InterMat Staff

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- On Sunday, Iowa captured its third straight NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals title with a 19-12 victory over Iowa State, and while much of the talk centered on the Hawkeyes winning without four starters, Iowa coach Tom Brands didn't want to focus on that. "Is that our best lineup out there? It doesn't matter because we believe in our guys," said Brands. "We've got some pretty tough wrestlers. Our depth is deep with tough wrestlers." Iowa's victory over Iowa State marked the sixth straight victory for the Hawkeyes over the Cyclones, second this season, and 36th in 38 meetings. "We're going to get them," said Iowa State coach Kevin Jackson. We're going to get them. We're going to get them. I'm telling your right now ... We're going to get them." Iowa won crucial matches at 125, 157, and 165, which proved to be the difference. At 125, Iowa's Matt McDonough, who is ranked No. 4, got things rolling for the Hawkeyes as the picked up a 9-7 victory over fifth-ranked Andrew Long in an action-packed match. It marked McDonough's third victory over Long this season. Iowa State's Nick Fanthorpe, who is ranked No. 8, evened the dual at 3-3 with an 8-3 victory over Nate Moore at 133. After a scoreless first period, Fanthorpe picked up two takedowns in the second period and led 5-2 heading into the third period. Fanthorpe added another takedown and with an additional riding time point closed out the 8-3 victory. But things went downhill for the Cyclones after 133. The Hawkeyes won the next five matches, including tossup matches at 157 and 165. At 157, Iowa's Aaron Janssen and Iowa State's Andrew Sorenson battled to a 1-1 tie at the end of regulation. But in sudden victory, Janssen picked up a takedown to win the match 3-1 and give the Hawkeyes a 12-3 lead. "We needed to win 157," said Jackson. "157 is hurting us. Right now 157 is hurting us. I've got to find the guy. It hurt us. We've got to win that match. We win that match, we're in business." At 165, Iowa's fifth-ranked Ryan Morningstar and Iowa State's third-ranked Jon Reader battled for the sixth time over the past two seasons. Morningstar won all three meetings last season. This year, however, Reader took the first two meetings and appeared to have the upperhand in the rivalry. But on Sunday it was Morningstar who came out on top, picking up a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over Reader. "He's gutsy," Brands said of Morningstar. "He's been gutsy his whole career. I'm not surprised. He stays in the match. He's slow-twitch. He takes his time. He tripods up. He hits those long shots. He gets his hands locked. He comes up and scores takedowns. To win nationals, Ryan Morningstar has to score takedowns." Iowa's second-ranked Jay Borschel cruised to an easy 10-2 victory over No. 14 Duke Burk at 174, which marked his fourth victory over a ranked opponent over the two-day event. Borschel was named Most Outstanding Wrestler of the event. Iowa State won the last three matches, including No. 11 Jerome Ward beating No. 6 Phil Keddy for the second time this season, but it was too little too late as the Hawkeyes came away with the 19-12 victory. While Jackson was visibly upset about the loss, he loves what the Iowa-Iowa State rivalry is all about. "I love it," said Jackson. "Nothing like it. I love the intensity. I love competition. We all know without good competition, it's not any fun. So I love it. I wish we had another match." Results: 125: Matt McDonough (Iowa) dec. Andrew Long (Iowa State), 9-8 133: Nick Fanthorpe (Iowa State) dec. Nate Moore (Iowa), 8-3 141: Dan LeClere (Iowa) dec. Dalton Jensen (Iowa State), 7-2 149: Brent Metcalf (Iowa) dec. Mitch Mueller (Iowa State), 7-3 157: Aaron Janssen (Iowa) dec. Andrew Sorenson (Iowa State), 3-1 SV 165: Ryan Morningstar (Iowa) dec. Jon Reader (Iowa State), 5-4 174: Jay Borschel (Iowa) major dec. Duke Burk (Iowa State), 10-2 184: Jerome Ward (Iowa State) dec. Phillip Keddy (Iowa), 7-5 SV 197: Jake Varner (Iowa State) dec. Luke Lofthouse (Iowa), 7-1 285: David Zabriskie (Iowa State) dec. Jordan Johnson (Iowa), 4-1 Ohio State dominates Minnesota to finish third Ohio State bounced back from a semifinal loss to Iowa State to defeat Minnesota, 26-12, for third place. Minnesota's Zach Sanders started the dual meet with a dominating 10-3 victory over Nikko Triggas at 125 to put the Gophers up 3-0, but Ohio State claimed the next five matches, which all but sealed the deal as the Buckeyes rolled to an easy victory. "In the semifinal match, I think we got a taste at a couple weight classes of just not wrestling hard enough," said Ohio State coach Tom Ryan. "The guys with the most energy win. You come here on the weekend looking to win it ... and I think we realized that we have a lot of work to do in several weight classes." Ohio State's Reece Humphrey, who entered the weekend ranked No. 1 at 141, bounced back from two losses on Saturday to win both matches on Sunday, including a 5-3 victory over No. 7 Mike Thorn of Minnesota. "He didn't have a great weekend," said Ryan. "He didn't feel great. He was kind of beat up, but he battled back. It's what winners do. It's good to see him come back and get two wins. Thorn is no pushover. He's a heck of a wrestler. Reece did a good job to get that win." Even though the NCAA championship team won't be crowned until March, Ryan says the National Duals is an important event for Ohio State. "I think there is a virus in the sport," said Ryan. "The virus is that the only thing that matters is the national tournament ... and that's not real life. One weekend a year isn't enough. We learn a lot about our team. These guys are beat up, banged up. But you know what ... Parents, business owners go to work beat up, banged up. That's real life stuff. We take this event very seriously. Whether the NCAA sanctions it or not, we don't care. This is a team event and we come here to win it." Results: 125: Zach Sanders (Minnesota) dec. Nikko Triggas (Ohio State), 10-3 133: Ian Paddock (Ohio State) dec. Thane Antczak (Minnesota), 6-4 141: Reece Humphrey (Ohio State) dec. Mike Thorn (Minnesota), 5-3 149: Lance Palmer (Ohio State) dec. Mario Mason (Minnesota), 7-1 157: Tony Jameson (Ohio State) major dec. Joe Grygelko (Minnesota), 18-9 165: Colt Sponseller (Ohio State) major dec. Nate Matousek (Minnesota), 11-1 174: Scott Glasser (Minnesota) dec. Dave Rella (Ohio State), 8-3 184: Mike Pucillo (Ohio State) won by forfeit 197: Sonny Yohn (Minnesota) pinned Cody Magrum (Ohio State), 2:05 285: Corey Morrison (Ohio State) dec. Ben Berhow (Minnesota), 9-4

