InterMat Staff

FULLERTON, Calif. -- Midway through the second period of the 125-pound final of the Fullerton Open, Titan wrestler Andre Gonzalez used supreme balance to fight off a leg attack by highly touted freshman Ryan Mango of Stanford, who was wrestling unattached. Seconds later Gonzalez launched his own counter-offense to secure a takedown of his own and tie the match, 3-3. Mango released Gonzalez to start the third period, giving Gonzalez a 4-3 lead. While others may have tried to hold on for the win, Gonzalez continued to attack and wound up getting another takedown with less than thirty seconds left in the match. That cemented the victory. Andre Gonzalez of Cal State Fullerton defeated Ryan Mango of Stanford (Photo/Bob Mayeri) "Our coach teaches us that it doesn't matter if you get taken down," Gonzalez said. "As long as you keep working." Gozalez's victory was not one of improvisation as the wrestler had scouted his opponent earlier in the day "I saw him wrestle my teammate in the semifinals, Marcus Orona, so I was kind of going off of that. " The win was one of three champions for the Cal State Fullerton wrestling team -- a program in the national spotlight this weekend as it fights for its survival. Another final decided only until the third period came at 157 pounds, where Stanford's Lucas Espericueta found himself tied 2-2 with Embry Riddle's Tyler Chang heading into the third period. Chang picked bottom to start the period, but Espericueta made the most of the situation and locked up a tilt near the out of bounds marker during a scramble. He rode Change hard until finally cutting him for an escape with eight seconds left and winning the match 4-3. Unlike Gonzalez, Espericueta admitted he doesn't do much scouting of opponents at all. "I'm good at assessing the situation in front of me. If I think too much, I get into trouble." Stanford also had three champions, but while the competition between the schools was fierce and the quality of the wrestling top-notch, the tenor of the event was far different than previous years as people wondered if this would be the last hoorah for the Titan wrestling team. Dan HicksDue to the budget crisis facing California schools, CSFU athletic director Brian Quinn told Titan wrestling head coach Dan Hicks that last spring that the program would not be allowed to continue unless they could raise funds on their own. The same proposition was given to the head coach of the women's gymnastics team -- coached by Jill Hicks, Dan's wife. The two Hicks coaches have been going on a fundraising rampage ever since to try and save the sports that mean so much to them and the school. "We're a big commuter school," said Hicks. "Because of that there's not an automatic sense of community here and we get community through our sports teams. It's important." Recognizing how dire the situation was, the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) awarded Cal State Fullerton the hosting duties of Sunday's NWCA All-Star Classic -- the first time the event has taken place in the state of California. The press that the Titan program will receive from the event will hopefully amplify fund raising to the point where the program has a future. Excitement was already building during today's action. Throughout the day, planes holding wrestlers from all over the country landed and the invitees for tomorrow's milestone event came to the gymnasium to check out the venue and watch the tournament. The NWCA All-Star Classic is expected to draw a huge crowd and the finals of the Fullerton Open proved to be an outstanding opening act. Related Content: Fullerton Open Final Brackets Fullerton Open Photo Gallery (Tech-Fall.com)

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Sophomore Aaron Kalil (Salem, N.H.) and freshman Oscar Huntley (Emerald Isle, N.C.) claimed individual titles and 22 Navy wrestlers placed, as the Midshipmen won the 2009 Navy Wrestling Classic held Saturday at Halsey Field House in Annapolis. Navy and Virginia Tech exchanged the lead throughout the day, but the Mids held a narrow advantage heading into the medal round and were able to hold on for their 17th Navy Classic title in 32 years. "We won some close bouts, but we lost some too, but overall I was really proud of the effort our team put forth today," said Navy head coach Bruce Burnett, who has led the Mids to the Navy Classic title in five of the last six years. "I want our wrestlers to be tough out on the mat and today I really felt as though we had some tough performances. It was a very competitive tournament and I'm happy with the