made it this far, let's face it, just about anything is possible.

PITTSBURGH -- When the score was 16-6 in favor of Team USA after seven matches of the Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic, things seemed somewhat bleak for the Pennsylvania squad. Six matches remained, and the Keystone State seniors would probably need five wins to take the dual meet. In addition, two of the remaining Team USA wrestlers were ranked No. 1 in the nation. However, one upset over a national No. 1 later, and with four wins in five matches, it was now Pennsylvania which entered the last match of the dual favored in spite of facing a 19-18 deficit. Taking to the mats for the Keystone State was No. 1 Cody Wiercioch (Canon-McMillan), a four-time state finalist and three-time state champion. However, it was not to be as No. 3 Zach Beard (Tuttle, Okla.) would score two first-period takedowns off of throw-by's and never look back in a 7-4 upset victory over Wiercioch to clinch the United States' 22-18 victory in the 2013 Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic. With that performance, Beard was named Outstanding Wrestler for Team USA. "It put pressure on me, but at the same time created a surge of energy," said Beard about last match dynamics. "Getting the lead set the tone of the match, and it kept me going. It is really meaningful to win, and it's important to me, and also to represent the state of Oklahoma and University of Wyoming (where I'll be wrestling in college) in a positive light." Beard was but one of three wrestlers able to upset a national No. 1 on Sunday evening. Right before the mid-point of the dual meet, No. 2 Domenic Abounader (St. Edward, Ohio) upended Eric Morris (Wyoming Seminary) 1-0 with a second period escape and keeping Morris down for the full two minutes of the third period. "I knew that (Morris) was a strong wrestler, very good in both mat positions (top/bottom), and had come through in close matches during the season," said Abounader. "However, I knew victory could be had, and it feels great to come through with one, and it's a big step for me." The other upset of a national No. 1 came from No. 8 Austin Matthews (Reynolds) as the second of the four Pennsylvania victories in their late comeback attempt. For Matthews, it was an 8-2 decision over Jake Short (Simley, Minn.) at 152 pounds keyed by an opening period takedown right into a tilt that provided a 5-0 cushion with one-third of the match gone. "It's something that I hit a lot in matches," said Matthews about that big move. "I scored on it twice in an 18-6 regional final victory, and got it right off the bat in a 16-6 state semifinal victory. Getting out to a big lead makes it easier to break the opponent, as it's hard to come back from such a deficit." Matthews got it out to 6-0 with a second period escape. Short would cut it to 6-2 with a takedown, but a late period reversal and then a third period ride out would provide Matthews with the final details in an 8-2 victory. "I had no pressure, was able to let it go, and do what I do best: just wrestle and hold nothing back," added Matthews about facing, and beating, a national No. 1. The first four matches of the dual meet featured the USA and Pennsylvania squads trading decision victories. In the opening bout, No. 1 Ben Whitford (St. Johns, Mich.) used takedowns in each period on the way to a decisive 7-3 decision against No. 5 Mike Racciato (Pen Argyl) at 145 pounds. No. 10 Zach Fuentes (Norristown) would then make a first period takedown stand up in a 3-2 victory over No. 17 Paul Mascarenas (Cleveland, N.M.) at 113 pounds, which tied the dual meet up at 3-all. Despite being outwrestled for most of the match from the neutral position, it was No. 1 Nathan Tomasello (CVCA, Ohio) who came up with the match's only takedown early in the third period, as he squeezed out a 3-2 victory over No. 3 Darian Cruz (Bethlehem Catholic). This came despite a late match surge in which Cruz was close to scoring on two different leg attack sequences within the last thirty seconds of the match. Then to tie the dual meet up at 6-all, No. 7 Paul Bradley (Nazareth) came up with a 3-1 overtime victory over No. 2 Brooks Black (Blair Academy, N.J.). This avenged a previous Black victory, 2-1 in the tiebreaker) at the Beast of the East three months ago. "I knew that (Black) like the Russian, and didn't really like to shoot from neutral," answered Bradley when asked about what he learned from their earlier meeting. "He's a very big and strong kid, so I'm glad I was able to get the takedown in overtime, and end my high school experience with a win." At present, Bradley remains uncommitted for collegiate wrestling. However, he does have two or three visits lined up before making a decision. In addition, Bradley is also considering when to complete his two-year church mission; be it before he enrolls in college or during his collegiate career. With the score tied at 6-6, the only true one-sided match of the main event occurred with No. 3 Isaiah Martinez (Lemoore, Calif.) dominating No. 14 Cody Law (Forest Hills) 20-8. Martinez scored three takedowns in the first period, two in the second, and five in the third period. It was an extreme statement made by the three-time California state champion, who is bound for the University of Illinois for 2013-14. The 1-0 decision victory for Abounader, combined with a 6-1 victory for fellow St. Edward wrestler Dean Heil, would stretch the USA lead out to 16-6. Heil, ranked No. 3 nationally at 132 pounds, would score his needed points in the first period off a takedown and three-point near fall against fellow four-time state champion Ryan Diehl (Trinity), who is ranked No. 5 down a weight class at 126. The next match, which was the eighth of the evening, featured a pair of 195 pound wrestlers competing up at 220 pounds. No. 1 Ryan Solomon (Milton, Pa.) was able to stem the USA momentum with a 2-1 tiebreaker victory over No. 2 Frank Mattiace (Blair Academy, N.J.). The wrestlers traded escapes in regulation, and were otherwise scoreless during regulation and sudden victory overtime. Then, in the tiebreaker portion, Solomon scored his point when Mattiace was hit for a stalling from the top position – his second of the match – during the first part of the 30/30. After Matthews scored the 8-2 victory to cut the Pennsylvania deficit to 16-12, Joey Dance (Christiansburg, Va.) scored a crucial victory for the USA squad at 126 pounds against No. 2 Connor Schram (Canon-McMillan). Yet again, the wrestlers traded escapes in regulation, but were otherwise held without points in regulation and the sudden victory overtime. In this match, Dance scored on an escaped in the first portion of the 30/30, and held Schram down during the second part for a 2-1 tiebreaker victory. "I knew I could hold him down with the lift & return sequence," said Dance about wrestling in the tiebreakers, after virtually letting Schram loose in the second period during regulation. "(The lift & return) is something we do as conditioning in (high school) practice, and I also work on it over at Virginia Tech club practice against (NCAA qualifiers) Jarrod Garnett and Erik Spjut." Dance is bound for Virginia Tech in 2013-14, and plans on being ready to step in right off the bat for the Hokies at 125 pounds. With the score 19-12 in favor of the USA, Pennsylvania would put Zach Beard in the position where he needed to pull off the last-match upset with consecutive victories from No. 8 Jake Hart (Hampton) and No. 1 Zain Retherford (Benton) at 195 and 138 pounds respectively. Hart scored a 3-2 victory over No. 11 Broc Berge (Kasson-Mantorville). During this match, state champion Hart rode out 2011 and 2012 state champion Berge during the second period, was let loose to start the third period, but then gave up a late match takedown to Berge. However, with virtually no time on the clock, Hart would turn around a 2-1 deficit into the 3-2 victory with a match-winning reversal. Retherford, who has won everything under the sun in the last calendar year – NHSCA Junior Nationals, FILA Cadet National freestyle, Junior National freestyle, FILA Cadet World freestyle, Super 32 Challenge, Ironman, Powerade, and Pennsylvania Class AA state title – would face four-time state champion and career undefeated Anthony Ashnault (South Plainfield, N.J.) in the evening's penultimate match. Despite the lack of scoring, it was not for a lack of action and intensity from the top two ranked 138 pound wrestlers in the country. Scoreless after one, Ashnault responded with an escape midway through the second period. Then, it was Retherford's turn in the down position during the third period. A position from which he scored a reversal with just under a minute left in the match. From there, he held Ashnault down and secured the 2-1 victory. It was a performance that earned Retherford Outstanding Wrestler honors for the Pennsylvania squad. "I had to be deliberate because he's quick like a cat," said Retherford about facing the very accomplished and talented Ashnault. "I also had to keep a high-level for the full six minutes against such a tough opponent. Getting the win here sets a very positive tone going forward." USA 22 Pennsylvania 18 145: No. 1 Ben Whitford (St. Johns, Mich.) dec. No. 5 Mike Racciato (Pen Argyl), 7-3 113: No. 10 Zach Fuentes (Norristown) dec. No. 17 Paul Mascarenas (Cleveland, N.M.), 3-2 120: No. 1 Nathan Tomasello (CVCA, Ohio) dec. No. 3 Darian Cruz (Bethlehem Catholic), 3-2 285: No. 7 Aaron Bradley (Nazareth) dec. No. 2 Brooks Black (Blair Academy, N.J.), 3-1 SV 160: No. 3 Isaiah Martinez (Lemoore, Calif.) maj. dec. No. 14 Cody Law (Forest Hills), 20-8 182: No. 2 Domenic Abounader (St. Edward, Ohio) dec. No. 1 Eric Morris (Wyoming Seminary), 1-0 132: No. 3 Dean Heil (St. Edward, Ohio) dec. No. 5 (at 126) Ryan Diehl (Trinity), 6-1 220: No. 1 (at 195) Ryan Solomon (Milton) dec. No. 2 (at 195) Frank Mattiace (Blair Academy, N.J.), 2-1 TB 152: No. 8 Austin Matthews (Reynolds) dec. No. 1 Jake Short (Simley, Minn.), 8-2 126: No. 5 (at 138) Joey Dance (Christiansburg, Va.) dec. No. 2 Connor Schram (Canon-McMillan), 2-1 TB 195: No. 8 Jake Hart (Hampton) dec. No. 11 Broc Berge (Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.), 3-2 138: No. 1 Zain Retherford (Benton) dec. No. 2 Anthony Ashnault (South Plainfield, N.J.), 2-1 170: No. 3 Zach Beard (Tuttle, Okla.) dec. No. 1 Cody Wiercioch (Canon-McMillan), 7-4 WPIAL scores 28-19 victory over Virginia This was the third time in the 39 editions of the Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic that the WPIAL and Virginia met in the undercard event. Both of the matches prior to tonight had resulted in wins for the WPIAL, 30-22 in 1986 and 29-24 in 2003. However, tonight's match was expected to be a stern examination. It certainly appeared to be headed that way, and possibly even towards the favor of the Virginia squad after wins from No. 9 Dennis Gustafson (Forest Park) and No. 12 Andrew Atkinson (Liberty Christian Academy), who was wrestling up a weight, gave "The Commonwealth" a 12-7 lead after five matches. In the evening's sixth match at 145 pounds, it was three-time Virginia state champion Beau Donahue (Westfield) facing Phil Marra (Burrell, Pa.) Donahue also had amassed over 200 wins in his four year high school career, while Marra placed just once at state – fourth this year -- and ended his career at just under 100 wins. However, Marra got the match's only takedown with inside 20 seconds remaining to win 2-0. "I don't even know who the opponent is (in any match), and nothing bothers me," said Marra in response to having to face an opponent as accomplished as Donahue. "There's no way (my opponent) was in as good of condition as I was coming off the state tournament last weekend (Virginia had their state tournament two weeks prior to Pennsylvania)." The next match at 152 pounds featured a 6-2 decision for Heath Coles (Norwin, Pa.) over Sean Murphy (Colonial Forge, Va.) to give the WPIAL a 13-12 lead, which they would maintain for the rest of the match. That was followed by a third consecutive WPIAL victory, this one coming from Zach Voytek (Greensburg Salem) with a 4-3 decision over state champion Rory Renzi (Lake Braddock) at 160. A 5-2 decision victory at 170 pounds from Zach Epperly (Christiansburg, Va.), who is ranked No. 6 nationally up at 182 pounds, cut the Virginia deficit to 16-15. However, a pair of victories from highly credentialed WPIAL seniors would serve as the de facto clinchers. At 182 pounds, Dakota DesLauriers (Burrell) upended Ryland O'Brien (First Colonial) 2-0 with an extremely late takedown in a battle of state champions. Then, the 195 pound match featured 2012 state champion Matt McCutcheon (Kiski Area), who is ranked No. 10 nationally, put the hammer down with a pin at the 4:14 mark against state champion Corbin Ramos (Matoaca, Va.). This performance from McCutcheon earned the two-time Super 32 Challenge champion Outstanding Wrestler honors for the undercard bout. "After the last couple of weeks (losses in the regional and state finals), it fel pretty good to end on a positive note," said McCutcheon. "I wanted to get back to how I normally wrestle, wrestling to win as instead of ‘not to lose', and to get my offense going." Outstanding Wrestler honors for the Virginia squad went to Atkinson, a four-time National Prep placer, who earned a pin against three-time state placer Ethan Kenney (Connellsville, Pa.). Atkinson trailed the match 4-0 after Kenney scored a takedown to the back right off the bat. However, the future University of Virginia wrestler Atkinson countered with an escape, takedown, and three near fall points by the end of the first period to lead 6-4. "I just got caught off guard and on my heels right off the bat," said Atkinson. "(Kenney) just took me straight to my back. However, I thought I would still win the match once I got my back." Kenney started the second period with a match-tying takedown. However, Atkinson would respond with a reversal and then the same tilt that he trapped for near falls in the first period would lead this time to a fall. "It's awesome to wrestle in this type of atmosphere (almost sold out crowd," added Atkinson. "I came here to win, and that's what I did." While Atkinson came in to win, it was the WPIAL squad that did the bulk of the winning, as they won eight weight classes out of the 13 contested. Augmenting the wins from Marra, Coles, Voytek, DesLauriers, and McCutcheon were a 4-2 decision victory for state runner-up Seth Carr (South Fayette) at 113 pounds, a 19-6 maj. decision for state third placer Tyler Walker (North Hills) at 126, and a 3-2 victory for state qualifier Antonio Broglia (Canon-McMillan) at 285. WPIAL 28 Virginia 19 113: Seth Carr (South Fayette, Pa.) dec. Sean Badua (Osbourn Park, Va.), 4-2 120: J.R. Wert (Christiansburg, Va.) dec. Nate Reckner (South Side Area, Pa.), 2-0 126: Tyler Walker (North Hills, Pa.) maj. dec. Gabe Lumpp (Christiansburg, Va.), 19-6 132: No. 9 Dennis Gustafson (Forest Park, Va.) dec. Nick Zanetta (Keystone Oaks, Pa.), 2-1 138: No. 12 (at 138) Andrew Atkinson (Liberty Christian Academy, Va.) pinned Ethan Kenney (Connellsville, Pa.), 3:54 145: Phil Marra (Burrell, Pa.) dec. Beau Donahue (Westfield, Va.), 2-0 152: Heath Coles (Norwin, Pa.) dec. Sean Murphy (Colonial Forge, Va.), 6-2 160: Zach Voytek (Greensburg Salem, Pa.) dec. Rory Renzi (Lake Braddock, Va.), 4-3 170: No. 6 (at 182) Zach Epperly (Christiansburg, Va.) dec. Dustin Conti (Jefferson-Morgan, Pa.), 5-2 182: Dakota DesLauriers (Burrell, Pa.) dec. Ryland O'Brien (First Colonial, Va.), 2-0 195: No. 10 Matt McCutcheon (Kiski Area, Pa.) pinned Corbin Ramos (Matoaca, Va.), 4:14 220: Zach Roseberry (Brentsville, Va.) maj. dec. Garrett Vulcano (Chartiers Houston, Pa.), 12-3 285: Angelo Broglia (Canon-McMillan, Pa.) dec. Justin Williams (Skyline, Va.), 3-2

"I remember watching him wrestle at the '72 Olympics. Even as an eleven-year-old, I was mesmerized by his drive and competitive spirit. I couldn't imagine being so passionate and driven. It was very impactful for me -- I remember that he wasn't scored upon. Even my friends who aren't wrestling fans are impressed by that feat." Dan Gable and Mark DollinsFour decades later, the man who cherishes the memory of watching on a little black-and-white TV as Dan Gable dominated his way to a gold medal at the Munich Games recently spent some quality time in the company of his hero ... all thanks to eBay. Mark Dollins was one of two individuals who won "The Ultimate Dan Gable Experience" online auction, a fundraiser for the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa this past December. It almost didn't happen. "I had been alerted to the Gable experience auction on eBay," said Dollins, who is now a corporate communications consultant in Connecticut, and a lifelong fan of Dan the Man. "I thought I was playing it cool, waiting ‘till the last moment to swoop in with the winning bid. However, there was a glitch, a technical issue on eBay." "A guy in Wisconsin officially won." Kyle Klingman of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum confirmed the story, adding, "The original winner was Bryan Koontz from Wisconsin. He brought his twin boys -- both wrestlers -- and Dennis Hall, the 1995 World champion and 1996 Olympic silver medalist. (Mark's wife) Angie contacted us about the possibility of an additional winner." "We enjoyed the same Gable experience as offered on eBay," said Mark Dollins. "I know that Kyle scrambled to make it happen for us." "I'm glad it worked out," said Klingman. "I really enjoyed meeting Mark and Angie, and so did Dan." "Angie likely envisioned a romantic get-away for two with palm trees and white sands. This would be -- uh -- a different kind of weekend trip," Dollins wrote in his "Wandering Yank" blog. "We caught a flight from New York to Cedar Rapids, via Chicago O'Hare, and arrived to a balmy -8 degrees F. And yes, that was the air temperature, not the wind chill." Mark and Angie DollinsSo, besides bone-chilling cold, what exactly what did Mark and Angie Dollins experience from the Ultimate Dan Gable Experience? First stop for the Dollinses was at the Cedar Rapids sports apparel store owned by Mark Ironside, one of the Hawkeyes' mat stars when Gable was head coach at the University of Iowa. According to Mark Dollins, the couple stocked up on black-and-gold wearables. The Dollinses also received a personal tour of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum in Gable's hometown of Waterloo, Iowa, conducted by facility director Kyle Klingman. Also on the itinerary was quality