HAMPTON, Va. -- The No. 4 Oklahoma State wrestling team capped a perfect weekend at the Virginia Duals with a dominating 30-6 win over No. 11 Lehigh in the championship round at the Hampton Coliseum Saturday night. With the win, the Cowboys improved to 8-0-1 on the year. Lehigh dropped to 9-3 overall. OSU's victory was its fifth over a ranked team this year. OSU and Lehigh met at last year's Northeast Duals in Troy, N.Y., with the Mountain Hawks claiming an impressive 18-13 win over the then-No. 7 Cowboys. That loss was avenged in overwhelming fashion Saturday, as the Pokes dominated throughout by racking up 17 takedowns to Lehigh's five. OSU won eight of the 10 bouts. Going in, it was thought that the premier bout of the day would come at heavyweight, but as it turned out, Jared Rosholt made quick work of No. 4 Zach Rey by pinning him at the 2:05 mark. Rosholt shot in with a takedown attempt and when Rey tried to counter, Rosholt caught him, turned him to his back and got the fall at the 2:05 mark. The two-time Cowboy All-American pinned three of his four opponents on the weekend and pitched a 3-0 shutout in the fourth bout. While Rosholt's win was dominant, it wasn't even the quickest pin of the dual. That came at 133 pounds, where Jordan Oliver took Mitch Berger down immediately on the start then cut him loose, took him down again, locked in a cradle, turned him to his back and pinned him at the 35 second mark of his big win. The Cowboys overwhelmed the opposition at the Virginia Duals, scoring a 36-6 win over Liberty in the first round, a 42-6 win over Clarion in the second round, a 24-13 win over No. 14 Penn State in the semifinals and a 30-6 win over No. 11 Lehigh for the title. The Cowboys claimed bonus point victories in 18 of their 31 bouts on the weekend. Oklahoma State returns to action when it travels to Iowa City to tangle with top-ranked Iowa at 7 p.m. on Sat., Jan. 16. The Cowboys have beaten the Hawkeyes in each of their last four trips to Carver-Hawkeye Arena, including a 19-14 victory in their most recent visit in 2008. "This what it's about," Coach John Smith said. "We have got to get excited with the schedule we have. We are Oklahoma State and we embrace the excitement of these big matches. We look forward to them and we get excited about them. Both Iowa and Iowa State are ranked number one and number two. It will be a great test for us, but let's not forget that this will be great test for them too. I'm very excited for the rest of our schedule in January and beyond." No. 4 Oklahoma State 30, No. 11 Lehigh 6 125: No. 9 Chris Notte (OSU) dec. John McDonald (LU); 5-0 133: No. 6 Jordan Oliver (OSU) fall Mitch Berger (LU); 0:35 141: No. 7 Jamal Parks (OSU) dec. No. 13 Seth Ciasulli (LU); 5-2 149: Joey Napoli (LU) dec. Quinten Fuentes (OSU); 7-5 157: No. 12 Neil Erisman (OSU) dec. Sean Bilodeau (LU); 9-5 165: No. 14 Alex Meade (OSU) dec. No. 13 Mike Galante (LU); 9-4 174: No. 14 Mike Benefiel (OSU) dec. No. 17 Robert Hamlin (LU); 7-4 184: No. 15 David Craig (LU) dec. Chris McNeil (OSU); 5-2 197: No. 8 Alan Gelogaev (OSU) dec. No. 20 Joe Kennedy (LU); 10-3 285: No. 2 Jared Rosholt (OSU) fall No. 4 Zach Rey (LU); 2:05 125 pounds: Chris Notte started the dual with a 4-1 win over John McDonald. After a scoreless first period, Notte put a hard ride on McDonald for the entire second. The first points of the point didn't come until the third period when Notte reversed McDonald to go up, 2-0. McDonald got free for an escape, but Notte took him down again later in the period to go up, 4-1. The Cowboy senior's riding time point brought the final score to 5-1. 133 pounds: Jordan Oliver took Mitch Berger down immediately on the start then cut him loose, took him down again, locked in a cradle, turned him to his back and pinned him at the 35 second mark of his big win. 141 pounds: In a matchup of two wrestlers who squared off last season, Oklahoma State's Jamal Parks claimed a 5-2 win over No. 13 Seth Ciasulli. Parks and Ciasulli met at last year's Northeast Duals, with Ciasulli claiming an 8-6 win in that previous meeting. It was a different story on Saturday, however, as Parks scored a first-period takedown and slapped a hard ride on Ciasulli for 1:20. The second period opened with a quick escape by Parks. The only other point of the period came when Ciasulli was called for a technical violation for putting a choking maneuver on Parks. A Ciasulli escape opened the third period and brought the score to 4-2. It was the only point of the third and when Parks' riding time point was added, the Cowboy sophomore was a 5-2 winner. 149 pounds: A tough weekend for the Cowboy 149-pounders came to a fitting end when Quinten Fuentes lost a 7-5 decision to unranked freshman Joey Napoli. Fuentes was taken down twice and yielded a reversal and a riding time in his defeat. Fuentes's points came off three escapes and a late takedown. OSU's 149-pounders were a combined 0-4 at the Virginia Duals with three of the losses coming at the hands of unranked opponents. 157 pounds: Neil Erisman was a 9-5 winner over Sean Bilodeau. Erisman opened the scoring with a first-period takedown. A Bilodeau escape was the only other point of the first three minutes. An early escape from Erisman started the second period. The Cowboy junior then took Bilodeau down again with a single-leg takedown. An escape from Bilodeau brough the score to 5-2 after five minutes. Bilodeau escaped again to open the third period, then hit a nice takedown against Erisman to tie the score at five. Erisman regrouped, however, to escape and connect on another takedown to go up, 8-5. The riding time point brought the final to 9-5. 165 pounds: Cowboy freshman Alex Meade capped a strong weekend with a 9-4 win over No. 13 Mike Galante. Meade got things going with a thunderous double-leg takedown into a two-point nearfall to go up, 4-0. The Cowboy freshman added another two-point nearfall before the end of the first period and held a 6-1 lead through three minutes. The only scoring of the second period was a Meade escape. Galante opened the third period scoring with an escape, then added a second point when Meade got too physical with him and was slapped with a penalty point. Meade made up for his miscue by scoring a takedown to seal his 9-4 win. 174 pounds: Dominant all weekend, Mike Benefiel claimed a 7-4 win over No. 17 Robert Hamlin. The Cowboy sophomore took Hamlin down twice in the first period, added an escape early in the second period, another escape in the third and a riding time point to seal his win. Benefiel was a perfect 4-0 on the weekend with a win over a ranked opponent and three bonus-point victories. 184 pounds: In a bout that saw little action, No. 15 David Craig of Lehigh was a 5-2 winner over Chris McNeil. With a first-period takedown and a second period escape, Craig held a 3-0 lead going into the third period. McNeil reversed Craig to open the third and cut him loose, but was unable to score the winning takedown before time ran out. Craig's riding time point brought the final to 5-2. 197 pounds: A dominating showing from Alan Gelogaev at the Virginia Duals was capped by a 10-3 win over No. 20 Joe Kennedy. Gelogaev scored four takedowns and escape and added a riding time point to claim his victory over Kennedy. The Moscow, Russia native was a perfect 4-0 on the weekend with a win by technical fall, a win by fall and two comfortable wins by decision. 285 pounds: Going in, it was thought that the premier bout of the day would come at heavyweight, but as it turned out, Jared Rosholt made quick work of No. 4 Zach Rey by pinning him at the 2:05 mark. Rosholt shot in with a takedown attempt and when Rey tried to counter, Rosholt caught him, turned him to his back and got the fall at the 2:05 mark. The two-time Cowboy All-American pinned three of his four opponents on the weekend and pitched a 3-0 shutout in the fourth bout.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The semifinals are set for the 2010 NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa. In Division I, Iowa will face Minnesota, while Iowa State will take on Ohio State. The semifinals are set to begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday. No. 1 Humphrey goes down ... Twice The nation's No. 1-ranked 141-pounder, Reece Humphrey of Ohio State, an NCAA runner-up at 133 pounds last season, suffered two losses on Saturday ... first to Arizona's State's Chris Drouin and then to Cornell's Kyle Dake. "He looks like he's under the weather," said Ohio State coach Tom Ryan. "I don't know. I thought he would be fine coming in. He's wrestling different than I expected him to. But he's a winner. You never want to lose, but now is the time. I think maybe it's a wakeup call. He's been using his talents late in matches to find ways to win ... and I think it's catching up to him now." Drouin scored a takedown in sudden victory to pick up the 3-1 win over Humphrey. "Going into overtime, I was just thinking takedown," said Drouin. "I was just going for the win. I really wasn't really thinking about it. I was just letting instinct take over ... let training take over. " Drouin, a returning All-American, has struggled with consistency this season. He has wins over No. 4 Zack Bailey of Oklahoma, No. 5 Jamal Parks, and No. 7 Mike Thorn of Minnesota, but placed sixth at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and fifth at the Reno Tournament of Champions. "I don't even know what I was seeded coming into this," said Drouin, who is ranked No. 17. "I don't even look at the seedings. I know he's 1 ... but that's just because I've been told that. I really don't even think about the seedings. I mean, look at Jaggers last year ... This is a good win for me. It's good to start slingshotting me into the end of the season." Dake, a true freshman who is ranked No. 6, avenged a 4-2 sudden victory loss to Humphrey from the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. "I thought that I wasn't wrestling offensive and I didn't really open up my attacks," said Dake of his loss to Humphrey in early December. "I just made a few mistakes and it cost me the match. This time I corrected those mistakes and it turned out better." Dake, a two-time New York state champion with a prep record of 224-14 record, has high expectations for himself. "I don't want to lose ever," said Dake. "I want to be a four-time national champ. I wanted to go undefeated, but that didn't happen. I had a couple bad matches. But four-time national champ has always been my goal." Minnesota advances to semifinals with victory over Central Michigan Minnesota won its opening round dual meet against Missouri, 24-6, which set the stage for a quarterfinal battle against Central Michigan, who won 28-12 over Northwestern in the opening round. Minnesota jumped out to 17-0 lead against Central Michigan as the first five Gophers picked up victories. At 125, Minnesota's sixth-ranked Zach Sanders won by decision, 5-2, over No. 10 Matt Steintrager. At 133, No. 2 Jayson Ness of Minnesota dominated No. 9 Scotti Sentes, 14-6, to put the Gophers up 7-0. Minnesota's Mike Thorn, who is ranked No. 7, picked up an 11-5 decision over Connor Beebe at 141. Freshman Mario Mason kept things rolling for Minnesota with a 19-8 major decision over Justin McDermitt. Joe Grygelko of Minnesota put the Gophers in front 16-0 with his 3-2 decision over Donnie Corby. The teams split the remaining four matches as the Gophers rolled to a 26-9 victory. "They're wrestling good," said Minnesota coach J Robinson. "They knew they had to wrestle with a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of excitement and they did that. We told them beforehand ... some of the guys were missing, so the other guys have to step up. They've been doing a really job today." One Gopher who has been a roll is 174-pounder Scott Glasser, who went 2-0 with two wins over ranked opponents on Saturday. Glasser, who is ranked No. 13, started his day with a 10-1 major decision over No. 10 Dorian Henderson of Missouri and then defeated No. 5 Ben Bennett of Central Michigan. "I think he's finally got his confidence back," said Robinson. "He realizes how hard he has to wrestle and what it's all about. He knows it ... And he's known that he has had to stay in the match and wrestle hard. And he's healthy now. But I think it's all part of it. The harder he works, the healthier he says. The healthier he stays, the better he does." Minnesota is competing without No. 2 Dustin Schlatter at 165 pounds, who is being held out of the event due to injury. The Gophers will now battle Big Ten rival Iowa in the semifinals at 11 a.m. CST on Sunday. "They're excited," said Robinson. "We weren't supposed to be there. Central Michigan was ranked ahead of us. We came in ... and they've been wrestling good. Iowa has some guys out. We have some guys out. So it should be exciting." Iowa tops Boise State in quarterfinals Iowa advanced to the semifinals with a 20-12 victory over Boise State. The Hawkeyes won six of the 10 matches against the Broncos. No. 3 Matt McDonough (125) and No. 1 Brent Metcalf (149) both won my major decision, but were the only Hawkeyes to pick up bonus points. "Today maybe we sucked our thumb a little bit too much," said Iowa coach Tom Brands. "Maybe we think it's going to easy. Maybe we think guys are going to fall down after one takedown ... or after a certain amount of time. There are guys out there that want to battle ... that love battling. We've got to love it too. They loved it more than us in some instances today. I tell you what, if we wake up tomorrow morning and we're sulking, we've got problems." The Hawkeyes are without the services of starters Dan Dennis (133), Chad Beatty (197), and Dan Erekson (285) this weekend. Only one Hawkeye fill-in, Luke Lofthouse (197), picked up a victory against Boise State. Brands, though, was in no mood to talk about his missing starters after the victory. "I'm not addressing that issue," snapped Brands. "How many times are we going to go over that issue? I'm being kind of snappy here ... and I'm being a tough guy in front of the media. I'm not going to address that issue. It's a no-brainer for me. This is a glimpse of our future. Nate Moore, Blake Rasing, and Luke Lofthouse are our future. Why am I going to make excuses? We love that. I love that. I love the opportunity for these guys. This is what they came to be Hawkeyes for. They were chosen to be Hawkeyes. I believe that." Iowa State dominates Maryland, Jensen pins Krom Iowa State won eight of 10 matches against Maryland in the quarterfinals and came away with a convincing 26-6 victory to advance to the semifinals. Perhaps the biggest win the dual came at 141 pounds when Iowa State's Dalton Jensen, who is filling the injured Nick Gallick, pinned returning All-American Alex Krom. "He's a pinner," said Iowa State coach Kevin Jackson. "I think you've seen it a couple times when he's been out there. He was down by some points ... for him to snap that cradle on him and get the fall was huge for the match. It kind of gave us the feeling that we could dominate the match. It turns out to be 26-6, so we'll take the win." Iowa State's Jake Varner won a hard-fought 5-4 decision over two-time All-American Hudson Taylor at 197 pounds. Taylor led 4-3 in the second period before Varner scored a reversal to go up 5-4, which is proved to be the difference. Despite the convincing victory, Jackson characterized his team's performance as sluggish. "We're making some mistakes," said Jackson. "I think our whole team wrestled a little bit sluggish. I've got to put my finger on what happened there ... why we wrestled sluggish. Maybe because of second wind ... guys might be holding their weight down, not taking each and every match as seriously as they possibly could." Ohio State advances to semifinals with victory over Cornell Ohio State got pins from Nikko Triggas (125) and Tony Jameson (157), which helped propel the Buckeyes over Cornell, 27-14, in the quarterfinals. "It was a good effort," said Ohio State coach Tom Ryan. "The sign of a great team is when one of your leaders gets knocked off and you have young people stepping up. Tony Jameson, redshirt freshman, stepping up and getting a fall. Nikko Triggas hurting his shoulder but finding a way to get a fall. These guys understand the importance of team and this is a team event." The Buckeyes will now get ready to face Iowa State in the semifinals at 11 a.m. on Sunday. "Great match," said Ryan. "They have a great coach there. They have a great team there. We're really looking forward to it."