outcome." In fact, Navy's win is impressive given the fact that it was without the services of its starting 133 and 174-pound starters Pat McCaffrey and Luke Rebertus, respectively. Additionally, Virginia Tech stands No. 23 in this week's Intermat rankings, while Bucknell is receiving votes. Navy took the crown with 137 points, followed by Virginia Tech with 126.5 points, Bucknell with 120 points, Bloomsburg with 107 points and Franklin & Marshall edge out George Mason by a half a point (33-32.5) to take fifth. Seven Navy wrestlers appeared in the championship bout of their respective weight classes, including three freshmen. Third-seeded Allan Stein (Portland, Maine) upset second-seeded Jason Guffey from Bloomsburg in the semifinals by a 7-5 count to meet Kalil in the championship bout. Kalil, seeded No. 1, took control of the match early, putting Stein on his back and nearly pinning him to take a 5-0 lead after one. The second period featured back-to-back takedowns by Kalil, who built up a load of riding time and eventually took the match win 11-2. It was Kalil's first collegiate individual tournament crown. Navy junior Bryce Saddoris (Spring Creek, Nev.) sailed through the preliminary rounds, leaving nothing behind as he captured a tech fall in his opener and back-to-back major decisions en route to earning a spot in the 157-pound finals. Ranked 11th, Saddoris had no answer for 19th-ranked Jess Dong of Virginia Tech, however, as Dong was awarded a pair of back points in the second period and rode out Saddoris for the remainder of the period. Dong went on to defeat Saddoris, 4-0, in what was just the second loss by Saddoris this season and the second consecutive tournament he has finished as runner-up. "Bryce certainly had the opportunity to win the two matches that he's lost this year," said Burnett, who sees Saddoris bump in weight a challenge, but one that is certainly within reach. "It's certainly an adjustment for Bryce in the weight change. In the past he was able to utilize his strength, but he has to be technically better to achieve what his goals are this season. It will be a process, but Bryce has the drive to meet the challenge." The 165-pound finals put two Navy wrestlers out on the mat. Huntley, who won earned his first individual title as a collegian, upset second-seeded and 20th-ranked Rick Schmelyun of Bloomsburg to punch his ticket into the finals. His foe, however, was a wrestler he knew all too well, Navy junior Robby Neill (Brick, N.J.). Neill scored three wins to earn a spot in the finals, including upsetting top-seeded Matt Epperly of Virginia Tech by a 7-4 decision. "It's difficult to wrestle against someone you face every single day in your own room," said Huntley, who made mention that he was happy to see his hard work pay off. "We are both similar wrestlers in our style and when the match went into overtime, I was really working hard on my defense." After a 1-1 tie after regulation, the two entered into sudden victory. Neither wrestler scored and in the two tie-breaker sessions, each was able to break free for the one-point escape. It was in the second sudden victory session that Neill's mistake cost him the championship, as Huntley was able to take Neill to the mat for the 4-2 sv2 win. It's the second straight year that a Navy rookie has won a Navy Classic title, after not having a frosh win a weight class since 1998. Last year, Luke Rebertus (Elkton, Md.) was crowned the 174-pound champion. After pinning Campbell's Derek Tomasone in under one minute, Navy freshman Andrew Buck (Carson, Wash.) would face a much more threatening foe in his quarterfinals match. In fact, David Thompson not only came in as the runner-up in last year's Navy Classic, he was ranked 19th by Amateur Wrestling News at 184 pounds. The two traded points until the match was eventually sent into overtime. Buck came out the victor by taking down Thompson in sudden victory. Buck went on to face teammate Matt DeMichiel (Whitesboro, N.Y.), Navy's starter at 165 pounds a year ago, and dealt him a loss for a second straight tournament as Buck advanced to the finals. That jubilation, however, was short lived as 18th-ranked Thomas Spellman of Virginia Tech carded the 10-0 win to claim the title. It went down to the wire in the finals bout of the heavyweight division between Navy rookie Dan Miller (Berlin, Md.) and Virginia Tech junior D.J. Bruce. After finishing as last year's runner-up at 197 pounds, Bruce held off Miller, 5-3, to win the title. The Mids had multiple several other strong efforts throughout the day. Annapolis product Austin Clouse scored