time at the Gable homestead outside Iowa City, spending an hour-and-a-half with the former Iowa State mat champ who, after winning the gold medal at the 1972 Olympics, joined the coaching staff at cross-state rival Iowa as an assistant to then head coach Gary Kurdelmeier [link to InterMat Rewind feature]. When Gable took the helm in the fall of 1976, he built a dynasty that, over the next two decades, included 21 Big Ten team titles, 15 NCAA team championships, 45 individual NCAA titles, and eight Olympians. Here's how Dollins described the Gable house in his blog: "His home was warm and comfortable, a lot like any home you'd expect to see in middle America. His wife, Kathy, was cooking for a large crowd expected for a family baptism the next day. But there was nothing middle America about his family room. Above the fireplace on a brick wall were trophies and plaques from his big wins across the globe. They included his Olympic gold medal and awards from the famed Tbilisi wrestling tournaments in what was formerly the Soviet Union. And how many of us have works of art by LeRoy Neiman -- of us -- over our mantles? He looked over many of them, thought about others, and spoke about only a few." When asked for this interview about what Gable talked about during their private house tour, Dollins replied, "He had so much to share about his career, pointing out awards and telling stories about a particular honor." "On the stairway down to his wrestling room, he has the yearly Iowa wrestling posters on display. He would point to individual wrestlers in a poster and share specific stories about that guy. He talked a great deal about the relationships he had with the parents of his wrestlers. He also shared about how he cared about his guys and kept watch over them." (As Dollins points out in his blog, "He made the rounds through Iowa City bars at 11 p.m. to ensure his wrestlers were home.") Dollins described the wrestling room with mats in Iowa school colors of black and gold covering the floor and walls. Addressing the tight confines of the room, Gable told Dollins, "When you wrestle here, there's nowhere to go. It's so small that you can't escape. You just keep wrestling." One piece of non-wrestling artwork on display at the Gable house that caught Dollins' eye was a neon sign for Mountain Dew. Dollins, who at one time was in corporate communications for Pepsi (makers of Mountain Dew), had to ask Gable about it. His host said he rewards himself with a Dew after his intense daily workout in his well-equipped gym in a barn behind his home. At the conclusion of the Ultimate Dan Gable Experience, Mark and Angie Dollins took in the Feb. 2 dual meet between Iowa -- then the No. 3 ranked program in the country -- and the defending NCAA team champs, Penn State. The Dollins were part of a sellout crowd of just over 15,000 fans at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on the University of Iowa campus. It was Angie's first collegiate dual. "My wife said, 'I didn't know a whole lot about wrestling until hearing fans sitting near us talking about what was going on,'" said Mark Dollins, citing specific examples of how nearby fans would predict what the referee would do seconds before he'd make his call. "Iowa fans are not only knowledgeable, but passionate. They really understand the intricacies of the sport in a way that fans of other sports don't necessarily share." "The fans know the discipline that goes into the sport and appreciate it," Dollins added. Mark DollinsWhat did the former high school wrestler who reconnected with the sport about 15 years ago in veteran folkstyle competition say about the overall impact of meeting the man who captured his imagination during the 1972 Olympics and served as an inspiration for the past four decades? "For me, following the sport as I have all my life, there's one iconic figure for me, and that's Dan Gable," said Dollins. "I'm not sure there's anyone else quite like him in any other sport in terms of greatness as an athlete and as a coach." "Gable is a spokesperson and champion for the sport," continued Dollins, who, after a brief stint as a reporter in Auburn, Indiana, has worked in corporate communications for major utilities and top consumer goods companies such as Quaker Oats and Pepsi during his professional career before launching his own consulting business in 2011. "He's all about advancing the image of the sport. The fact he's made himself available to the wrestling community, the media and to the general public makes him all the more special." "He transcends all aspects of wrestling, from youth to high school to college to Olympics." Dollins sees Gable's influence in a very personal way that goes beyond a big-picture perspective on what he does to promote the sport. "I have a passion about wrestling," said Dollins. "The impression I got from Gable is you never stop. That really speaks to me." "When you spend time with him, and realize all the surgeries he's had, it's incredible to see that he still works out like a fiend. He still lives that never-quit attitude."

ALLEN, TEXAS -- California Baptist established a lead with its strength in the lighter weights, then held off McKendree in a thrilling race of All-American one-upmanship as the Lancers won their second National Collegiate Wrestling Association Championships here. The Lancers totaled nine All-Americans out of their 13 qualifiers, and each made the difference in their 145.5 points that edged McKendree’s six All-Americans and 137 points. Fittingly, the tournament results came down to the heavyweight match, where CBU’s Zach Merrill sealed the title with a 3-0 win over Ross Janney of McKendree. That ended a rush of points for both squads that saw each team score All-American (top eight) finishes in five of the last six weight classes. McKendree had the higher finishes during the impressive run, but the Lancers’ three additional All-Americans earlier in the tournament were the difference. Liberty took third not far behind with 130.5 points, and Lindenwood-St. Charles was fourth at 128.5. Grand Valley State was an underdog leader on the first day, and closed the tournament in fifth place with 92.5 points and with five All-Americans. Cal Baptist, last year’s runner-up behind Notre Dame College, scored a double-dip at 141 pounds when Bradford Gerl won the national title at 141 pounds, and Miguel Gallegos took eighth. That followed a string of wins in the lightweights that saw Taylor Hall take fourth at 125 pounds and Dakota Thayer take third at 133 that pushed the Lancers to the top of the standings following Friday’s semifinals. CBU started another scoring spree in the finals rounds at 165 when Anthony Ballinger took seventh, followed by similar finishes from Kenneth Tribble at 174 and Paul Head at 184. David Dill took fifth at 197 to set up the deciding heavyweight match. McKendree, which placed ninth last year, kept pace on the final day with high finishes in a spree of their own, but could not make up the difference. Brendan Murphy put McKendree in first place for a spell when he won the national title at 133. But the Bearcats hit a lull in the middle weights that allowed Cal Baptist to regain the lead. McKendree’s run began at 165, where Nic Haferkamp took fifth. Isaiah Gonzalez placed third at 174, and Luis Alba fourth at 184 as the Bearcats matched Cal Baptist’s All-American finishes. Julian Smith earned the Bearcats’ second national title of the day at 197 pounds, just before Janney settled for second in the heavyweight title match. Liberty scored seven All-Americans, along with a national title from Andrew Wilson at 235 pounds. The Flames entered the tournament tied with the most qualifiers with 17, but did not have the depth to keep up with CBU. Still, six of the Lancers’ seven All-Americans placed in the top four – Marcus Miller (2nd, 157), Robert Clymer (3rd, 165), Keyshaun Ward (4th, 174), Royal Brettrager (3rd, 184) and Aaron Thompson (2nd, 197). Lindenwood-St. Charles had the lead in the team standings on Friday, based on the success of its middleweights. Derrick Weller finished as the national champion at 149 pounds, and Luke Roth took home the 165 title. Craig Chiles was second at 141 in a double-dip effort with Jacob Janes, who placed fifth. Matthew Greene placed fifth at 174 pounds, but was the last of the Lions to have an All-American finish. Blayne Shockley took third, Brendan Caldwell was fourth, and Cullen Halpin eighth among the other Lindenwood All-Americans. MIT stole the show in the Division II race, garnering 50.5 points behind a national champion and another third-place finish. The Engineers placed 12th in the overall tournament scoring. Sam Shames won the 125-pound title with an 11-6 win in the title match. Ryan Madson finished off his four-time All-American career in fourth place at 157. South Carolina’s three-headed beast of Mike Ahearn (165), Ben Brummel (184) and Ike Okoli (285) finished second in the Division II standings. Brummel was the national title, and Okoli ended up fifth. Ahearn had to give up an injury default to McKendree’s Haverkamp in the quarterfinals. Haverkamp would up fifth. Among the other national champions, Santiago Martinez of Central Florida won the national title at 157, and Larry Lanier of Lindenwood-Belleville took the 174 trophy. In