WEST POINT, N.Y. -- Led by three-straight major decisions to start the match, including a dominating performance by senior Matt Kyler, the Army wrestling team jumped out to an early lead and never looked back en route to a 28-9 victory over visiting Hofstra, Friday night at Gillis Field House. The Pride (2-4-1) spotted Army a 6-0 lead after senior Lance Penhale received a forfeit at 125 pounds, before sophomore Travis Coffey, junior Casey Thome and Kyler each notched a major decision to stake the Black Knights to an 18-0 lead that proved insurmountable. "The guys wrestled aggressively and we got off to a great start" said Army head coach Chuck Barbee. "We had a great week of practice so I just told our guys I wanted to see their intensity and determination exceed what (Hofstra) was going to have. They certainly did that. The guys are energized and hungry and are really looking forward to the rest of the season." Coffey started the night with an 18-6 major decision opposite Jeff Rotella to even his record at 6-6 this season. Coffey nearly put Rotella on his back early in the first period, but settled for two takedowns and a pair of near falls to build a 10-3 lead. Following a scoreless second period, Coffey controlled Rotella for a reversal and three more takedowns on his way to the 12-point victory. Thome improved to 6-3 with a 13-2 major decision against Luke Vaith (6-8). Thome started with a takedown on the edge of the mat 20 seconds into the bout and later earned three points for a near fall to lead 5-0. After Vaith got on the board with a reversal, Thome escaped to take a 6-2 first-period lead. Thome notched another takedown and another near fall to lead 10-2 heading into the third period where he sealed the win with another takedown and a point for having over five minutes in riding time advantage. Kyler, ranked eighth nationally at 149 pounds, improved to 15-2 this season with a 15-4 victory over Tyler Banks. Kyler took Banks down twice in the first period and three more times in the second to build a 10-3 lead heading into the final period. Kyler scored a two-point reversal and earned one more takedown to go along with over four minutes of riding time to cruise to his team-leading 11th bonus point victory of the season. Hofstra broke the scoreless streak with back-to-back decisions at 157 and 165. Nineteenth-ranked Jonny Bonilla-Bowman fended off an upset-minded freshman Dan Young to hold on for an 11-8 decision, before P.J. Gillespie shutout freshman Eric Gobin, 5-0, to cut into the Black Knight lead, 18-6. However, another Army major decision by junior Jacob Vetter at 174 pounds all but sealed the match for the Black Knights. Vetter (5-5) took an early 5-1 lead on the heels of a takedown and a three-point near-fall, before two more takedowns contributed to the 12-4 final. Hofstra's Ben Clymer earned a hard-fought 4-1 decision opposite freshman Collin Wittmeyer, but senior Richard Starks and junior Ryan Cook each tallied decisions to close the door on an Army win. Starks, who entered the week ranked 17th nationally at 197 pounds, defeated Anthony Tortora, 4-0, on the heels of a first-period takedown, an escape in the third and a 1:45 advantage in riding time to remain undefeated at 7-0 this season. Cook (6-6) made a nice move to take down Paul Snyder in the first sudden victory period of the heavyweight bout to break a 1-1 tie and finish the night off with a 3-1 Black Knight decision. Army will return to action on Sunday when it hosts Rutgers, Boston University and Kings Point in a quad meet slated to kick off at 2:00 p.m. in Christl Arena. Fans will have the opportunity to watch all the action via the live webcast on www.goARMYsports.com, courtesy of ITT Knightvision. Results: 125 - Lance Penhale (A) win by forfeit 133 - Travis Coffey (A) maj. Jeff Rotella, 18-6 141 - Casey Thome (A) maj. Luke Vaith, 13-2 149 - #8 Matt Kyler (A) maj. Tyler Banks, 15-4 157 - #19 Jonny Bonilla-Bowman (H) dec. Daniel Young, 11-8 165 - P.J. Gillespie (H) dec. Eric Gobin, 5-0 174 - Jacob Vetter (A) maj. Jon Rothman, 12-4 184 - Ben Clymer (H) dec. Collin Wittmeyer, 4-1 197 - #17 Richard Starks (A) dec. Anthony Tortora, 4-0 285 - Ryan Cook (A) dec. Paul Snyder, 3-1 (SV)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Junior John Deneen started the No. 20 Fighting Illini off with a pin in 3:46 at 125 pounds against SIU Edwardsville on Friday, and Illinois rolled from there, blasting the Cougars 48-0 at Huff Hall. No. 2 John Dergo (184 pounds) and No. 15 Jordan Blanton (174) also added falls to the effort and No. 13 Ryan Prater notched a technical fall just 47 seconds into the second period as the Illini scored bonus points in eight of the 10 bouts and didn't allow a takedown all night. "We've been going hard this week in practice, so I think more than anything, our guys were just glad to get out of the practice room," Illini head coach Jim Heffernan said. "But we wanted our guys to hustle and work hard, and I'm pleased with how they did, for the most part." Illinois was aggressive from the outset, looking for near-fall points and team bonus points early and often in bouts. Deneen took a 4-1 lead after a period and started down in the second, notching a quick reversal and turning SIUE's Kris Treat for the pin in 3:46. SIUE's starter at 133 had pneumonia and their backup had a skin infection, forcing the Cougars to forfeit the weight class and increase Illinois' lead to 12-0. Prater attacked early and often at 141, getting an early takedown before Eric Biehl escaped off a restart. But Prater got another takedown then two near-fall points. Prater then went to work, scoring five straight near-falls for a total of 11 back points that gave him a 15-1 lead after a period. Biehl chose neutral to start the second and took a shot, but Prater sprawled out and looked to scramble, a strength of his. He cradled Biehl and got him on his back, but the Cougar wriggled out and got to his stomach, only giving up the takedown as Prater finished the 17-1 technical fall in 3:47. At 149, Eric Terrazas continued his perfect start to the season with a 7-4 decision. He got two quick takedowns for a 4-2 lead after a period. He started down in the second and escaped in 40 seconds, then got a takedown on the edge of the mat with 28 seconds left in the period to go ahead 7-2. SIUE's Kyle Lowman started down in the third and got a reversal 48 seconds into the period, but all he could do was ride out Terrazas as the Illini sophomore improved to 10-0 on the season. Conrad Polz looked solid at 157, getting two quick takedowns in the first period and riding SIUE's Nick Jones hard for a 4-1 lead after three minutes. Jones started down in the second and Polz cut him loose in order to throw him for a takedown and a 6-3 lead. Polz went to work from there, escaping to start the third and scoring three takedowns before adding riding time for the 14-5 major decision to put the Illini ahead 25-0. Junior Joe Barczak notched a quick takedown against Steve Ross at 165 and Ross escaped at the 2:08 mark. Barczak got another takedown 25 seconds later and rode hard for a two-point near-fall with 50 seconds left in the period to take a 6-1 lead. He started down in the second and got a quick reversal, then cut Ross loose and got another takedown late in the period for a 10-2 lead after five minutes. In the third, Barczak added two more takedowns and riding time, compared to Ross' lone escape, for the 15-4 major decision and a 29-0 team lead. Click here to find out more! At 174, Blanton put on a clinic against Blake Reed. He worked over Reed to the tune of six takedowns and a three-point near-fall in the first period for a 15-5 lead after three minutes. Reed narrowly missed being pinned a couple of times, but started down in the second. Blanton cut him and got a quick takedown, then cut him loose again. Blanton tried to go straight to a cradle from the neutral position, but ended up taking Reed down before working him into a cradle and pinning him in 3:58. Dergo was similarly dominant, getting an early takedown against Tim Mahoney at 184 and scoring three back points before cutting Mahoney loose. Dergo hit a double-leg near the edge of the mat and turned Mahoney for three more near-fall points before cutting him again for a 10-2 lead. Mahoney took a sloppy shot that Dergo countered for a takedown before the horn, taking a 12-2 lead after a period. He started down in the second and got out quickly before nailing another double-leg and turning Mahoney to secure the fall at 3:18, pushing Illinois' lead to 41-0. At 197, No. 10 Patrick Bond scored a quick takedown and got a tilt on Robert Cooney, nearly pinning the Cougar early. But Cooney fended it off, giving up three back points, and Bond cut him loose. Bond slid by Cooney for another takedown for a 7-1 margin after a period. He started down in the second and got out quickly before hitting another double-leg. Bond rolled through for two more back points and a 12-1 lead at the end of the period. Cooney started down in the third and Bond cut him loose, then getting a leg and planting the Cougar on the mat for the takedown. He cut Cooney off a restart, looking for another takedown for the technical fall, but Cooney fended off Bond's shot with a whizzer to only give up the 17-4 major decision. Martin Smith took the mat for the Illini at heavyweight, fending off an early shot from SIUE's David Devine before hitting a single-leg takedown of his own. After Devine got out, Smith defended another shot from the Cougar before re-shooting and securing a takedown for a 4-1 lead. Devine escaped but Smith got a third takedown before Devine escaped again to make it 6-3 after three minutes. Smith started down in the second and escaped quickly before locking in his underhooks and throwing Devine for a takedown. The Cougar escaped to make it 9-4 after two periods. Neither wrestler managed a takedown in the third period and Smith tacked on riding time for the 10-5 win, finishing off Illinois' 48-0 win. The Illini step it up a notch next weekend when they travel to No. 2 Iowa State on Saturday, Jan. 16. It will be the first dual between the two teams since 1964. Results: 125: John Deneen (ILL) pinned Kris Treat (SIUE), 3:46 (6-0) 133: Daryl Thomas (ILL) forfeit win (12-0) 141: #13 Ryan Prater (ILL) tech fall Eric Biehl (SIUE) 17-1 (3:47) (17-0) 149: Eric Terrazas (ILL) dec. Kyle Lowman (SIUE) 7-4 (21-0) 157: Conrad Polz (ILL) maj. dec. Nick Jones (SIUE) 14-5 (25-0) 165: Joe Barczak (ILL) maj. dec. Steve Ross (SIUE) 15-4 (29-0) 174: #15 Jordan Blanton (ILL) pinned Blake Reed (SIUE), 3:58 (35-0) 184: #2 John Dergo (ILL) pinned Tim Mahoney (SIUE), 3:18 (41-0) 197: #10 Patrick Bond (ILL) maj. Dec. Robert Cooney (SIUE), 17-4 (45-0) HWT: Martin Smith (ILL) dec. David Devine (SIUE) 10-5 (48-0)