a pair of takedowns and was awarded three back points en route to a 9-4 victory over Bucknell's Derrik Russell to take fifth at 125 pounds. Meanwhile, Jared Anongos (Richmond, Va.) put together a solid effort in placing fifth at 133 pounds. Senior 141-pounder Matt Pagan (Carteret, N.J.) was awarded third place after his opponent, Virginia Tech sophomore Nick Murray, was disqualified. Just over three minutes into the match, Murray chomped down on Pagan's hand and was eliminated from the tournament for flagrant misconduct, a move that cost the Hokies a team point at the end of the match. Also placing in the weight class was freshman Eric Filipowicz (Elkridge, Md.) who was narrowly defeated in the fifth-place match by Bucknell's Adam Healey. Team captain Glenn Shober (Reading, Pa.) picked up fourth at 149 pounds, while second-year standout John Majka (Chicago, Ill.) placed sixth. Shober scrambled in the latter part of the match, but Josh Roosa of Bloomsburg held on for a 3-2 win despite being hit for stalling in the final period. Sophomore Cory Vernon (Great Meadows, N.J.) jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the first and never looked back, as he claimed fifth place at 157 pounds over teammate Zach Basich (Wheeling, W.Va.). With nearly three minutes of riding time, freshman Mason Bailey (Fairmont, W.Va.) used a series of takedowns and a reversal to score a 10-6 victory over Bucknell's Nick Czapla to finish fifth at 165 pounds, while senior Mike Billings (Waterford, Mich.) finished fourth at 174 pounds in what was his final Navy Classic. DiMichiel gave up an escape in the final period to give way to Bloomsburg's Derek Coffey in the third-place match of the 184-pounders, while senior Charles Carafano (Germantown, Md.) blanked Bloomsburg's Jacob Daishinsky, 3-0, to take third at 197 pounds. Newcomer Chance Rauscher (Glasgow, Mont.) took a 4-0 advantage in the opening period against Franklin & Marshall's Colin Ely and never surrendered the lead as he placed fifth at 197 pounds behind an 8-4 win. The Mids ended up taking second, third and fourth at heavyweight, as junior Mike Landis (Hershey, Pa.) scored a reversal in the second and a takedown in the third to just edge out teammate Joe Breaux (Bossier City, La.). Navy will be back in action the weekend of Dec. 4-6 when a split squad will head to the Las Vegas Invitational (Dec. 4-5) and the Nittany Lion Open (Dec. 6).

OMAHA, NE -- University of Iowa junior Matt Ballweg (157) and sophomore Montell Marion (141) each won titles at the 2009 Ryan Kaufman-Glen Brand Open Saturday in Omaha, NE. A total of 18 Hawkeye wrestlers competed at the tournament and 14 finished in the top five of their respective weight classes. The Kaufman-Brand Open, which is annually hosted by the University of Nebraska-Omaha, is one of the largest single-day collegiate events in the nation. Matt Ballweg won the 157-pound title in the elite division, scoring a 7-2 win over Iowa State's Andrew Sorenson in the finals. Ballweg scored a pin, two major decisions and two decisions on the day. His closest match was a 3-2 quarterfinal win over Hawkeye freshman Derek St. John, who placed third. Marion, who was competing unattached, won the 141-pound title in the elite division. He won all four bouts by decision, including a 7-2 win over Nebraska-Omaha's Mario Morgan in the finals. The Hawkeyes had a total of six finalists in the elite division, with junior Tyler Clark (133) and sophomores J.J. Krutsinger (125), Vinnie Wagner (184) and Blake Rasing (Hwt.) all placing second at their respective weights. Iowa had the most placewinners at 133 pounds as redshirt freshmen Nate Moore and Mark Ballweg placed third and fourth, respectively, in the elite division. Moore scored a 3-2 victory over Ballweg in the third-place match. Freshman Nick Trizzino (133) also placed fourth in the amateur division. Placing fourth for Iowa in the elite division were junior Luke Lofthouse (197) and freshman Ethen Lofthouse (174). Redshirt freshman Grant Gambrall placed fifth at 184 in the elite division, while freshman Joe DuCharme placed fifth at 165 in the amateur bracket. Up next for Iowa is the 44th annual NWCA All-Star Classic Sunday in Fullerton, CA. Senior Daniel Dennis will face fourth-ranked Steve Bell of Maryland in the 133-pound match. The meet, which will be held at Cal State Fullerton's Titan Gym, is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. (CT). Bell won the pair's only meeting - a 4-3 decision in sudden victory - at the 2008 Journeyman Duals in Binghamton, NY. It is the first time Dennis will compete in the event.