the women’s division, Southwestern Oregon Community College ran away with a second straight national title, earning 139 points to more than double Lindenwood-Belleville’s 64.5. The NCWWA had its deepest field of teams in the five years the national tournament has been held. NCWA FINALS MATCH RESULTS 125 lbs. – Sam Shames, MIT, def. Brenden Campbell, U.S. Naval Academy Prep, 11-6 133 lbs. – Brendan Murphy, McKendree, def. Chris Caton, U.S. Air Force Academy Prep, 8-5 141 lbs. – Bradford Gerl, California Baptist, def. Craig Chiles, Lindenwood-St. Charles, by fall 1:44 149 lbs. – Derrick Weller, Lindenwood-St. Charles, def. Matt Vaughn, Central Florida, 5-0 157 lbs. – Santiago Martinez, Central Florida, def. Marcus Miller, Liberty, 2-1 165 lbs. – Luke Roth, Lindenwood-St. Charles, def. Tony Risaliti, U.S. Military Academy Prep, by fall 3:24 174 lbs. – Larry Lanier, Lindenwood-Belleville, def. Marvin Lawrence, Marion Military Inst., 5-3 184 lbs. – Ben Brummel, South Carolina, def. Terrance Smith, Marion Military Inst., 4-2 197 lbs. – Julian Smith, McKendree, def. Aaron Thompson, Liberty, 3-2 235 lbs. – Andrew Wilson, Liberty, def. Dustin Fullerton, Lindenwood-Belleville, 3-2 285 lbs. – Zach Merrill, California Baptist, def. Ross Janney, McKendree, 3-0 TEAM SCORES DIVISION I 1. California Baptist .............................145.5 2. McKendree ..........................................137 3. Liberty ..............................................130.5 4. Lindenwood - St. Charles ................128.5 5. Grand Valley State .............................92.5 6. U.S. Naval Academy Prep .................90.5 7. Lindenwood - Belleville .......................88 8. Central Florida ......................................87 9. Apprentice .............................................65 10. Mercer ..............................................60.5 11. Marion Military Inst..........................58.5 12. Md. - Baltimore County.......................50 13. U.S. Air Force Academy Prep ............48 14. Penn State - Dubois .............................36 15. U.S. Military Academy Prep ...............28 16. West Chester .......................................26 17. New Hampshire ...............................21.5 18. Middle Tennessee ............................20.5 19. North Florida .......................................20 20. Penn College .......................................19 21. Douglas College ..................................17 22. Wichita State .......................................14 23. Mott Community College .....................5 24. Penn State - Greater Allegheny ..........4.5 25. Penn State - New Kensington ...............4 26. Georgia Southern................................3.5 27t. Southern Virginia..................................3 27t. Williamson School................................3 29. East Tennessee State..............................2 30. Penn State - Mont Alto ......................1.5 DIVISION II 1. Massachusetts Inst. of Tech................50.5 2. South Carolina.......................................41 3. NW Missouri State .............................29.5 4. South Florida ......................................28.5 5. Central Washington ...........................23.5 6. Amherst ..............................................20.5 7t. Montana Western ..............................18.5 7t. Texas .................................................18.5 9t. Georgia .................................................18 9t. Stony Brook .........................................18 11. Massachusetts .................................17.5 12. Bridgewater .........................................17 13. Cincinnati .........................................16.5 14. Michigan .............................................13 15t. Illinois State .......................................11 15t. USC.....................................................11 15t. Wayne State........................................11 18. Sacramento State ..............................10.5 19. Rensselaer Poly. Inst. ............................9 20. Slippery Rock .....................................8.5 21t. Sam Houston State.............................7.5 21t. Western Washington..........................7.5 23. Alabama .............................................6.5 24. Florida Gulf Coast..................................6 25. East Carolina.......................................5.5 26t. Texas - Arlington .................................5 26t. Texas State............................................5 28. Pittsburgh ...........................................4.5 29. Toledo ...................................................4 30t. Florida A&M.....................................3.5 30t. Lafayette............................................3.5 30t. Northeastern.......................................3.5 30t. North Dakota .....................................3.5 34t. Texas A&M..........................................3 34t. Connecticut ..........................................3 36t. Bowling Green...................................2.5 36t. Eastern Washington...........................2.5 36t. Saginaw Valley State.........................2.5 36t. Tennessee Temple..............................2.5 40. William and Mary .................................1 41t. Evergreen State..................................0.5 41t. Dayton ...............................................0.5 43t. Ball State...............................................0 43t. San Jose State........................................0 43t. Florida ..................................................0 43t. Texas-Pan American ............................0 47. Tallahassee Community College...(-1.0) NCWWA WOMEN’S STANDINGS 1. SW Oregon CC....................................139 2. Lindenwood-Belleville.......................64.5 3. Florida A&M.........................................34 4. Massachusetts.....................................31.5 5. San Jose State.........................................31 6. West Chester..........................................25 7. Texas......................................................22 8. Connecticut............................................20 9. Kansas State.............................................7 10. South Florida..........................................6 11t. Eastern Washington..............................4 11t. Middle Tennessee.................................4 13. Texas State.............................................3 14t. Central Washington..............................0 14t. Winona State.........................................0

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- The Elmhurst wrestling team capped a record-breaking season with a second-place finish at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships with two Bluejays winning individual national titles! Joe Rau (184 pounds) and Mike Benefiel (197 pounds) both won individual national titles in their respective weight class while five Bluejays earned All-America honors by placing among the top eight in their weight class, setting a single season record for Elmhurst. As a team, the Bluejays overcame a four-point deficit in the final session to take home second place with 82 points, edging Wisconsin-Whitewater by four points (78 points). Wartburg won the team title with 103 points. "Every year we set a goal of winning a conference championship and bringing home a team trophy from the NCAA Championships," said head coach Steve Marianetti. "To cap this season with a second-place national finish is just unbelievable. This team did an amazing job not just at the NCAA Championships, but all season long. I couldn't be any prouder of the way we competed." Rau, the top seed at 184 pounds, continued his dominance at the Championships, breezing in the finals by pinning Elizabethtown's Julian Meaney in just 52 seconds. Rau faced The College of New Jersey's Brian Broderick in the championship match and scored a quick takedown to jump in front. After a pair of escapes from Broderick, Rau was whistled for an illegal hold and trailed 3-2 after two periods. Rau quickly escaped at the start of the third period than stuck a takedown and built a riding time advantage to score the 6-3 win and cap his collegiate career with a national championship. "Since my first day at Elmhurst, I've wanted to win a national championship," said Rau. "The title had eluded me the past three years, but to finish my college career with a championship is an unbelievable feeling. Taking home a team trophy on top of this is fantastic. I've always been on good teams with great individuals, but this year we had an amazing team and it was great to see all the hard work we put in come together. with a team trophy. " Mike Benefiel celebrates his title at 197 pounds. Benefiel, seeded fourth at 197 pounds, rolled into the finals by with his third first-round pin of the Championships. Benefiel scored a takedown and immediate near fall points and then pinned Heidelburg's Andrew Lovins in 2:16 to advance to the finals. Facing second-seeded Alex Coolidge of Cornell College in the championship final, Benefiel struck for a quick takedown and led 2-0 after one period. Benefiel landed another takedown in the second period to go up 4-0 and tacked on a third takedown in the third period to earn a 7-3 