University of Minnesota freshman wrestler and former Olympian, Jake Deitchler has been ruled ineligible by the NCAA for the 2009-10 academic year. The University of Minnesota received initial notice in September and appealed the ruling hoping for a review of the situation. Deitchler has not competed for the Gophers this season, while awaiting the results of the final appeal. Deitchler’s eligibility will be reinstated under the conditions that he is withheld from competition for the 2009-10 academic year, forfeit a year of eligibility and repay the $4,000 prize money he received. A 2008 graduate of Anoka High School and an Anoka, Minn. native, Deitchler represented the United States at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Following the Olympics, Deitchler spent the 2008-09 academic year training and competing full-time with USA Wrestling at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. “In the NCAA’s ongoing effort to promote student-athlete welfare I do not think the NCAA is following or supporting their own ideology. The NCAA has handed a very young student athlete an overly harsh penalty,” head wrestling coach J Robinson said. “The punishment is quite severe and is a three part penalty. First; Deitchler must sit out a year, second he will lose one of his four years of eligibility, and third he must repay the money he received. I understand that there needs to be a penalty, Robinson said but to deny a season of competition, take away an entire year of eligibility plus repay the money is excessive. People make mistakes, and as an 18 year-old kid who just represented his country in the Olympic Games and got lost in the moment I don’t think this decision is in the best interest of the athlete, the NCAA, or the Olympic movement.” Robinson went on to add, “We had a very similar situation at Minnesota a few years ago where an athlete took money after the Olympics, in this case more money $6,000. The penalty the NCAA imposed was that the student athlete had to sit out two weeks and repay the money. That same year, this student athlete was eligible to compete in the NCAA Championships and became an NCAA All-American.” Deitchler will remain on the team and participate in all team practices, but cannot compete in 2009-10 for the University of Minnesota in any NCAA sanctioned events. This is bigger than Jake Deitchler and I think it hurts our Olympic movement by setting a bad precedence. Robinson hopes that the NCAA will review and reverse their decision in the spirit of student athlete welfare and what best for a young student athlete that got caught up in the excitement of the Olympic Games while representing his country. Robinson also said that Mario Mason has been reinstated and will resume competition with the team. Mason had been suspended indefinitely for violation of team rules, causing him to miss the Southern Scuffle and the Iowa State Dual.