ITHACA, N.Y. -- Dustin Kilgore (184) and Danny Mitcheff (133) remained unbeaten and Brendan Barlow (285) joined them at the top of the podium after winning championships at the Body Bar Invitational at Newman Arena on Saturday. As a team No. 18 Kent State won the tournament in convincing fashion with 147.5 points, well ahead of No. 3 Cornell and No. 10 Maryland, who each finished with 109 points. KSU's final count included three first places, two seconds, three thirds, one fourth and two fifths, placing a wrestler in all 10 weight classes. Kilgore defeated his fourth nationally ranked opponent of season in the finals, top seeded Joe LeBlance of Wyoming 8-4. LeBlance was ranked fourth in the nation and was Kilgore's closest match of the night. The redshirt sophomore was dominant on the way to the finals with a pin, a technical fall and a major decision. Kilgore is now 10-0 with five pins. Mitcheff pinned Binghampton's Rob Slavin in his first match and needed overtime to finish off Steve Mytych of Drexel 6-5 in the semifinals. He then downed 18th ranked Kevin Smith of Buffalo 6-3 to improve to 10-0 on the season. Barlow earned a 9-1 major decision in the semifinals over Ithaca's Matthew Mahon. He then topped 23rd ranked Patrick Gilmore of Maryland 4-2. Junior transfer Matt Cathell made an impressive debut for the Golden Flashes placing second at 149 pounds. Cathell pinned Ithaca's Blaine Woszczak in the quarterfinals, going 3-1 on the day. Redshirt freshman Chase Skonieczny also went 3-1 and placed second. He pinned Buffalo's Andrew Schutt in the quarterfinals and had convincing victories of 8-3 and 4-1. Redshirt freshman Adam Cogar (197) dropped his first match 2-1, but won his next three, including two major decision. matches. He went 4-2 on the day, taking fifth place. Classmate Keith Witt (174) pinned three opponents, including Steven Cressley of Clarion in 40 seconds. Witt's 4-2 day was good enough for a fifth place. Sophomore Ross Tice and senior Obie Simpson each made the semifinals at 165. Tice won his first two matches by scores of 10-1 and 11-1. He went 4-1 in his third place finish, improving to 15-4. Simpson also won four matches and was credited with a fourth place. Redshirt freshman Mallie Shuster (157) pinned Ithaca's Derek Brenon in the quarterfinals on his way to a third place. One of Shuster's four wins came by major decision. Sophomore Troy Opfer recorded an opening round pin and made his way into the semifinals, before grabbing third place. He finished 4-1 after shutting out Clarion's Joe Waltko. in the consolation finals 3-0.

Omaha, Neb. -- A 184-pound title for No. 19 Sonny Yohn (Alamosa, Colo.) highlighted the day for the Minnesota Wrestling Team today (Nov. 21) at the Kaufman-Brand Open, hosted by the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Yohn's title was the only Elite Division Championship for the Gophers, but Scott Glasser (Bismarck, N.D.) and No. 8 Ben Berhow (Hayward, Minn.) each notched third place tallies at 174 and heavyweight respectively. Yohn was dominant on his way to victory. In his first match of the day, he claimed a major decision with a 19-5 victory, advancing to the semifinals. The second round was his closest match of the day, but in it, he earned a 4-0 shutout over Grant Gambrall of rival Iowa. In the championship match, he again matched up with a Hawkeye, and this time tallied a fall in the second period over Vinnie Wagner. At the end of the day, Yohn had run his team long winning streak to eight straight, dating back to last season. At heavyweight, Berhow tallied a 3-1 mark in earning third place honors, falling for the first time on the season to eventual champion and seventh ranked Tucker Lane of Nebraska. Each of Berhow's first two matches went into overtime, with a 9-7 win to start the tournament, before falling to Lane 3-1 in the semifinals. Berhow gave Lane his best match of the day, and coming off the tough loss, Berhow was able to earn a 6-5 win in his next match. In final tilt of the day, Berhow tabbed a 6-2 win for third place honors. Glasser opened in impressive fashion as well, with a 20-6 major decision win in his first match, but he was tripped up 6-5 in his following match. Glasser regrouped and would not lose again on the day, including a 6-4;SV1 win in the third place match to avenge his earlier loss. Glasser claimed a decision, major decision and overtime decision in earning the berth to the third place match. Also at 174, Cody Yohn (Alamosa, Colo.) finished in fifth place as the final Gopher to close the day as a place winner. He went 6-2 when it was all said and done, and tallied a 3-1 decision in the fifth place match for the win. Along with the Elite Division, the 500-plus entrant tournament also had the Amateur Division, which saw the Gophers Kevin Steinhaus (Pennock, Minn.) and Jake Ketter (Ramsey, Minn.) each win titles, at 174 and heavyweight respectively. David Thorn (St. Michael, Minn.) at 133 and Bart Reiter (Gilbertville, Iowa) at 141 each finished as runner-up, falling in their respective title matches. Steinhaus won four matches, including a major decision in his first match, to claim champion honors. In the title match, he earned a 4-3 victory. Ketter also went 4-0, notching two falls along the way, before his 6-5 win in the title match. Thorn rattled off four wins to earn a berth in the championship, but suffered the narrow 3-2 loss. Likewise, Reiter fell by the close 3-2 score in his championship match, and ended the day with a 3-1 tally. Minnesota will get to stay home after the Thanksgiving holiday, as they host Cal State Bakersfield in their first dual meet of the season. It will be Dollar Night in Williams Arena, with all tickets to the meet just $1.00. The first match is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. start on Nov. 28.