victory. "To end my college career with a national championship is unbelievable," Benefiel said. "Winning a championship in your final collegiate match is a special feeling and being able to take home a team trophy is just the extra gravy on top." Benefiel also took home the NWCA award for Most Falls in the Least Amount of Time, totaling three pins in 5:56. Earlier in the day, three Bluejays closed out the season by competing in the consolation bracket. Ryan Earley closed out the Championships with a fourth-place finish at 141 pounds while Miguel Venecia finished fifth at 125 pounds and Dalton Bullard placed seventh at 133 pounds. Earley scored two quick wins to move into the third place match at 141 pounds. Earley, seeded second, opened the second day of the Championships with a 3-2 victory over sixth-seeded Ces Antista of Williams in the consolation bracket. Trailing 1-0 after two periods, Earley evened the match with an escape at the start of the third period. Earley grabbed hold of a leg and snuck behind for a takedown to grab a 3-1 lead and then held on for the one-point win. In the consolation semifinal, Earley scored a quick takedown and promptly pinned top-seeded Joseph Grippi of Springfield in 1:03. In the third place match against Warburg's Thomas Mirocha, Earley scored the first takedown to lead 2-0, but Mirocha gained an escape and a second-period reversal to go on top. Mirocha added an escape and a takedown to score a 6-2 win. Earley finished his career with the fourth-place finish and a 4-2 record at the Championships, capturing the first all-America honor of his career. At 125 pounds, Venecia defeated Augsburg's Mike Fuenffinger 9-5 to move into the consolation semifinals. Venecia hit a pair of takedowns and scored near fall points to score seven points in the opening period. He led 8-5 after two periods and tacked on an escape point in the third to earn the four-point win. In the consolation semifinals, Venecia dropped a 4-1 decision to fourth-seeded Gilberto Camacho to move into the fifth-place match. Venecia used a pair of takedowns against Ursinus' Christopher Donaldson to secure a 6-4 win and bring home a fifth-place finish. Venecia finished the Championships with a 4-2 record earning the first all-America honor of his career. After posting a 2-1 record on the opening day, Bullard dropped his fourth round consolation match to fall into the seventh-place contest. Bullard fell 6-4 to Springfield's Derek Adams in a closely contested contest. After a scoreless first period, three straight reversals in the second period left Bullard with a 4-2 lead. Adams used an escape at the end of the second period and another at the start of the third to knot the match at four. Adams hit a takedown with less than 30 seconds in the third period to earn the 6-4 win. In the seventh-place contest, Bullard avenged an early season loss by pinning Luther's Evan Obert in 1:12. Bullard closed out his career as a two-time All-American and finished the Championships with a 3-2 record. The Elmhurst coaching staff posses with the team's new hardware. In addition to the Bluejays taking home a team trophy, the Elmhurst coaching staff will be bringing some added hardware back to campus. Marianetti was named the NWCA Division III National Coach of the Year for the second time in his career. Assistant Coach John Jung was named the NWCA Division III Assistant Coach of the Year. Both awards are voted by on the head wrestling coaches at the NCAA Championships. Elmhurst closed the book on its most successful season to date. In addition to their second place national finish and five all-Americans, the Bluejays won their third straight CCIW Championship and finished the year with a 12-1 dual meet and were ranked second in the NWCA Division III national poll for the majority of the season. "We had just an incredible season from start to finish," said Marianetti. "We know that we're going to have to replace several senior for next year and work on developing our underclassmen, but in the meantime we're going to go home and enjoy this for a little while."

Related Content: Results CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- The top-ranked Wartburg wrestling team won its third-straight NCAA national championship for the first time in program history. The Orange and Black had 103 team points to claim the title. Elmhurst was second with 82, UW-Whitewater third with 78 and UW-LaCrosse took fourth with 56 points. "I'm just so elated," said co-head coach Jim Miller. "I'm elated for our program, for the college and for our Wartburg wrestling family." This also marked the tenth overall title for the program. The Knights have won five National titles in the last six years. This is the second three-peat in NCAA Division III wrestling as Augsburg first accomplished this in 2000, 2001 and 2002. The program has recorded over 100 points at the NCAA Championships for the last five straight years. Junior Kenny Anderson (Bilerica, Mass.) became a two-time National Champion with a 9-1 major decision against UW-Whitewater’s Grant Sutter. Anderson won the title at 125 pound title last year. Anderson ends the season undefeated (28-0) and has an overall winning string of 46 which dates back to the National Duals last year. “After I got that first takedown I said to myself, I got this. I felt him give up a little and knew I could do this.” Senior Kodie Silvestri (Franklin, N.J.) took second. Complete results: Kenny Anderson (WB) won by 9-1 major decision vs. Grant Sutter (UW-Whitewater) Greg Sanders (Concordia Wisconsin) won by 6-5 dec vs. Kodie Silvestri (WB). Sanders won on a reversal with 0:07 left.

Event: UFC 158: GSP vs. Diaz Venue: Bell Centre (Montreal, Canada) Date: March 16, 2013 In what has become one of the most anticipated fights in UFC history, welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre (23-2) defends his title at home against Stockton, Calif., street punk, Nick Diaz (26-8). Diaz is coming off a 1-year suspension from drug testing (marijuana metabolites), and a controversial five-round loss last February to Carlos Condit, who has since lost his challenge to GSP. Diaz was able to get this fight, passing Johny Hendricks in the process, by trash-talking and baiting the champion with relentless, piercing insults to the mild-mannered champion. And, it worked. St. Pierre has been effectively bothered by Diaz, and Nick will continue his taunting even inside the octagon. This is his one big chance in life to be special, and he intends to die trying … "Where you at, Georges?" I see the first minute of the fight being a Stockton slapfest, until GSP has had enough, at which point he will pin Diaz's blades to the mat with his patented double leg takedown. Then the champ will unleash his wicked elbows in a vicious ground-and-pound attack, until he has sliced open the challenger's face and covers him in his own blood. It will look ugly. But a wounded animal is a dangerous beast, and we rarely get to see Diaz's awesome ground game in desperation mode. Tonight you will see what Gracie jiu-jitsu is all about. From the bottom, Diaz will lock in a razor sharp triangle choke that shocks the world, and sends me to the winner's window. Take Diaz in a big upset at +400. Got it, homie! So where does that leave Okie State's welterweight Johny Hendrick's (14-1), who will fight Carlos Condit (28-6) in a restructured title elimination fight? Big Rigg has patiently been waiting for his title shot, destroying every challenger in his way, with first round KOs. Condit, "The Natural Born Killer," is a finisher. Only two of his 28 wins have been by a judge's decision! And, he has a balanced 13 wins by submission and 13 by knockouts. His game has very few holes in it. Hendricks has a challenge ahead! But Hendricks has rarely used his NCAA champion wrestling credentials to win in the UFC. He has been shocking the world with his powerful punching instead. I think he will once again try to end this quickly, but Condit is a stick and jab fighter, who darts in and out, scoring points and leaving his opponents frustrated. Unfortunately for him, Hendo will grab one of his kicks and pull him to the mat, where it will end with the referee pulling the cowboy off the killer in the second round. Lay the modest -130 on Hendricks as he wins by TKO. Johny will soon get his title shot! "You know what I'm sayin'?" If neither of the two fights above wins FON (Fight of the Night), then this one will … More welterweights tangle as Nate "The Great" Marquardt (32-11) is back in the UFC after two years away, and faces title contender Jake Ellenberger (28-6), another strong wrestler who wins by KOs instead (17 out of 28 wins). Marquardt has been fighting MMA for 14 years, with the first six being in Japan where he developed a strong kicking game in Pancrase. The former middleweight is back now as a welterweight, and he and his opponent are huge for their weight class. Both are top tier fighters. But, both these warriors are near the end of their careers, and both need a win to continue their pursuit of the belt. A loss won't be a pink slip, but the title dreams will soon be gone for the loser. That makes this a battle between two desperate fighters, and fireworks will be the result. I'll take the better "value" with Marquardt as the 'dog. He wins a close decision