Jim Miller

Mark Manning

Adam Tirapelle

Apple Valley seeks repeat Clash title Coming off a title at the Cheesehead Invitational this past weekend -- Apple Valley, MN is favored to repeat as champion at The ClashVIII National Wrestling Duals this coming weekend in Rochester, MN. The Eagles are the event's anchor squad with five nationally-ranked wrestlers -- Matt Kelliher (125/130), Brandon Kingsley (135/140), Destin McCauley (152), Steven Keogh (160), and Jake Waste (171). Other notable wrestlers are state champion Dakota Trom (112), as well as Cheesehead champions Jordan Kingsley (103) and Devin Scott (135/140). Apple Valley is the strong favorite to emerge from Bracket A on Friday morning -- competition for Brackets A and B will be conducted at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1 p.m. (CST) -- and advance to the Championship pool to be conducted on Saturday evening. They will open the competition with Independence, IA whose best wrestler is Ryan Fank (215). Presuming the win there, they would move on to the bracket semifinal against Blue Springs, MO -- which is favored to beat Carl Sandburg, IL in the first round. They are anchored by state champion Keenan Hagerty (135) and state runner-up Josh Howk (140), both ranked first in the big-school division; and they also have Derrick Sanders (171) and Lewis Foutz (189) ranked second statewide. Sturgis, SD is the third seed in Bracket A led by a pair of nationally-ranked wrestlers in Josh Keszler (125) and Seth Lange (130). Their first round opponent is Scott West, MN whose best wrestler is Michael Kroells (189). However, it is very likely that Sturgis will advance to face Grand Island, NE -- the top ranked team in that state -- after they take care of Baylor, TN in the opening round. The Islanders return six of the seven wrestlers that made the state final last year, including all four state champions -- Andrew Riedy (119), Blake Fruchtl (125), Alec Chanthopatheth (135), and Nathan Westerby (215); while Baylor is anchored by two-time state champion Zach Watson (119) and Cole Hayes (135). Dvorak champions Montini Catholic, IL are the strong favorites to emerge from Bracket B and advance into the championship bracket. The Broncos are a squad without superstars, but they are anchored by Kevon Powell -- ranked 15th at 103; Junior National freestyle All-American Colton Rasche (130); and state champion Stephen Robertson (140). Their first round bout is against Oak Grove, MO -- whose best wrestler is Mitchell Bradley (112). After the presumptive win in the first round, their semifinal match would be against the winner of a relatively tossup first round match between Skutt Catholic, NE and Hastings, MN. Skutt Catholic is anchored by nationally ranked Thomas Gilman (112) and Toshiba Midwest Classic champion Jake Hasz (285). Hastings is led by state placers Eric Bauer (119) and Zach Rohr (145). Plainview-Elgin-Millville, MN is the third seed in Bracket B, and is anchored by state champion Blaine Miller (160). They'll have a relative tossup in the first round against Wausau West, WI -- a squad anchored by Joe Umlauf (103) and Evan Knutson (285). The winner and loser of that match will move on in bracket competition against the corresponding results in the dual meet placing Ponderosa, CO against Roseburg, OR -- a battle of top ranked teams in their respective states' big-school classification. Ponderosa finished third at the Reno ToC on the strength of champion Jake Snider (145), as well as high placement finishers from Steven Kelly (152) and Austin Gabel (171). Roseburg is led by a trio of state champions -- Dan Faas (119), Sam Meacham (140), and Dylan Fors (171); former state champion Seth Thomas (152) is the lone nationally-ranked wrestler. Brackets C and D - scheduled for Friday afternoon at 4 p.m., 6 p.m., and 8 p.m. -- do not have the defined favorites like the morning brackets do. Despite having no nationally-ranked wrestlers, Simley, MN is still the top seed in Bracket C. This is a very balanced squad; however, their strength is in the lower portion of the lineup with Juan Torres (112), Dylan Wright (119), Jake Short (130), Tommy Glenn (135), and Dan Dick (140). Their first round opponent -- Punahou -- comes all the way from Hawaii; but their only notable wrestler is Sani-Jonathan Fuimaono, ranked 20th nationally at 285 pounds. With that first round win, Simley should matriculate to the second round against either Owatonna, MN or Glenbard North, IL. Owatonna is the second-ranked team in Minnesota's big-school division, and is anchored by Dalton Henderson (189). The opposing Panthers are not as strong as in the recent path, and their top wrestler is Dvorak champion Joe Gosinski (125). Mt Carmel, IL faces Kaukauna, WI in the three-six dual meet in Bracket C. Though the Caravan from Illinois is favored against the Ghosts of Wisconsin, there is a crystal clear possible feature bout involving nationally-ranked wrestlers at 171 pounds. Walsh Ironman champion Charles Argue, ranked 13th nationally, is slated to wrestle Cheesehead champion Noah Budi, ranked 14th nationally. Waverly Shell-Rock, IA is the second seed in Bracket C, and very well positioned to poach the bracket away from Simley late Friday evening. The Go-Hawks feature a pair of ranked wrestlers -- Jacob Ballweg (135) and Cody Krumwiede (215) -- with Eric DeVos (119), Jordan Rinken (130), and Cody Caldwell (145) also being impact wrestlers. Their first round opponent is Minneota, MN -- anchored by two-time state champion Christian Skillings (125). With five Fargo All-Americans, Park Hill, MO is the top seed in Bracket D. Three of these young men are ranked inside the top six at their weight class -- Bricker Dixon (112), Alan Waters (125), and Kaleb Friedley (145). The other two All-Americans are Skylar Wood (119) and John Eblen (189). Their first round opponent is La Quinta, CA - and presuming that victory, Park Hill moves on to face the winner of a match between Neuqua Valley, IL and Kasson-Montourville, MN. Featured wrestlers for Kasson-Montourville are Nate Thomas (103) and Garret Garness (135). Neuqua Valley features a pair of Junior National freestyle All-Americans in Matt Cavallaris (119) and Nick Proctor (160); Proctor is ranked 9th nationally. STMA, MN is the third seed in Bracket D led by a pair of state finalists in state champion Jordan Crampa (160) and runner-up Kraig Schumm (189). Vacaville, CA is the sixth seed and a legitimate candidate to upset STMA. The squad from the Golden State has a pair of returning state placers in Adam Delagarza (189) and Ben Holmes (215); also of note is Tyler Johnson (145). Wisconsin Rapids, WI is the second seed in this bracket and presents itself as a challenger to Park Hill with five wrestlers either ranked first or second within their state. The lone nationally-ranked wrestler is Curt Fuller, listed 18th at 285 pounds; while the other high profile wrestlers are Jason Munoz (103), Ryan Lubeck (140), Zak Benitz (145), and Devin Peterson (171). Albert Lea, MN is the first round opponent for Wisconsin Rapids, and is led by two-time state runner-up Cory Hansen (130). For those unfamiliar with The Clashformat, teams wrestle three matches in a bracket on Friday and move into a pool on Saturday based on bracket placement. Within the four brackets, teams that place in the same position will face each other for three more round-robin matches. Those finishing fifth through eighth will wrestle in the morning session (9 a.m./11 a.m./1 p.m.), and those in the top four wrestle in the afternoon/evening session (4 p.m./6 p.m./8 p.m.) on Saturday. Nation's oldest tournament celebrates its 66th year A unique wrestling tradition rooted in Middle America celebrates its 66th year this coming Friday and Saturday. Starting in 1944, the community of Geary, OK has embraced its tournament. Visiting teams are still housed in local homes, churches, and even classrooms. The curiosity and generosity are unrivaled. Many of the best teams in Oklahoma attend the event, and a selection of teams from out of state attends the event on an annual basis. Keeping with its heritage - there is no seeding, nor are there advancement points, and challenge matches for true second are still allowed. This year's event is slated to feature 23 teams, including defending tournament champions Tulsa Union, OK. The Hurricanes seek to win their third title in the last four years, and were state champs in Oklahoma's big-school division last year. Three other state championship teams in the field include Canyon Randall, TX; Claremore, OK; and Tutlte, OK. Other notable teams in the field are Bishop Lynch, TX -- third at National Preps last year -- and Broken Arrow, OK. One half of the champions from last year's tournament return in defense of their titles. Ronnie Balfour (Tulsa Union, OK) -- ranked 12th at 160 pounds - was the Most Outstanding Wrestler of last year's tournament. This year, Balfour will probably have to navigate the toughest bracket of them all in order to repeat. Zach Skates (Broken Arrow, OK) and Cory Dauphin (El Reno, OK) are both state champions, while Trey Adamson (Bishop Lynch, TX) is a two-time National Prep placer. Two defending tournament champions are currently unranked nationally, but have the 11th ranked wrestler in the nation standing in their way to a repeat Geary Invitational title. Cole Gracey (Tuttle, OK) is slated to compete at 171 pounds, where Tanner Eitel (Bishop Lynch, TX) is also expected to appear in the bracket; while Terry Williamson (Broken Arrow, OK) is scheduled to compete at 285 pounds with Cody Dauphin (El Reno, TX) also appearing in the bracket. The four other defending tournament champions are Tray Dorrell (Del City, OK) -- competing at 112 pounds; Case Garrison (Bishop Lynch, TX) -- competing at 130 pounds; Troy Silver (Bishop Lynch, TX) -- competing at 135 pounds; and Shane Woods (Tuttle, OK) -- competing at 215 pounds. Woods also stands 7th in the nation for his weight class. Rounding out the list of nationally-ranked wrestlers are Matt White (Woodward, OK) -- 18th at 152 pounds; and Stephen McPeek (Bishop Lynch, TX) -- ranked 19th at 189 pounds. California's best seek out cowboy hats In the first of two January tournaments that serve as a prelude to the California state championship, Clovis High School will host the 33rd annual Doc Buchanan Invitational. The field features three defending state champions, six defending event champion, nine nationally-ranked wrestlers, and 35 returning state placers. In addition, the top five teams (also 8 of the top 10 and 15 of the top 25) in the most recent statewide team rankings (credit to The California Wrestler) anchor this field. State champion Jesse Delgado (Gilroy, CA) -- ranked 17th nationally -- seeks to become only the third four-time champion in the history of the tournament. However, Delgado will have to navigate one of the event's toughest brackets in order to achieve such an honor. The bracket includes two other defending tournament champions -- Vince Rodriguez (Clovis North, CA) and Adam Magnusson (Madera South, CA). In addition, the weight also includes freshman sensation Isaiah Martinez (Lemoore, CA) -- champion at the Reno ToC; state placer Chris Martinez (Clovis West, CA); and former state runner-up AJ Valles (Sanger, CA). Another one of the feature brackets is at 171 pounds, where three-time state placer James Cook (Madera, CA) seeks to defend his Doc Buchanan title but is not the favorite. The bracket features two wrestlers ranked 17th in the nation, both of whom were state placers at 152 pounds. Bryce Hammond (Bakersfield, CA) is ranked at 160 pounds nationally, but ranked first in the Golden State at 171; while Martin Fabbian (Buchanan, CA) is listed nationally in this weight class, and ranked second in the state. There are three additional returning state placers in this weight class -- Dominic Kastl (Gilroy, CA); Vince Waldhauser (Oak Ridge, CA); and Zach Nevills (Clovis, CA). In addition, Reno ToC runner-up Lucas Sheridan (De La Salle, CA) populates the bracket. Two other weight classes include a pair of nationally-ranked wrestlers. Defending state champion Morgan McIntosh (Calvary Chapel, CA) - ranked second nationally at 189 pounds -- makes his season debut coming off injury; while standing in his way is two-time state placer Tommy Burriel (Clovis, CA), who is ranked 18th in the nation. This weight class also features a defending tournament champion in Lyndell Sear (Ponderosa, CA); Reno ToC champion Chase Eskam (Carlsbad, CA); and a pair of returning state placers in Rudolfo Juarez (Central, CA) and Nick Corona-Zamarripa (Kingsburg, CA). At 112 pounds, defending state champion Alex Cisneros (Selma, CA) is ranked third nationally; while state runner-up Stevan Knoblauch (Clovis West, CA) is ranked 11th after his championship at the Reno ToC. Also present in this weight class are three other state placers -- Vinny Moita (De La Salle, CA); Daniel Gaytan (Clovis, CA); and Adrian Rodriguez (Buchanan, CA). Rounding out the defending champions is Drew Meulman (St Francis, CA) -- ranked 7th nationally at 285 pounds. Also present in Meulman's weight is three other state placers -- Kyle Papendorf (Buchanan, CA); Rykeem Yates (Edison, CA); and Brian Schoene (Bakersfield, CA). The last of the nationally-ranked wrestlers is Nick Pena (Selma, CA) -- ranked 11th at 135 pounds -- though he is projected to compete at 130 this coming weekend. Also in the weight class is state placer Shane Tate (Oakdale, CA). Buchanan, CA seeks to invade the gym of neighborhood rival Clovis to steal a second straight Doc Buchanan title from their midst. The two teams were first and second in last year's tournament. Three other notable team contenders are Bakersfield, CA; Selma, CA; and Gilroy, CA. The live blog for the tournament is available at http://cloviswrestling.blogspot.com , while live streaming video is available at the following link: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/clovis-wrestling. Competition starts at 9 a.m. Pacific Time on both days. Kings of the Mountain again seek to "Escape the Rock" Twenty-four teams will again converge upon Council Rock South, PA for the 5th annual Escape the Rock Wrestling Tournament this coming Friday and Saturday. Like at last month's King of the Mountain, Central Mountain, PA is seeking another repeat tournament championship. However, a formidable field stands in their way -- starting with last year's tournament runner-up Wyoming Seminary, PA. The Knights continue a run through the nation's most rigorous schedule; already having competed at the Walsh Ironman, Beast of the East, and Cheesehead -- with Mount Mat Madness and a quad at Blair Academy, NJ still remaining. Other notable teams in the field are Council Rock South, PA; Paulsboro, NJ; and Sussex Central, DE. The defending champion Wildcats feature three of the nine wrestlers that return to defend titles from last year's Escape the Rock -- Jordan Rich (135), as well as Andrew (145) and Dylan (152) Alton. The 135 pound weight class featuring Rich and Simon Kitzis (Wyoming Seminary, PA) is one of three brackets to include two nationally-ranked wrestlers. Andrew Alton is featured in the only bracket with two returning tournament champions, as Matt Martoccio (Council Rock South, PA) joins him at 145 pounds. Dylan Alton's primary challenger is likely to be state placer and two-time Beast of the East placer Bo Candelaria (Middletown, PA). Likewise, Wyoming Seminary features three defending tournament champions in Dominick Malone (112), Kyle Johnson (119), and Mike McMullan (285). Malone is competing in one of the tournament's tougher weight brackets, with fellow nationally-ranked wrestler Chris Donaldson (Salesianum, DE) joining him in the competition. In addition, state placers Randy Cruz (Bethlehem Catholic, PA) and Billy Hagany (Lenape Valley, NJ) join those two at 112 pounds. The primary challenger for Johnson at 119 pounds will be Brandon Davis (Parkland, PA). McMullan, ranked first in the nation at 285 pounds, seeks to continue his dominant run of wrestling in what might be the easiest leg of his gauntlet run with only state placer Zach Corl (Central Mountain, PA) of real note in his weight class. The third and final weight class with a pair of nationally-ranked wrestlers is the one at 140 pounds featurning Junior National freestyle champion Josh Dziewa (Council Rock South, PA) and Beast of the East runner-up Codey Combs (Sussex Central, DE). Dziewa is ranked third nationally, while Combs is currently 11th in the rankings. Also in this weight class is Cadet National freestyle runner-up Brian Brill (Central Mountain, PA). The other team with defending tournament champions is Paulsboro, NJ with Joe Duca (125) and Zack Greenwald (215) -- both of whom are nationally ranked. Duca is the favorite in a weight class that also includes state qualifier Matt Rappo (Council Rock South, PA); Walsh Ironman placer Garrett Hammond (Wyoming Seminary, PA); and former Beast of the East placer Brandon Shultie (Sussex Central, DE). Greenwald is slated to compete in arguably the tournament's feature weight class, which also includes Beast of the East champion Matt Idelson (Garnet Valley, PA) as well as a pair of state placers in Scott Syrek (Owen J. Roberts, PA) and Jon Gingerich (Bald Eagle Area, PA). Rounding out the list of twelve nationally-ranked wrestlers in the event is Jamie Callender (Council Rock North, PA), 14th at 189 pounds. Virginia Duals turn 30 This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Virginia Duals National Invitational Wrestling Tournament in Hampton, VA. The event, which includes three divisions of high school competition and two divisions of collegiate competition, will be held this coming Friday and Saturday. It was the initial event to use the team advancement concept, and remains one of the pre-eminent events using the format. All three high school divisions feature a 16-bracket. The American Division is the second level bracket and features primarily schools from the Commonwealth of Virginia -- only four programs come from out of state. The top seed is Grundy, VA; while St Christopher's, VA anchored by Brandon Jeske -- ranked 12th nationally at 119 pounds -- is the second seed. The Black and Blue Division is the bottom-level bracket including teams exclusively from Virginia. The top seed is Skyline, while the second seed is Brooke Point. With five wrestlers nationally ranked by InterMat, St Mark's, DE is the top seed in the National Division. Nick Schenk (130) and Bobby Telford (285) are the anchor wrestlers, ranked second and third nationally; Tyler Pendergast (112), Sean Dolan (119), and Sean Boylan (125) also populate the rankings for the Spartans. In the first round, they draw Hopewell, VA -- which is anchored by Cody (152) and Clint (171) Allala. Presuming a first round win, the Spartans would advance to face the winner of the dual meet between the eight seed South Plainfield, NJ and Wantagh, NY. The lone nationally-ranked wrestler in this dual is Matthew Loew (189) of Wantagh. The match between Loew and Mike Wagner, who placed fourth at state last year, is the feature match of the dual meet. South Plainfield is an incredibly young team with a number of impact freshmen in the lineup, and they are favored to win the dual meet due to their excellence in the lower half of the lineup. Other featured wrestlers for the Tigers include Anthony Ashnault (103), Troy (112) and Nick (135) Heilmann, and Ryan Sacco (140). The tournament's fifth seed is Phillipsburg, NJ -- state champions in Group III last year. The Liners are anchored by state placer Oliver Burkhardt (145), along with Matt Lane (130) and John Horak (135). The feature bout of the first round dual against Fauquier, VA will be at 145 pounds where Burkhardt is slated to compete against Walsh Ironman placer Connor Miller (145). Other wrestlers to watch for the Indians are Greg Flournoy (119) and Ryan Hunsberger (125). Six-time state champion Christiansburg, VA is the tournament's fourth seed and should be favored to advance to the quarterfinals against (mot likely) Phillipsburg. The Blue Demons are anchored by a pair of nationally-ranked wrestlers in Joey Dance (112) and Devin Carter (125). Four other wrestlers placed in the POWERade -- Logan Bosley (130), Brady Epperly (140), Rich Eva (152), and Tyler Miles (160). Their first round opponent is Canon McMillan, PA -- which is led by freshman Connor Schram (103), two-time state placer Nick Catalano (135), and Cody Klempay (215); Schram and Klempay were POWERade runners-up. Moving to the lower half of the draw, the third seed is Eastern Regional, NJ. The Vikings are a very top heavy team with a quartet of nationally-ranked wrestlers, one additional state placer, but not much strength across the rest of the lineup. Robert Deutsch (119), Hank Stinson (140), Anthony Baldosaro (145), and Preston Kieffer (160) are the ranked wrestlers; while Dave Newcomber (152) placed eighth in the state tournament last year. Their first round opponent is Kellam, VA; which is anchored by two-time state runner-up Aaron Runzo (125), who also was a Junior National Greco-Roman AA this past summer. Presuming the likely first round win for the Vikings, they would move on most likely to face Nazareth, PA. The Blue Eagles are anchored by two-time state runner-up Zach Horan (125), who is ranked 10th nationally. In addition, Nazareth features state placer Ryan Krecker (152). Their first round opponent is Columbia, NY. The most intriguing of the eight opening round matchups in the National bracket is the one placing seventh-seed Bethlehem Liberty, PA against Camden Catholic, NJ. The Hurricanes had six placers in their home tournament over the holidays - led by Anthony Cabrera (103), Devon Lotito (112), and state placer Anthony Marino (125). Camden Catholic have won six consecutive state titles in the Parochial Group A classification, and are anchored by state champion Taylor Walsh (140/145). Three other notable wrestlers are freshman Chad Walsh (103); Matt Sausman (119), third at state; and Beast of the East placer freshman TJ Miller (125). Best of Buckeye State to do battle While there is no official dual meet state championship within Ohio, the Ohio High School Wrestling Coaches Association (OHSWCA) State Duals this Sunday will have to make do. Starting at 12:00 noon at three different sites, each division will have an eight-team bracketed dual meet tournament. The big-school division will compete at Wadsworth, Division II will compete at Graham, while Division III (small-school) will compete at Evergreen. Competition will continue at each site with the second round at 2:00 p.m., and the finals will commence at 4:00 p.m. Most notable is the Division I tournament, which should feature a finals match between two of the nation's elite squads in St Edward and Wadsworth. While St Edward has won the last 13 individual state tournament titles, Wadsworth knocked off the Eagles in last year's state duals and in a dual meet later on during the season. In order to advance to the final, St Edward has to beat Springboro in the first round and then most likely Twinsburg in the semifinal; while Wadsworth has Mentor in the first round, and the winner of Marysville vs. Cincinnati Elder in the second round. Key to the Eagles team should be the return of Jamie Clark, tops in the nation at 130 pounds. Clark competed in the season's opening weekend, but did not compete in the Walsh Ironman and has not since appeared on the mat. In addition, the squad features nationally-ranked wrestlers in Dean Heil (103), Anthony Salupo (145), and Nick Sulzer (160); as well as former state champion Gus Sako (125). The Grizzlies will also be welcoming back a key ingredient to their squad in Caleb Busson (189). A state placer last year, Busson is one of the lead contenders for a state title in the big-school division at his weight; however, he has not competed yet to date this year due to football injury. Wadsworth features nationally-ranked wrestlers in Kagan (119) and Brad (145) Squire; and has two other notable wrestlers favored for state titles in their weight class -- sophomore Nick Tavanello (215) and senior Ben Buzzelli (285). The host Falcons should walk their way to a Division II state dual meet title with their four nationally-ranked wrestlers -- Ryan Taylor (103), Nick Brascetta (119), Felipe Martinez (140), and Max Thomusseit (189). Their championship final could come against Medina Invitational runners-up Oak Harbor. One would think the small-school division favorite is Monroeville with their "big four." However, that is not the case for two reasons. First, two members of the big four are question marks for the event -- as Hunter Stieber (119/125) and Chris Phillips (171) were out at their last tournament due to injury. Second, beyond state qualifier Cal Clark (135/140), the rest of the Eagle squad is suspect. In terms of fan interest, the other two contenders for the state title -- CVCA and Chanel, both out of the Cleveland/Akron area -- are also not in the event. Therefore, look for a final between West Jefferson and Cuyahoga Hts.