Event: UFC 106: Ortiz vs. Griffin 2 Venue: Mandalay Bay Sports Arena (Las Vegas, Nevada) Date: November 21, 2009 In a quick turnaround from last weekend's UFC 105 from England, we are back in Las Vegas tonight for the long overdue revenge match between Tito Ortiz (16-6-1) and Forrest Griffin (16-6). Tito won a close decision three years ago. But tonight he finds himself a slight underdog as the two former light-heavyweight champions meet again. Tito hasn't fought in over a year and will he be fully recovered from back surgery? Forrest is coming off his embarrassing dismantling at the hands of Anderson "Spider" Silva in Philadelphia. Silva toyed with Forrest before knocking him out while moving backwards! It was truly amazing. I'm not sure who the hungrier fighter is here. Griffin is younger and more in his prime. Each has been the poster boy for the UFC, and you have a Good (Forrest) vs. Evil (Ortiz) thing going, too. Each has a substantial fan base, as well. But who wants this enough to display the heart of a champion? Either, I would suppose … so, I look for the value and with Tito getting +120 return on investment, and having beaten Griffin before, I'll take my shot that he can do it again. In a back-and-forth battle, look for Tito to be standing with hand raised after the scores from the judge's scorecards are read. Welterweights Josh Koscheck (14-5) and Anthony Johnson (8-2) are too solid wrestlers (Koscheck, a former NCAA Division I champ), but they both like to go toe-to-toe punching it out. Both are lightning quick and accurate with their strikes. Either could end this quickly, and that is the risk you take here in an even battle. The betting line opened at –115 each, and a slight line movement on AJ has left Kos a modest even money underdog. With the difference being the wrestling takedown ability of Koscheck, I will take my chances that he has finally learned from past mistakes and won't stay and bang, as they say. That may be wishful thinking, but if I see him charging in low and driving his opponent to the mat, I will know that I am on the right side this soon to end fight! Koscheck ends this one late in the second period with a convincing show of ground-and-pound power. The younger brother and identical clone of top heavyweight contender Minotauro Nogueira, the equally dangerous light-heavyweight Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (17-3) will make his UFC debut tonight on the main card against knockout artist, Luiz "Banho" Cane (11-1-1, with 8 KOs). Nobody has ever submitted Nogueira and Cane won't be the first either. He will need a first round knockout to have a chance in this one. If Nogueira can weather the storm and get Cane to the mat, it should soon be over. A relative bargain at –140, Nogueira adds his name to the long and growing list of 205-pound beasts with a second- round submission by arm bar. Anytime welterweight Phil Baroni's (13-11, with 9 KOs) name is on the card, there is money to be made (betting against him). Don't get me wrong, if you've ever seen the short film clip of his demolishing of Dave Menne, you know this NY City Bad Ass dude can hit and hit and hit ... but, unfortunately that's all he can do. And, he gasses easily. Too easily. Like money in the bank. So Amir Sodallah's (2-1) job tonight will be to kick and jab, bob and weave, and stay away from Baroni with your long leg kicks. It is time to win your fan base back after that embarrassing lost to Jonny Hendricks. The deeper the fight goes, the less likely that Baroni wins ... that's just the way it is. This one will get midway into the second round before Sodallah at –185 ends it with a rear-naked choke submission to a fatigued Bad Ass. Karo Parisyan and Dustin Hazelett were to fill out the main card, but Karo threw in the towel and decided not to fight due to nagging injuries, I guess. Needless to say, that you DON'T DO THAT to Dana White, and Karo's UFC career has now officially died. That's too bad. This could have been the fight-of-the-night. Oh well … Let's move on. Brazilian Jui-jitsu master Paulo Thiago (11-1) will try to stop former Minnesota wrestler Jacob Volkmann (9-0) in Volkmann's UFC debut. Thiago's resume has a surprise KO of