and cashes at +140. Middleweights Chris Camozzi (18-5) and Nick Ring (13-1) each have nice submission games and neither has ever been knocked out. So the stand-up game will be a setup for what may look like a wrestling match in a cage. Ring wins this a split decision at odds of -130. TUF TV stars, Colin "The Freak" Fletcher (8-2) and Mike Ricci (7-3), are lightweights both coming off losses in their UFC debuts. I'm not sure why this fight is on the main card? Fletcher has seven submission victories out of his eight wins. Ricci has four KOs on his resume. A contrast in styles makes this an interesting fight. I'll timidly go with Ricci at -300 to end this in the second round with another KO. Now let's take a quick look at the undercard … Another TUF TV fighter, 135-pounder T.J. Dillashaw (6-1) is an outrageous -700 favorite to defeat Japan's Issei Tamura (7-3), who is 1-1 in the octagon. On principle alone, I'll throw a dart on the big underdog. Take Tamura at +450 to surprise the fans with a first-round KO. Welterweight Rick Story (14-6) is the only man to have beaten Johny Hendricks (by close decision). But he has lost three of his last four fights, and another loss will most likely give him a pink slip. Desperate fighters are good fighters. Story at -400 beats newcomer, Quinn Mulhern (8-2), by unanimous decision. Darren Elkins (15-2) will be fighting a tough Canadian in Antonio Carvalho (15-5) at 145 pounds. Elkins has won four straight and is 5-1 in the UFC. He has just enough to get by Carvalho, and wins a close decision. You will lay 2 for 1 (-200) to find out. Former light heavyweight and middleweight, and now welterweight Patrick "The Predator" Cote (18-8) is a Canadian with an iron chin. He will need it against Bobby Voelker (24-8) who has 15 KOs on his resume. These two should stand toe-to-toe, throwing punches until one of them drops -- a real fan pleaser. Good night, Volker. Cote at -175 will be the last man standing. A loss will send him packing. Who's welterweight Jordan Mein (26-8)? He's been fighting professionally since he was 16 years old, losing to Canadian Rory McDonald in his MMA debut. And the fact that he has 34 fights at age 23 is amazing! He's on a pace to catch Dan Severn or Jeremy Horn, each with over 100 fights. His opponent Dan Miller (14-6) is the younger brother of Jim Miller, both submission masters and UFC veterans. Mein is steep at -300, but he may be the next best thing in a deep, deep division. Mein wins by decision. I will pass on George Roop (12-9) against Reuben Duran (8-4), and on Daron Cruickshank (12-2) against John Makdessi (10-2). Both fights are too close to call. So we have "action" on ten of the twelve fights tonight. Let's see how we do with our fictitious $1000 bankroll … Let's lay $100 to win $400 on Nick Diaz to upset GSP. Let's lay $169 to win $130 on Johny Hendrick and his patience. Let's lay $125 to win $175 on Marquardt's return to the UFC. Let's lay $91 to win $70 on Nick Ring. Let's lay $60 to win $20 on Mike Ricci. Let's lay $20 to win $90 on a Tamura dart throw. Let's lay $140 to win $ 35 on Rick "The Horror" Story. Let's lay $ 90 to win $ 30 on Jordan Mein. Let's lay $100 to win $50 on tough Darren Elkins. Let's lay $105 to win $60 on Patrick Cote. Let's pass on Makdessi/Cruickshank and Roop/Duran. In total we are risking $1000 to win $1060. Not bad. Don't forget to give some of your winnings to your local youth wrestling programs, where tomorrow's champions are born. Enjoy the fights. I know I will.

Fight Now TV Presents Takedown Wrestling in the Brute studios. Takedown Wrestling is proudly presented by Kemin, Inspired Molecular Solutions! This Saturday it's Takedown Wrestling Radio from 9 to 11 a.m. CT/ 10 AM to noon ET. Join Scott Casber, Steve Foster, Terry Cook, our own Jeff Murphy and Brad Johnson live from Des Moines, Iowa. The hit band -- The Last Ride will join us in studio to play their recent hit "Take You Down" They'll also be playing at the main stage at the Fan Fest at this year's NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. This week's guests: 9:03 Dane Ulrich, The Beast 9:15 Band plays hit song Take You Down 9:35 Heath Eslinger, Chattanooga head wrestling coach 9:50 Tyler Barkley, Max Muscle Sports Nutrition Update 10:00 Brian Smith, Missouri head wrestling coach 10:15 Rob Koll, Cornell head wrestling coach 10:30 Mark Branch, Wyoming head wrestling coach 10:35 Jeff Murphy, Kemin Report 10:50 Amy Ruble, Wildrose Casino and Resort

InterMat senior writer T.R. Foley answers reader questions about NCAA wrestling, international wrestling, recruiting, or anything loosely related to wrestling. You have until Thursday night every week to send questions to Foley's Twitter or email account. Do you want to read a past mailbag? Access archives. This is the last mailbag before the NCAA tournament. It was tempting to unleash a tirade about the IOC and Henry Cejudo's burgeoning MMA career, but instead I've chosen to focus on the excitement surrounding this year's NCAA wrestling tournament. Despite the Olympic setback we are a lucky group of fans. Forget your birthday, or the church group's annual whitewater rafting trip; the NCAA wrestling tournament is the most exciting and rewarding days of the year. We have the most-dedicated, hardest working and talents athletes in sports under one roof. "What about March Madness?" They have one bracket filled with a bunch of semi-professional dolts on commuter trains to the NBA. We have 10 brackets and Dustin Kilgore's mustache. There are only six days left before Sandy Stevens takes the mic and welcomes fans to #MarchMatness in Des Moines. In the meantime I suggest you re-up those InterMat Platinum subscriptions and get educated. We are in the early stages of Platinum Week, a 10-day marathon of expert research, opinions, and insights about the NCAA wrestling tournament that you simply can't afford to miss. We are running features you can't and won't find anywhere else on the Internet, and knowing how hard everyone here has worked to put it together, it'd be great to see an overwhelming response by readers. Do it. To your questions ... Q: If Hunter Stieber and Logan Stieber both win NCAA championships next weekend will they be the first siblings to win championships in the same year for the same team since ... ? -- Gregg Y. Foley: The wrestling world will melt if I get this wrong. I'm going with Terry and Tom Brands in 1990 and 1992. Tom also won in 1991 with a perfect 45-0 season record. (Terry and Troy Steiner and Ed and Lou Banach also won titles as brothers of the same school, but not in the same year. Terry Steiner got third in 1993, the year that Troy won it.) Dave and Mark Schultz became the first American brothers to win Olympic gold in the same year when they each won the 1984 Olympic Games. Joey Davis won the NCAA Division II title at 165 pounds (Photo/Simon Jimenez/Wrestlers Are Warriors)Q: This question has probably been asked numerous times, but why did Joey Davis choose Notre Dame College? He would easily be top five in Division I. Do he and fellow high school teammate Tank transfer to OSU in the next year? Not a knock on Notre Dame, but c'mon. I would love to see him and Massa. -- Chris H. Foley: No definitive plans on what Joey Davis is planning to do next year for college, but I assure you he won't be leaving Notre Dame College in Ohio with a degree. He's a tremendous talent and his absence at the D1 tourney might be an issue of something as simple as not filing proper NCAA paperwork, or needing to buff up some grades before getting into a big school like Ohio State. Though going to college to participate in school seems like a cinch, it sometimes takes much more than what it appears. Besides, maybe being so impressive at ND has boosted his value? Q: As a former Columbia assistant coach, what are your thoughts on the Lions' performance at the EIWA Championships this past weekend? Do you think the Columbia wrestlers who qualified for NCAAs have a chance to follow up with a strong showing in Des Moines? -- Mark R. Foley: Coach Fronhofer has been incredible at getting his team to perform when it matters most. Running a program in NYC is stupidly difficult, but Fron has managed to keep his men focused and ready to compete. He's headed for big things, and I hope for the sake of the Columbia wrestling family those big things happen in Morningside Heights. As a donating alumnus ($50 last week!), their success certainly makes me more interested in their program and the kids. They are a tough group of guys who faced top seeds in middle rounds and didn't just beat them, they won by major decisions, falls and five to six point decisions. These weren't flukish wins, just the result of hard-workers who believed in themselves at the right time of year. I think fans have overlooked Steve Santos as a legitimate All-American candidate. In watching his films it's obvious that he has all the qualities of an AA wrestler, even if he hasn't had a ton of exposure on the national stage. I expect him to place, and place high on Saturday. West and O'Hara have the talent to make deep runs while the other guys could win some matches and prepare themselves for next season. Q: I think what would be about the best to put in a booth for announcing wrestling would be an official that isn't