Cyclone Notebook • Iowa State heads to Cedar Falls, Iowa, to take part in the 2010 NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals, presented by Hibiclens. The second-ranked Cyclones took third place at last year’s edition of the event. ISU faces Bloomsburg in the first round. • ISU held off sixth-ranked Minnesota Jan. 3, 19-16, with a decisive pin being recorded by top-ranked Jake Varner at 197 pounds. The Cyclones split the dual matches with the Gophers at 5-5. • Iowa State notched a team runner-up fi nish at the 47th Annual Midlands Championships in Evanston, Ill., Dec. 29-30. ISU’s Jake Varner took the 197-pound crown. • The Cyclones are 3-1 in the 2009-10 season with earlier dual victories coming Nov. 12 in Hilton Coliseum over South Dakota State (43-3) and Dec. 19 at UNI, 42-0. • ISU is currently ranked 2/2 in the Intermat and W.I.N. Magazine polls, respectively. • Iowa State is 992-262-20 all-time in duals, dating back to 1916. • The Cyclones are coming off a third-place showing at last year’s NCAA Championships. • Iowa State returns four grapplers who earned All-America honors in at the 2009 NCAA Championships: Nick Gallick (141), Jon Reader (165), Jake Varner (197) and David Zabriskie (HWT). ISU 133-pounder Nick Fanthorpe was an All-American in 2008. Iowa State at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals • Iowa State placed third at the 2009 NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals, presented by Hibiclens, posting a 3-1 record in the event. • En route to the third-place showing, ISU notched dual victories over Indiana (35-0), Boise State (19-15) and Nebraska (20-19). The No. 2 Cyclones were dropped in semifinal action by then third-ranked Cornell, 22-15. • ISU has participated in five-straight National Dual events. • In the events history, Iowa State has taken one team championship (2000), and has been team runner-up once, in 1992. Iowa State vs. Bloomsburg Series Notes • The Cyclones are a pristine 6-0 versus Bloomsburg all-time, with the last meeting between the teams taking place Jan. 2, 1988. ISU handled the Huskies by a score of 26-12. • Iowa State and Huskies have met before in a dual tournament setting. ISU turned away Bloomsburg with a 31-9 victory at the Virginia Duals, Jan. 11, 1986. Iowa State won the event with three dual victories. Scouting the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals • No. 2 Iowa State will face off with Bloomsburg in the first round of the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals. The Huskies are 8-2 in duals this season. • BU is coached by John Stutzman, who is in his fi fth season at the helm of the Bloomsburg wrestling program. Last season, the Huskies went 9-7 and 3-3 in the Eastern Wrestling League. • The Cyclones face a possible second-round matchup with seventh-seed, Maryland. UM is out to a 7-1 dual start, which is the school’s best since a 9-1 start in the 1994-95 season. • The Terps are coached by Kerry McCoy, who was a two-time Olympian. McCoy is 17-9-1 in his second season at Maryland. • ISU hasn’t faced the Terrapins since Jan. 11, 1969. Iowa State won the matchup, 23-12, to be 3-0 all-time against Maryland. • There are familiar faces around the dual tournament bracket. Participants on the 2009-10 Cyclone wrestling schedule include: No. 1 Iowa, No. 5 Minnesota, No. 6 Cornell, Arizona State, Missouri, Nebraska and host, Northern Iowa. • Other participating teams include: Buffalo, No. 4 Central Michigan, Northwestern, No. 3 Ohio State and Wisconsin.

Cody Sanderson

Dan Hicks

Jack Spates

Robbie Waller

Donny Pritzlaff

Bart Friedenberg

Steve Fittery

Colin McDonough

Our mobile Brute adidas studios will be on the road in Cedar Falls this week for the NWCA National Duals. Join us this week as we broadcast the National Duals live from UNI. No scheduled guests- just Steve Foster and I with Great Action. Special programming note- You can watch 1 of 10 cameras as we partner with livesportsvideo.com to bring you video and audio all weekend long from the UNI Dome. This is a free weekend! Please note that Episode 39 of TDR TV is now up on all the top web sites around the country and is available for your viewing. TDR every week! It's appointment Radio and TV! Join us at Takedownradio.com. America's Wrestling Radio Talk Show airs on Supertalk 1570 in Michigan, AM 1460 KXNO in Iowa and on a radio station near you or on line at many of our broadcast partners around the world including Livesportsvideo.com. TDR "the Radio Program" airs 9 AM to 11 AM CST every Saturday morning we look forward to having you listen. Thanks and Happy New Years!