Josh Koscheck on it, and an ability to finish fights with his strong submission skill set. Volkmann is a bit cocky, and not too concerned about Thiago's ground game. As a pure wrestler he is banking on controlling his opponent's body as he outscores him and wins a close decision. Making Volkman a +170 dog or better is enough enticement for me to take the bait. I wear Golden Gopher Gold tonight. ... And now a quick look at the undercard: In bonus coverage on FREE Spike TV tonight, you can watch two preliminary fights, and they are both good ones! Former Okie State three-time NCAA champion Jake Rosholt (6-1) will try to control the pace of this middleweight fight with Kendall Grove (12-6) a free-swinging striker with a lanky 6'6" frame. Grove's takedown defensive sprawl is wide and effective, but Rosholt's double-leg takedown is as good as it gets! Can Grove land the punch or keep Rosholt at bay with his long kicks? Or will Rosholt penetrate and send Grove to the mat where he will be smothered like a fire under Smokey the Bear's boots? I'll chose the latter ... a great wrestler almost always beats a great striker. The public has moved the betting line toward Kendall Grove with its action. That just gave me better odds on Rosholt, so I'll lay the –180. Rosholt wins by judges' decision. Have you seen the Muay Thai of welterweight Ben "Killa B" Saunders (7-1-2)? Or how about the punching power of Marcus "The Irish Hand Grenade" Davis (21-6)? No? Well, then you need to watch this one. Somebody's going down and probably in the first round. No wrestling here. This one will be a stand-up clinic in uppercuts and overhead rights with some knee to the head Muay Thai kicks. Get out the mops as there may be blood everywhere. I love Marcus Davis. He is a great overseas ambassador for the sport. But Ben Saunders is a good 5" taller and that spells trouble when he clinches the back of your neck and you see knees headed your way! I like the fact that in an even fight, the bookies have made the Killa B a +170 underdog. I'll grab the bone and head to the winner's window with a stunning first round exhibit in knee-to-face body message. Lightweight Caol Uno (25-12-4), has been fighting MMA for over 13 years. He wins by KO, and he wins by submission, and he wins by decision. But he wins. Fabricio Camoes (10-4) is making his UFC debut with hope of showing off his strong jui-jitsu skills. Uno's vast cage experience should be the different as he blends in enough striking and take-downs to earn a judges' decision. I'm laying the –185 that experience pays off. The following two matches are "bridge jumps" where there is a prohibitive favorite to win the fight and the oddsmakers have jacked up the price on that obvious fighter that they are literally begging you to bet on the underdog (and lose). Leaving you the option of dumping your bet on a longshot against your gut feeling, or being overcharged by the bookie for getting the luxury of having your preferred man in the octagon. Welterweight Brock Larson should win by TKO over Brian Foster, unless Foster surprises us all with his perhaps slightly superior wrestling skills. You lay five bucks on the table trying to win one if you want Larson. Same with light-weight George Sotiropoulus (10-2), who should submit Jason Dent (19-10) somewhere midway through their fight. George is –500 also. So, now it's time to raise some money for our local youth wrestling program where future champions are made. Let's see how we can do with our "fictitious" $1000 bankroll ... Let's lay $75 to win $90 on Tito's comeback over Forrest. Let's lay $148 to win $80 on Amir Sadollah to stop Baroni. Let's lay $75 to win $75 on Josh Koscheck's better wrestling. Let's lay $140 to win $100 on Nogueira to follow in his brother's footsteps. Let's lay $75 to win $127.50 on Jake Volkmann's stunning upset. Let's lay $153 to win $80 on Jake Rosholt to dominate Kendall Grove. Let's lay $75 to win $142.50 on Killa B Saunders over the Irish Hand Grenade. Let's lay $111 to win $60 on Cael Uno and his experience. Let's "bridge jump" with $75 to win $15 on both Brock Larson and George Sotiropoulus. In total we are risking $1002 to win $785. Enjoy the fights. I know I will.