working. I can't tell you how many matches I watch every year only to be so annoyed at the announcers for NOT KNOWING THE RULES!! They don't have to agree with the call, but they should know the rules. Put an official in the booth and if something happens at least it can be explained by the rules. It won't do a thing for judgment, but at least it could help explain things. -- Jeff S. Foley: The Mike Pereira of NCAA wrestling? Not a bad idea, especially if they had someone to consult for NCAA finals. In my announcing gig it was difficult to know why, when a wrestler drop to the ankle to kill time, the referee would sometimes call stalling and other times he'd call stalemate. Then there were times when a wrestler would get in on a tough kid, get put into a scramble and be working to finish, only to have the action stopped. I hope a referee could explain that, but the interpretations are vastly different from man to man. New rule: The only time I think there's a stalemate is when both wrestlers are stuck, or the advancing wrestler is stuffed and controlled and then gives up on continuation on his own volition. Finishing through the crotch and trying to step over the bottom foot takes time -- you are NOT supposed to see stalemates called from that position -- and yet it's happening all the time. So yeah, I think a referee in the booth might be a winning idea. But only if he's got great hair like Mike. Q: This was the first time since 2006 that the Hawkeyes did not have an individual champion in the Big Tens. What in your opinion are the biggest factors causing the "decline" of the Hawkeyes' dominance? -- Jimmie D. Foley: Bah! That's a loaded question, and I'm going to gingerly walk away before I blow up the comments section ... There are plenty of potential factors that can influence a team's performance. Were they ground down after the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals? Were they simply outmatched in the tight matches that they lost? Did they train through Big Tens with a focus on the NCAA tournament? Were they ill? About the only question that should worry Hawkeye fans is if Iowa style has been surpassed by the technique and multi-level attacks of Penn State (we need a pithy, catchy name for it). If Penn State's technical approach, which is also popular in Ithaca, becomes the new winning style then Hawkeye fans should be concerned. But I wouldn't start scribbling the eulogy yet. They might not win the NCAA tournament in 2013 or 2014, but they can certainly place in the top four and regroup for 2015. The Hawkeyes always come ready for a battle and I expect you'll be impressed with their performance in their home state. Q: My question is about NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship tickets ... in 2014. (I have a pair for Des Moines in my back pocket.) Typically, DI Championship tickets go on sale online exactly one year in advance, on the day the preceding tourney begins. That means tickets for the 2014 event in Oklahoma City should go on sale March 21, 2013. As I write this, that's only one week away. Yet I can find nothing online announcing ticket sales. I called Ticketmaster, the OU (host school) ticket office, and the OU wrestling folks, but nothing. As you may know, when they go on sale, they sell out in a few hours, or at least the portion released for sale will all be sold. Can you shed any light on ticket availability? -- Thomas Z. Foley: The only thing I know for certain is that there WILL be tickets for purchase in Iowa and online starting the day before this year's tournament. The grumblings about seats can't be answered because the venue for 2014 has already been chosen, but 2015-2018 is up for grabs and there could be a semi-permanent location selected. Check the NCAA.com site over the next few days and they'll give you the right link. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Even God's Fall Down RIWUS Highlight Film of Medved Tourney Cali Wrestling Q: Would you please supply us with details and an update concerning the injured wrestlers during the conference tournaments? Specifically, what happened to Robert Hamlin and Cole VonOhlen? In addition, I read a rumor that Logan Storley was ill during the Big 10 tournament. Can you provide any information on this topic? -- Scott V. Foley: Tough to report on these fellas and their injuries right before the NCAA tournament because I'd hate to throw off the gambling lines, or give opponents false hope. I know that CVO had a shoulder issue that some in the audience thought was pretty severe and that could affect him at NCAAs. The Vermonster has a hip issue that just flared up, but people around the program say it really wasn't a major issue and that they chose to rest him rather than risk a larger injury. No word on Storley, as it's not in the Minnesota character to say boo about an ailment to a wrestler who underperformed. However, I thought he looked a little sluggish on the mat. Q: When the heck was the last time Iowa didn't have a Big Ten champ? Chances of this at nationals? Are the Altons in trouble at nationals? I know Dylan Alton turned it on last year to finish third, but both have looked rather sluggish in the late second and third periods since returning from their suspension. Is Andrew Alton cutting a lot of weight? Or are they just not in postseason shape because of the suspension? Either way, any chance they miss AA status? -- Ryan P. 2006 ... Jim Zalesky's last season. You should be worried about the Alton bros. I think there is a great chance that on Friday night both Dylan and Andrew are on the outside of the AA round and hoping for the best. With the exception of Dylan's third place finish in 2012, there is little driving the thought that either of them will have a monster run in the championship rounds, though Dylan's position in the brackets is compelling. Otherwise, between suspensions, gassing out and a poor Big Ten tournament, the brother seem to be trending downwards. Maybe it was the suspension? Maybe something more? Who knows, brother. Who knows? Q: With the NCAAs right around the corner, do you think you could you give a quick breakdown on round-per-round scoring for the NCAA tournament, including bonus points? -- Randy B. Foley: Below is a breakdown. Advancement points Championship advancement is 1pt (*First-round winners earn 2pts, since pigtails essentially create a bye) Consolation round advancement is .5pt Method of victory points 2pt: Falls 1.5pt: Technical fall with back points 1pt: Major decision or tech fall without back points Placing points 1st place: 16 points 2nd place: 12 points 3rd place: 10 points 4th place: 9 points 5th place: 7 points 6th place: 6 points 7th place: 4 points 8th place: 3 points Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The nation's premier postseason all-star match happens this coming Sunday at Fitzgerald Fieldhouse on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh. In its 39th edition, the Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic features a team of all-star seniors from across the country facing a contingent from the Keystone State in the main event; while an undercard event features a group of seniors from the WPIAL (which is the district governing body in the Pittsburgh area) against another state/regional group (this year it is Virginia). The legacy of competitors in this event over the years is staggering. For 36 straight years (1977-2012), at least one of the NCAA Division I champions competed in the Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic. Additionally, at least three of those champions during 16 of the last 18 years (all but 1997 and 2010) competed in this event. This year's field features seven wrestlers ranked first in the country at their respective weight classes, and three matchups of the number one wrestler going up against the number two wrestler. An eighth wrestler would be ranked first in the country at his weight class, but for competing up a pair of weight classes during his state tournament for team purposes. Main Event: Pennsylvania All-Stars vs. USA All-Stars, 6 p.m. 145: No. 5 Mikey Racciato (Pen Argyl) vs. No. 1 Ben Whitford (St. Johns, Mich.) The Pitt-bound Racciato is a three-time state champion and four-time state placer, while University of Michigan signee Whitford finished his career as a four-time state champion. 113: No. 10 Zach Fuentes (Norristown) vs. No. 17 Paul Mascarenas (Cleveland, N.M.) Fuentes was a three-time state placer, including a runner-up finish this season, while Mascarenas was a four-time state champion and a Junior National freestyle champion at 106 pounds this past summer. 120: No. 3 Darian Cruz (Bethlehem Catholic) vs. No. 1 Nathan Tomasello (CVCA, Ohio) Cruz was twice a state champion and a three-time state placer after missing his freshman season due to injury, and was a Super 32 Challenge champion in October 2010. Tomasello won four state titles, the last three without losing a match, and has won Junior National freestyle titles the last two summers. These two wrestlers split matches during the 2010-11 time period, Cruz winning in the Super 32 Challenge final, and Tomasello winning the Ironman final for his first of three titles in that tournament. 