Mike Moyer

In the spring of 2008, Tim Hartung, a two-time NCAA champion for the University of Minnesota in the late 90s, walked away from wrestling, resigning from his position as an assistant coach at Iowa State. A year and a half later, Hartung is back in wrestling ... coaching at the high school level in Eagan, Minnesota. InterMat recently talked to Hartung about a variety of subjects, including coaching in high school and college, Cael Sanderson, Jake Varner, Mark Perry, Brock Lesnar, Marty Morgan, and much more. Tim HartungAfter the 2008 season, you left your position as an assistant coach at Iowa State. That move surprised some because it's not often that a Division I college coach walks away from the sport. What went into that decision at the time? Hartung: It was completely family. I had a little baby on the way. My wife and I had talked about it forever that once we start a family I was going to get out of the college coaching world. You're gone too much ... and way too much time away from family. That was the only decision. What intrigued you about getting into coaching wrestling at the high school level? Hartung: It's a catalyst for me. My long-term plan is to get into administration. In order to get an administrator's license, I have to teach three years before I'm eligible to become an administrator. I have to teach for three years and while I'm teaching, it was a good fit for me to also coach wrestling. Obviously, I love the sport. I missed it a little bit. And it's just a way to stay connected. So you don't see coaching as a long-term thing? Hartung: You might be able to find a district that would allow you to be an administrator and coach, but most of the time that's not an option. It's not like once you get your administrator's license you're just a shoe-in. It may take me six, seven, eight, nine, ten years before I find an administrative job that I like. But eventually, yeah, I don't plan on coaching forever. Most of the time, once you become an administrator in some capacity, you're real busy and they don't allow you to coach. I can imagine there are some differences between coaching in high school and coaching in college ... Hartung: There are, but it's all the same. You try to take a group of kids or young adults, help them get better and accomplish their goals. What you're trying to accomplish is the exact same. You're just working with different people and different levels of ability. So really the approach is the same. I was surprised. The mentality that you try to preach ... the style that you try to preach ... the commitment that you try to preach might be toned down a little bit, but it's really the same. You have the same goals and the same intentions in mind. It's kind of crazy. Not only were you successful as a competitor at a very high level, but you also were able to coach at three of the nation's top college wrestling programs. How important was that for you to be able to spend time in three different top collegiate wrestling programs? Tim HartungHartung: Well, I can tell you right now, as a coach, I use a lot of the skills, tactics, techniques, and mentalities that I picked up at all three places. I got to work with great people. It's no different than a business man that bounces around and spends time in three or four different companies. You learn from each place and ultimately it makes you better. That's the thing that I took away from it ... different philosophies, different approaches to try to achieve the same objective. I know it has helped me. Coming out of J [Robinson]'s program, he's real strict and his mentality is awesome. He's been real successful. Jimmy [Zaleskey] had a different twist. He was a little bit more laid back and tried to motivate the guys a little bit more intrinsically. And then Cael [Sanderson] brought a different twist to that too. So I have just kind of been a sponge and taken different pieces from each guy and kind of made it my own, so it's been interesting. The programs that you have been associated with have only known winning. The high school where you're now coaching, Eagan, isn't a wrestling powerhouse in Minnesota, so it's obviously going to take some building. I know you're focused on getting Eagan to the top, but how patient are you going to be with winning? Hartung: One of the biggest things I learned from Coach Sanderson at Iowa State ... When he coached, he was real consistent with his message. It never involved winning and losing. It involved your best effort. I use that same exact team motto every day. It's your best effort ... That's all I'm concerned about. Your best effort. Your best performance. Trying to achieve your best results ... Whatever that is. That has kind of been my approach with these guys. We are a real inexperienced team. We don't have a strong, winning tradition. I'm a realist. We have Apple Valley in our district. They are one of the premier programs in the country. My goals for this team are just to get better and for them to give their best effort and learn more of the life lessons on how to fight and how to go after your goals. Winning will come, but obviously it's going to take a while. But there are bigger lessons to learn. That's kind of our approach right now. You mentioned Apple Valley. Do you like being in the same conference and section as Apple Valley because it shows your wrestlers a higher level, maybe a level that you would like to get to? Or would you just as soon not have to deal with Apple Valley? Hartung: That's a loaded question. I mean, any team wants to beat the best eventually. But the facts are ... a team that's less experienced and a team that has been taking a beating from a team like Apple Valley forever, it's tough to overcome that obstacle. You look at Iowa-Iowa State. Iowa State has had some teams that most people would argue were better, but they never seem to be able to win that dual. It's a psychological thing. I haven't been here long enough to know what our guys are feeling. We do wrestle them in the middle of January. I would imagine that we get real intimidated. I'm sure that happens. Any coach's goal would be to make the state tournament first of all ... and then try to do the best you can there. That kind of puts you behind the eight ball when you have Apple Valley in your district. Would I rather be in a different district? Potentially. But eventually your goal is always to be the best, so you have to beat them at some point. In April, Cael Sanderson left his position at Iowa State to become the head coach at Penn State. Obviously, you have developed a relationship with Cael. How surprised were you that Cael left Iowa State? Cael Sanderson (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)Hartung: I don't know that anybody saw it coming. But I know that he wants to win. Obviously, he felt that Penn State gave him a better chance to do that. I was a little bit surprised, but I guess that's the coaching world. You see it all the time in all the different sports. I don't even know what type of deal he got or whatnot, but it had to be decent to get him away from Iowa State. It's awesome to see wrestling do that. Other sports do it all the time. Programs come in and try to sweep a great coach away by spiffing up the deal. That's what happened I think with Cael. It's just awesome that wrestling had that opportunity. You won two NCAA Division I titles, so obviously you know what it takes to win at that level. Cael is the only wrestler to go undefeated in college and win four NCAA Division I titles. Do you think we will ever see another wrestler go undefeated and win four NCAA Division I titles in our lifetime? Hartung: There is always somebody coming along that will have a chance to do it I'm sure. It's an incredible feat ... as anybody that has wrestled in college knows ... between injuries, being tweaked, getting sick, wrestling through pain ... There are just so many variables. There have been plenty of guys probably with the talent level to do it, but it takes an extremely solid, mentally strong individual to go four years undefeated like he did. It wasn't like he sat out a lot of matches. I'm not sure he sat out any. That's just unbelievable. There are so many things. There was some luck involved I would imagine because he didn't get injured a lot. The way he wrestled probably had something to do with that. No major sicknesses like pneumonia or something. There are just so many things. It's such a hard thing. I think people realize the magnitude of the accomplishment, but it always seems there is a next generation guy coming through in all the sports. LeBron James ... Everyone thought he was going to be better than Jordan. Tiger Woods came along after Jack Nicklaus. There is always somebody coming. But do I think it will happen? The smart man would say no. You worked closely with Jake Varner while at Iowa State. He won an NCAA title last season and then made his first U.S. World Team. How great do you think he can be? Hartung: He's just a great kid. He's earned everything he's got. He's the hardest worker that I've been around. He's the hardest guy I've ever wrestled while coaching and wrestling college athletes. The kid is good. He's so solid. He's so strong. He works extremely hard. At the end of every practice, he would grab Cael and go a couple more takedowns ... or he would grab me. Or he would jump rope for another 20 minutes. He really works for what he's got. He gets criticized from time to time for not being as offensive as people would like him to be. But you look back at the history ... guys like Lee Kemp. He wasn't an offensive machine either, but he got it done. That's kind of what he does. Tim Hartung (Photo/The Guillotine)In 2002, you won the U.S. Nationals and also made the U.S. World Team that year. But the U.S. did not participate in the 2002 World Championships in Iran due to a threat of violence towards the team. How much does that bother you that you didn't get an opportunity to represent the U.S. when you earned the spot? Hartung: Well, you always want a chance to compete at that level. I don't think much about that. It bothers me more that I fell a little bit short in 2004. That was my ultimate goal ... to make the Olympic Team. The 2002 thing was out of my control, so it's a little easier to kind of just let it go. But in 2004, I fell short on my own efforts. That's never the way you want your career to end. In talking to Mark Perry recently, he brought up your name when talking about coaches who have helped him throughout his career. Perry is now the top assistant at Cal Poly and already seems to be making a tremendous impact as a coach. Did you foresee a coaching career in his future when you were working with him at Iowa? Hartung: Well, he's got unbelievable knowledge of the sport. I think it comes from his family. I know he's talked about when he grew up, he was in the Oklahoma State room every day as a kid. He understands the sport probably as well as anybody. He's a real likeable kid. He has that knack for building relationships and connecting with people. I think that's what potentially could make him a really good coach. The guys that come into a college program will instantly gravitate towards him and kind of attach to him. He's got great credentials, great technique, great knowledge, and great enthusiasm for the sport. He should do really well. Your former teammate, Brock Lesnar, is now the UFC heavyweight champion. He pulled out of a November UFC event because of an illness. It was recently reported that Lesnar has an intestinal condition that has been ongoing for around a year. Do you still keep in touch with Lesnar? And if so, have you heard how he's doing? Hartung: I don't talk to him much. I was up training with him a little bit last May, so we kind of reconnected then. But he's busy and I'm busy, so it's tough to stay connected. But I heard through a couple guys that he's recovering well. They keep it pretty quiet. They don't really tell people exactly what's going on. So that's kind of where I'm at. You developed a relationship with Marty Morgan during your time at the University of Minnesota. Morgan is now working with Lesnar. He has said there are only a couple Division I head coaching jobs that we would consider. Do you think Morgan will ever become a Division I head coach? Tim Hartung (Photo/The Guillotine)Hartung: I don't know. I know one of the things he's enjoying now is his family. He has four kids. When he stepped away from coaching one of the things he said was, 'Wow, this is what it's like to have a life?' Coaching is a grind. All coaches will tell you that. You're constantly on the trail ... the recruiting trail or on the competition trail. And if you're not, you're not one of the best programs. The commitment that you need, it's just a hard life. You better enjoy it and you better make it a priority. It's real hard thing to do when you have a family that is trying to pull your commitments from that side. But I'm not sure if he will ever become a Division I head coach. It's a good question. I would say if it's sometime in the real near future ... like the Minnesota job or something, I think he would strongly consider it. But I'm not real sure. Do you stay connected with the University of Minnesota wrestling program? Hartung: I haven't that much. I have only been in the room one time since I've been back here, which has been about a year and a half. I really wish I could more. But I'm working on some teaching license stuff and I'm going to school. I have a new job in the Eagan school district. I'm coaching. Your time is limited. I have my family, which is my No. 1 priority. Everybody gets busy. It's tough to stay connected. I would love to more ... I know that. I just haven't gotten around to it yet. Hopefully I will when I slow down at some point. I would really like to. This story also appears in the January 1 issue of The Guillotine. The Guillotine has been covering amateur wrestling in Minnesota since 1971. Its mission is to report and promote amateur wrestling at all levels -- from youth and high school wrestling to college and international level wrestling. For information on how to subscribe, click HERE.

Jim Andrassy never scribbled his plan down on paper. He never typed it; he didn't post it on the team bulletin board; he certainly never e-mailed bullet points to recruits or boosters. Still, the Kent State skipper claims the program's crawl from fledgling MAC program to the national rankings was the expected result -- of a plan. Jim AndrassyKent State's has been a success of late (12-match winning streak, top 15 national ranking) but according to Andrassy, the achievement wasn't borne of providence or the enlistment of a huge recruiting class finally coming to maturity. Rather it's a motley collection of some hard-nosed local boys, a proven in-the-room training system that relies on technique and toughness, and a heavy portion of patience. "I knew we had some limitations when I got the job [in 2003],"Andrassy said. "I decided to focus on what we could do better than the big schools and for me that meant finding the local kids and teaching them up." Results were gradual. After hiring Josh Moore, an NCAA finalist and former Penn State standout, the program had success recruiting better classes each season, landing two top 25 classes in their first four seasons. Still the success of the team lagged behind a few seasons, including the extension of an All-American drought that lasted 23 years (Kent State brought home two trophies last year.) Despite some lean years, the coaching duo says they weren't fazed. "Coach Moore and I are taking it one year at a time," said Andrassy, who's been at Kent State for 19 years including his time as a wrestler, assistant coach and head coach. "The guys know our goal is only to do better than the year before. If we do even a little bit better then soon enough we'll be top 10 at NCAAs for a lot of years to come." Josh Moore (left) is in his sixth season as an assistant coach on Jim Andrassy's staff (Photo/Kent State Sports Information)While big conference schools rip through the state dangling full scholarship offers and NCAA title hopes in front of top recruits, he has courted what he believes are the state's toughest wrestlers -- second-tier grinders he and Moore can develop into All-Americans over the course of five years. Staying close to campus has been their unofficial modus operandi: of the 30 wrestlers listed on the team's Web site, 23 are from Ohio, including nine starters (Andrassy credits Central Michigan head coach Tom Borrelli for popularizing the local-first method of recruiting in the MAC.) "We want to own Ohio and then slowly -- over the next several years -- make our way into Pennsylvania, and then hopefully New York," said Moore, a Pennsylvania native who recruited the one non-Ohioan in the starting lineup, fellow Keystone-stater Mallie Shuster. "We try not to get caught up in too many recruiting battles."Andrassy said. "Ohio is one of the best wrestling states in the country and I think we are an exciting option for talented hard workers who wanna scrap." Dustin Kilgore is currently ranked No. 5 at 184 pounds (Photo/Kent State Sports Information)One exception to Andrassy's second-tier rule has been third-ranked Ohioan Dustin Kilgore. The redshirt 184-pound sophomore was recruited by several Big Ten programs, but said he chose Kent State because he connected with the coaches and trusted their plan for his development. "The coaches seemed ready to turn things around," Kilgore said. "I got here it was obvious that they knew what they're doing. They don't push too much, but they're also not soft. I've become a better wrestler with much better technique." Kilgore redshirted his first year on campus, which according to Moore is also a vital part of sustaining a deep talent pool. While other schools feel pressure to win now with big name 18-year-old recruits, Moore said he trusts that their system will eventually prepare all their wrestlers for a shot at an All-American title or better. "What's the hurry?" Moore questioned. "We can get guys the extra year in the room and give them the time to develop and mature. Shuster got 30-plus matches last year and now he has four years to test himself at NCAA's and hopefully place." According to fifth-year senior Danny Mitcheff, that philosophy has worked well to develop his mat ability. The 11th-ranked Ohioan is preparing for his third trip to Nationals and a shot at becoming an All-American, an opportunity the single-time Ohio state champion might not have been afforded had Kent State not shown interest. Danny Mitcheff was looking at wrestling in Division II before the Kent State coaches asked him to come (Photo/Kent State Sports Information)"I was looking at Ashford (Division II) and then coaches asked me to come to Kent State. I mean, it's near my house and they were Division I."Mitcheff said. "It's been a long career, but I've worked really hard with the coaches, and they spend the time helping me get better." Andrassy and Moore claim that while they can't directly compete with the budgets, facilities, or tradition of many of the top programs right now (a new room is in the plans), they'll continue building a base of wrestlers, training them to compete at the national level. According to Kilgore the team and coaching staff have the same goal -- to place in the top 10 at the national tournament, something Kilgore says he reminds the team about every day at the end of practice. For Andrassy the real goal is much simpler, "Sure, I want Kent State to be in the top 10 every year," he said. "But right now I'm happy if we just do better than the year before." "Just show improvement. That's the plan."

WATERLOO -- Five former NCAA champions and one of the nation’s finest wrestling officials will be inducted into the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa, Class of 2010. The event begins at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 17 inside the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum. Members of the Class of 2010 are Gordon Hassman, Chuck Jean, Dan Holm, Mike Allen, Mark Reiland, and Tolly Thompson . "This is another great class of inductees,” said Kent Sesker, marketing director at the Gable Museum. “All are well-deserving of this prestigious honor." Also that weekend is a wrestling clinic featuring Tolly Thompson, one of this year’s inductees. This free clinic will begin at 11 a.m. at the Dan Gable Teaching Center located in the museum. The Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame was established in 2002 to honor the people who have made an impact on the sport on a national level, or who have done extraordinary work in the State of Iowa. The hall recognizes native born Iowans, and those who achieved their fame while wrestling or coaching for an Iowa college. To date, 98 individuals have been honored by the hall. This is the ninth class. The hall is named after Glen Brand, an NCAA champion for Iowa State in 1948, who won an Olympic gold medal the same year, at 174 pounds in London. He graduated with a degree in civil engineering and by 1983 he owned two companies in Omaha -- Brand Hydraulics and Brand Fluid Power. The companies had over 50 distributors around the world. He attended every hall of fame inductions, and passed away on Nov. 15, 2008, in Omaha, at the age of 85. "This is a chance to honor six worthy inductees and a chance to honor Glen Brand," said executive director Kyle Klingman. "Brand continues to influence wrestling through his remarkable contributions." Gordon Hassman was a three-time All-American and two-time Big Eight champion for Iowa State. As a junior in 1964, Hassman capped a perfect season with an NCAA title at 157 pounds. The following season he placed third at the same weight and was part of the Cyclones’ first NCAA team championship. Born and raised in New Hampton, Iowa, Hassman won a state title in 1960. A native of Albert Lea, Minn., Chuck Jean won NCAA titles for Iowa State in 1969 and '70 before transferring to Adams State and winning NAIA titles in 1972 and '73. He was also part of four team championships, making him the only collegiate wrestler to win four individual national titles and four team national titles. Jean was a state champion for Albert Lea High School in 1967. Dan Holm was a three-time All-American for the University of Iowa. Placing third at the NCAA tournament in 1973 & '74, Holm won an individual NCAA title in 1975. His title was part of the first NCAA team wrestling championship in school history. Holm wrestled for Libertyville High School in Illinois, winning a state title in 1971. His high school coach was 1972 Olympian and Glen Brand Hall of Famer Bob Buzzard. Mark Reiland won two state titles and was a four-time placer for Eagle Grove (IA) High School from 1984-1987. He went on to the University of Iowa where he was a two-time All-American and NCAA champion in 1991. He has achieved excellence in coaching as well, leading the Iowa City West program to six state championships: four dual meet titles and two traditional state titles. Mike Allen grew up in Waterloo, Iowa, and attended East High School where he competed in football and wrestling. He also competed in both sports at Ellsworth Community College (IA) and the University of Northern Iowa. Allen is best known for his 35-year career as a wrestling official. He has officiated national wrestling tournaments in all five divisions, including 23 NCAA Division I tournaments. Tolly Thompson was a two-time state runner-up for Janesville (IA) and a three-time All-American for the University of Nebraska. Thompson won an NCAA championship at heavyweight for the Cornhuskers in 1995. He was also a three-time Big Twelve champion. Thompson won three U.S. Open freestyle titles and was a member of two World teams, earning a bronze medal at the World Championships in 2005. Thompson will be providing a free youth clinic in the Dan Gable Teaching Center located inside the Museum. The clinic will take place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 17 prior to the induction ceremony. Coaches and parents are welcome to attend. The Kids Clinic is limited to the first 25 wrestlers who sign up. For more information or to sign up, contact Kent Sesker at (319) 233-0745 or kent@wrestlingmuseum.org. Schedule of Events April 17 Saturday, April 17: Tolly Thompson Kids Clinic, 11 a.m. This clinic free clinic, limited to first 25 who sign up, includes a free tour of museum and admission to hall of fame inductions Inductions to Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa, 1 p.m.

As the wrestling season's start is fast approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. From early August until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce fans to the top senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and from Maine to California, fans will gain exposure to the potential stars of future NCAA Championships. The rankings within this article do not necessarily reflect those done by InterMat. Did you a miss a Wrestling 49 feature? Visit Wrestling 49 archives. South Dakota wrestling is gaining momentum on the national scene. The state may have just sent its best class of recruits to take the next step in college. Last year's class was led by Robert Kokesh (Nebraska), Seth Lange (Minnesota), Josh Keszler (UNO), and Jayd Docken (Augustana). The 2010-2011 class does not fall far off and is led by Fargo champion Logan Storley of Webster. The highly-touted Storley is making his bid for a sixth title and looks to join only one other South Dakotan that has accomplished the feat, Kirk Wallman (Freeman). The duo from Rapid City Stevens High School of Kris Klapprodt and Jarret Jensen would make a very nice addition to any college team and be able to compete with the best. Clint Wilson, Garret Heiberger, and Derrick Walraven all have wrestled in the national tournament and have gained valuable experience that will help them be successful not only on the mat this year, but on the mat in college as well. South Dakota is really working hard on building its summer wrestling programs as more and more kids are competing during the summer months. Look for Rapid City Stevens and Sturgis to continue battling for the top spot in South Dakota wrestling and entering in national rankings as a team during the season. South Dakota is also very proud to have had Les Sigman (Sturgis) compete for Team USA as a U.S. World Freestyle Team member this year. Keep up the great work, Les! Logan Storley1. Logan Storley School: Webster Projected 2010-11 High School Weight Class: 171/189 Projected College Weight Class: 174 Analysis: Coming off a Fargo title in freestyle, Logan Storley looks to go out with a bang in South Dakota as he is going for his sixth state title this year. He has been compared by many to Lincoln Mcllravy, a South Dakota native who went on to win three NCAA titles at Iowa and three World-level medals in freestyle. 2. Kris Klapprodt School: Rapid City Stevens Projected 2010-11 High School Weight Class: 171/189 Projected College Weight Class: 174 Analysis: Right on the heels of Storley sits Klapprodt, a very fierce competitor that will not back down from a brawl or a challenge. He was a Junior Nationals freestyle All-American in Fargo as well as the runner-up to Storley at NHSCA Nationals in Virginia Beach. Jarret Jensen3. Jarret Jensen School: Rapid City Stevens Projected 2010-11 High School Weight Class: 160 Projected College Weight Class: 157 Analysis: The Stevens duo of Klapprodt and Jensen look to knock off the Sturgis Scoopers this year in the Class A tournament. Their best match of the season may come in the practice room. Jensen's father was a standout wrestler for SDSU. 4. Garret Heiberger School: Tri Valley Projected 2010-11 High School Weight Class: 152 Projected College Weight Class: 157 Analysis: Heiberger looks for his third state title this year. A very strong wrestler that will succeed at the college level. 5. Clint Wilson School: Sturgis Projected 2010-11 High School Weight Class: 215 Projected College Weight Class: 197 Analysis: Wilson looks to put the Sturgis Scoopers on his back as they try to defend their state title. He is also a standout on the football field for the Scoopers as well. Derrick Walraven6. Derrick Walraven School: Huron Projected 2010-11 High School Weight Class: 152 Projected College Weight Class: 149 Analysis: Walraven looks to defend his state title this year and guide the Huron Tigers to a state championship as well. Derrick's brother, Dustin, is a member of the SDSU wrestling team and was one match away from qualifying for the NCAA Championships. 7. Sawyer Hoffman School: Watertown Projected 2010-11 High School Weight Class: 145 Projected College Weight Class: 149 Analysis: Hoffman looks to rebound from his runner-up finish last year. He is the heart of a very tradition-rich Watertown Arrows wrestling team. 8. Tanner Donelon School: Garretson Projected 2010-11 High School Weight Class: 145 Projected College Weight Class: 141 Analysis: A two-time state champ with a runner up finish, Donelon returns for his senior season and looks to prove that he belongs with the top five on the list. Brady Edgar9. Brady Edgar School: Redfield Projected 2010-11 High School Weight Class: 130 Projected College Weight Class: 133 Analysis: Edgar, who is also a two-timer and a runner-up, looks for a third title. Behind Edgar are a group of Redfield wrestlers that look to dethrone Wagner as three-time champs. 10. Taylor Harris School: Harrisburg Projected 2010-11 High School Weight Class: 285 Projected College Weight Class: 285 Analysis: Earning the state heavyweight title last year, Harris returns to defend his title. He is a very strong and mobile heavyweight. Honorable Mention: Jordan Redmond (Milbank) Pat Waring (Miller/Highmore) Tim Weber (West Central) Eric Reiff (Parkston) Thomas Geyer (Kimball)