285: No. 7 Aaron Bradley (Nazareth) vs. No. 2 Brooks Black (Blair Academy, N.J.) Bradley was a state finalist the last two years, earning gold last weekend in Hershey. Black is a three-time National Prep champion and four-time finalist, having also won titles at the Ironman and Beast of the East during the last three seasons. These wrestlers met in the Beast of the East final during the course of this season, Black earning a 2-1 overtime tiebreaker victory. 160: No. 14 Cody Law (Forest Hills) vs. No. 3 Isaiah Martinez (Lemoore, Calif.) Law has made state finals each of the last two seasons, winning gold last weekend, and finished fifth at both the FloNationals and Super 32 during the past off-season. Martinez is a four-time state placer and three-time state champion, and was champion at the FloNationals, Junior Nationals in freestyle, and Super 32 Challenge during the past off-season. 182: No. 1 Eric Morris (Wyoming Seminary) vs. No. 2 Domenic Abounader (St. Edward, Ohio) Morris is a four-time finalist at the National Prep Championships, having won titles during the last two seasons, while Abounader is a three-time state champion. These two wrestlers could have met in the Ironman during early December, but Abounader missed that event due to injury. Neither athlete lost a match that they contested during the course of this season. 132: No. 5 (at 126) Ryan Diehl (Trinity) vs. No. 3 Dean Heil (St. Edward, Ohio) This is a match of four-time state champions, Diehl winning his first two in West Virginia before earning gold the last two in Hershey; while Heil earned his all in Ohio's big-school division. Both also have a Super 32 Challenge title to their credit, Diehl winning his in 2011 (and finishing third this past year), while Heil won his this past October. 220: No. 1 (at 195) Ryan Solomon (Milton) vs. No. 2 (at 195) Frank Mattiace (Blair Academy, N.J.) Solomon is the second of three wrestlers competing in their future college gym during the main event, as the Pitt-bound wrestler was a four-time state placer, winning state titles during the last two seasons. He also was a double All-American in Fargo the past three summers, highlighted by a Junior National title in Greco-Roman this past summer. Mattiace, bound for Penn in the fall, is a three-time National Prep placer, and has won titles the past two seasons. 152: No. 8 Austin Matthews (Reynolds) vs. No. 1 Jake Short (Simley, Minn.) Matthews is a four-time state placer, having made state finals the past three years, and finally getting over the hump with Hershey gold this past weekend. He has also been a finalist the past three years at the NHSCA grade-level nationals, winning as a freshman and sophomore. Short is a four-time state champion, and has placed in Fargo freestyle the past four summers, the last two having come at the Junior National level. 126: No. 2 Connor Schram (Canon-McMillan) vs. No. 5 (at 138) Joey Dance (Christiansburg, Va.) Schram was a four-time state finalist and bookended his high school career with state championship gold. Dance won his fourth state title up at 138 pounds, though he won titles at the Super 32 Challenge, Ironman, and Beast of the East down this weight class. 195: No. 8 Jake Hart (Hampton) vs. No. 11 Broc Berge (Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.) Hart has made the state final the last two years, and avenged last year's loss against former number one Matt McCutcheon to win Hershey gold. He also placed fifth at the Super 32 Challenge this fall. Berge is a four-time state placer, winning titles as a sophomore and junior, and finished as runner-up at the Junior Nationals in freestyle this past summer. 138: No. 1 Zain Retherford (Benton) vs. No. 2 Anthony Ashnault (South Plainfield, N.J.) These two wrestlers had a series of three freestyle matches in about a month this past spring; Retherford won the first and third meetings (club duals and FILA Cadets), while Ashnault won the middle meeting (Northeast Regional). The wrestlers also met in the Super 32 Challenge in their sophomore (finals match) and junior (semifinal) seasons, with Ashnault winning both of those meetings. Retherford bookended his career with state championships, and has been dominant in the last calendar year with titles at the NHSCA Junior Nationals, FILA Cadet Freestyle Nationals, Junior National Freestyle Championships, FILA Cadet World Freestyle Championships, Walsh Ironman, and POWERade Tournament. This past weekend, Ashnault became the first wrestler ever in the Garden State to be an undefeated four-time state champion; while his off-season resume includes five All-American finishes in Fargo and two Super 32 Challenge titles. 170: No. 1 Cody Wiercioch (Canon-McMillan) vs. No. 3 Zach Beard (Tuttle, Okla.) Wiercioch earned his third state title this past weekend in four finals appearances, and is also a two-time Super 32 Challenge champion. He is the third of three wrestlers signed by Pitt competing in this main event. The Wyoming-bound Beard was a four-time state champion and won the Preseason Nationals this fall. Undercard: WPIAL All-Stars vs. Virginia All-Stars, 4 p.m. 113: Seth Carr (South Fayette) vs. Sean Badua (Osbourn Park) Carr was runner-up in the small-school (Class AA) state tournament this past weekend, while 2012 state champion Badua finished third in Virginia's big-school division this year. 120: Nate Reckner (South Side Beaver) vs. J.R. Wert (Christiansburg) Reckner was fourth in the Class AA state tournament, while Wert won his fourth state title (three for Christiansburg and one in Georgia). Wert competed at 132 this season, but did place fourth at the Super 32 Challenge in this weight class in October. 126: Tyler Walker (North Hills) vs. Gabe Lumpp (Christiansburg) Walker finished third in the big-school (Class AAA) state tournament, while Lumpp was a runner-up in Virginia's medium-school division. 132: Nick Zanetta (Keystone Oaks) vs. No. 9 Dennis Gustafson (Forest Park) Zanetta has finished as runner-up the last two years at the WPIAL, regional, and state tournaments to super-star wrestlers (Jimmy Gulibon last year and Jason Nolf this year). The Pitt-bound wrestler placed eighth at the FloNationals this past spring. Gustafson bookended his career with state titles, finished fifth in the Super 32 Challenge this fall, and was runner-up at the NHSCA Junior Nationals last spring. 138: Ethan Kenney (Connellsville) vs. No. 12 Andrew Atkinson (Liberty Christian Academy) Both wrestlers in this match competed at 132 pounds during their post-season tournaments. Kenney placed third at state, including a win over the eventual state champion in the WPIAL final, and is a three-time state placer in his career; while Atkinson finished runner-up at National Preps for the second time in a career that includes four state placements. 145: Phil Marra (Burrell) vs. Beau Donahue (Westfield) Marra placed fourth in Class AA this season, while Donahue is a three-time state champion in the big-school division, and has placed fourth the past two years at the NHSCA grade-level nationals. 152: Heath Coles (Norwin) vs. Sean Murphy (Colonial Forge) Coles placed fourth at state each of the last two seasons in Class AAA, while Murphy is also a two-time state placer in his state's big-school division and was eighth at the NHSCA Junior Nationals. 160: Zach Voytek (Greensburg-Salem) vs. Rory Renzi (Lake Braddock) Voytek is a two-time Class AAA state placer, fourth and seventh, while Renzi was a big-school state champion this past season. 170: Dustin Conti (Jefferson-Morgan) vs. No. 6 (at 182) Zach Epperly (Christiansburg) Conti placed twice in Class AA, while Epperly was a four-time state champion. During the course of his career, Epperly placed twice at the Super 32 (including fourth at 170 this year) and was fourth in Junior National freestyle this past summer. 182: Dakota DesLauriers (Burrell) vs. Ryland O'Brien (First Colonial) DesLauriers is a four-time Class AA state placer, who earned that elusive state title this past weekend. He also placed seventh in the Super 32 Challenge this past fall. O'Brien has made the state final each of the last two years, and was state champion this year. 195: No. 10 Matt McCutcheon (Kiski Area) vs. Corbin Ramos (Matoaca) McCutcheon placed three times in the Class AAA state tournament, making the finals each of the last two years, and won state as a junior. He also is a two-time Super 32 Challenge champion. His opponent, Ramos, was a big-school state champion this past season. 220: Garrett Vulcano (Chartiers-Houston) vs. Zach Roseberry (Brentsville) Both wrestlers in this match competed at 195 pounds during their respective state tournaments. Vulcano was state runner-up to Ryan Solomon, while Roseberry was state champion in the medium-school division and was a NHSCA Junior Nationals runner-up last spring. 285: Antonio Broglia (Canon-McMillan) vs. Justin Williams (Skyline) Broglia made his state tournament debut last weekend, and failed to place, though is third place finish at the Reno TOC was key in the Big Macs' title out at that event. His opponent, Williams, was state champion at 220 pounds in the medium-school division this season. Coverage of the Event Josh Lowe will be live at the event providing some degree of updates from both the undercard and main events on his twitter feed (@JoshMLowe). In addition, a recap will be posted on InterMat late Sunday evening or Monday morning.