RIVERSIDE, Calif. --- California Baptist University may be a second-year program, but don't tell them that. Climbing all the way to No. 9 in the 2008-09 season, the Lancers now have ascended to No. 7. With a 23-19 win over No. 10 Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) and an 18-17 victory over Stanford, CBU proved its ranking wasn't fluke. Many may have looked at Stanford to repeat what it did last year to CBU, and after the Lancers trailed 14-3 after the first five weights, many thought a rout was on. After Chauncey Philipps scored the only win in the first five weights, Benny Garcia began fueling a little life to CBU with a triple overtime victory to make it 14-6. Then came the turning point of the night. With 2009 national qualifier Jarell Price scheduled to go at 157-pounds, CBU head coach John Petty called an audible. Nikko Cataline, who has already qualified for the 2010 national tournament, was asked to get a big win. Cataline trailed 2-0 after the first period and 7-1 after the second. He then recorded an escape to start the third, and less then a minute later he stuck Lucas Espericueta for a fall in 5:56. The pin brought the Lancers within two at 14-12 with Preston Brown stepping on the mat at 165 and eyes were opened wide. Brown led from start to finish, grabbing a 3-2 decision over Kyler Hasson to give CBU its first lead at 15-14. The Cardinal picked up a win at 174 to retake the lead at 17-15, but Enock Francois was the ace in the hole for the Lancers as he scored a 9-4 decision over Spence Patrick to give the Lancers the win "Nikko stepped in and stepped up," said Petty. "What he may lack in fundamentals, he makes up for with his ability to get pins, and that was a huge one tonight. We needed one, and it worked out. That was definitely the turning point in the match. It gave us a mental boost, and the momentum affected the other matches that followed it. That pin gave us life, energy and confidence." Despite having an NCAA Division I team come into Van Dyne Gym, most of the guys on the team would agree that the dual against No. 10 Embry-Riddle is just as important. In just two years, these two rivals have wrestled each other four times with the Lancers winning three times. The Eagles got off to a great start with a pin at 197, but the Lancers got on the board at heavyweight with 6-0 decision by Alex Evers. Philipps then picked up his second win with a pin in 5:54 over John Garza to put the Lancers up 9-6. The Eagles answered right back scoring a decision at 133 and a major at 141. Ian Millan picked up six points with a fall at 149 to put CBU back up by two at 15-13, but ERAU scored a decision at 165 to lead 19-15. C.J. Knowland tied the dual with an 11-1 major decision leaving it all up to Francois who put it away with a 22-10 major decision at 184. After starting the season 1-1 last year, the 2-0 start to the 2009-10 season is the best dual start in school history. The Lancers are back in action tomorrow at the Fullerton Open. Results: 197: Richard Kessler (S) maj. dec. Michael Grijalba (C), 14-2 (STAN 4, CBU 0) HWT: Dylan Rush (S) dec. Josh Marquez (C), 8-6 (STAN 7, CBU 0) 125: Chauncey Philipps (C) dec. Ryan Mango (S), 2-0 (STAN 7, CBU 3) 133: Justin Paulsen (S) maj. dec. Landon Saldana (C), 14-5 (STAN 11, CBU 3) 141: Bret Baumbach (S) dec. Ian Miller (C), 10-6 (STAN 14, CBU 3) 149: Benny Garcia (C) dec. Mike Kent (S), 4-3 (3OT) (STAN 14, CBU 6) 157: Nikko Cataline (C) fall Lucas Espericueta (S), 5:56 (STAN 14, CBU12) 165: Preston Brown (C) dec. Kyler Hasson (S), 3-2 (STAN 14, CBU 15) 174: Jake Johnson (S) dec. C.J. Knowland (C), 5-1 (STAN 17, CBU 15) 184: Enock Francois (C) dec. Spence Patrick (S), 9-4 (STAN 17, CBU 18)

Ryan Link's (Cresson, Pa.) technical fall to start the match helped the No-10-ranked Mountain Cat wrestlers build a 12-0 lead after three matches en route to a 27-12 season-opening victory over No. 16 West Liberty University, Friday night in the Sports Center. Pitt-Johnstown is now 1-0. Mountain Cat red-shirt freshman Link made a great impression in his first career home match with a 23-7 technical fall over Justin Fisher at 6:10 at 125 lbs. Shane Valko (Windber, Pa.), the 2009 National Runner-up and the nation's No 1-ranked wrestler at 133 lbs., followed with a 17-8 major decision over No. 8 Nick Wycoff, before All-American and top-ranked Adam Whetstone (Claysburg, Pa.) increased Pitt-Johnstown's lead to 12-0 with a 5-3 decision over 2009 National Qualifier Kayne Melko in the 141-lb. bout. West Liberty got back into the match with victories at 149 lbs. and 157 lbs. The Hilltoppers quickly cut the Mountain Cat lead in half when No. 3 Mitch Smith pinned Ryan McIntyre (Claysburg, Pa.) at 4:21. Then, Brian Leggett scored a 5-1 decision over Myers Miller (Bolivar, Pa.) to pull West Liberty to within three points, at 12-9. However, Pitt-Johnstown responded with four consecutive wins to seal the match. All-American and No. 4-ranked Kyle Keane (Bradford, Pa.) built a 4-2 lead after two periods and held off Jarrod Shaw for a 4-3 win to push the Mountain Cats' lead out to 15-9. Steve Makin (Portage, Pa.) earned a 7-1 decision over Matt Littleton, before two-time National Qualifier and No. 6-ranked Patrick Walsh (Leesport, Pa.) sealed the victory and gave Pitt-Johnstown a 24-9 advantage when he pinned Shawn Fullerton with :02 remaining in the first period. The Mountain Cats added three more points after A.J. Brentzel (Irwin, Pa.) broke a 2-2 tie with an escape early in the third period and held on for a 3-2 win to upset No.-3 Mitch Knapp at 197 lbs. The Hilltoppers won their third bout of the night and set the final at 27-12 on Mike Carpenter's 3-2 upset decision over two-time National Qualifier Chris Dempsey (Sewickley, Pa.) at heavyweight. West Liberty is now 0-1 on the season. The Mountain Cats travel to East Stroudsburg University on Dec. 2 and to the Penn State Open on December 6. Pitt-Johnstown’s next home match will take place on Wednesday, January 6, at 7:30 p.m. when East Region rival Kutztown University visits the Sports Center. Results: 125 lbs.-Ryan Link (UPJ) Tech. Fall Justin Fisher (WLU) 23-7 (6:10) 5-0 UPJ 133 lbs.-#1 Shane Valko (UPJ) Maj. Dec. #8 Nick Wycoff (WLU) 17-8 9-0 UPJ 141 lbs.-#1 Adam Whetstone (UPJ) Decision Kayne Melko (WLU) 5-3 12-0 UPJ 149 lbs. - #3 Mitch Smith (WLU) Fall Ryan McIntyre (UPJ) 4:21 12-6 UPJ 157 lbs. - Brian Leggett (WLU) Decision Myers Miller (UPJ) 5-1 12-9 UPJ 165 lbs. - #4 Kyle Keane (UPJ) Decision Jarrod Shaw (WLU) 4-3 15-9 UPJ 174 lbs. - Steve Makin (UPJ) Decision Matt Littleton (WLU) 7-1 18-9 UPJ 184 lbs. -#6 Patrick Walsh (UPJ) Fall Shawn Fullerton (WLU) 2:58 24-9 UPJ 197 lbs. -A.J. Brentzel (UPJ) Decision #7 Mitch Knapp (WLU) 3-2 27-9 UPJ HWT.-Mike Carpenter (WLU) Decision #6 Chris Dempsey (UPJ) 3-2 27-12 UPJ

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Utah Valley University's wrestling team continued its hot week on the East Coast as they went into Raleigh, N.C. and beat NC State, of the ACC, 26-10. With the victory UVU stays unbeaten on the 2009-10 season with a 3-0 record. On the night the Wolverines won a total of seven of the 10 matches, including seven of the final eight bouts. With the loss NC State drops to 1-1 on the year. "The match was great tonight," UVU head coach Greg Williams said. "Our freshmen at the upper weights (Josh Wood and Dylan Stadel) improved a lot from last night and won hard fought matches." NC State took command of the dual early as the Wolfpack's grapplers won their first two matches. Trailing 7-0 on the scoreboard the Wolverines looked to junior Justin Morrill (149-pounds) to help get them going. Morrill won his match over NC State's Colton Palmer by injury default at the end of the first period to cut the score the Wolfpack's lead to 7-6. Following another Wolfpack victory at 157-pounds, UVU freshman Monte Schmalhaus (165-pounds) won his match by decision (12-5) to help start the Wolverines rally where they went onto win the final six matches in a row. Sophomore Brad Darrington (174-pounds) then gave Utah Valley a 12-10 lead on the night as he defeated NC State's Quinton Godley in a very tightly contested match, 4-2 in the second period of sudden victory. UVU junior Casen Eldredge then gave his squad a 16-10 advantage as he picked up a 9-1 major decision victory over Jonathan Becker. UVU then put the bout away for all intents and purposes when freshman 197-pounder Josh Wood took down NC State's Andrew Tumlin with three seconds left in the bout to pull out a 9-8 decision. Tumlin had taken an 8-6 lead with a takedown with 40 seconds remaining, but Wood scored an escape with 21 seconds left, then got the buzzer-beating takedown to give Utah Valley a 19-10 team lead. UVU freshman Dylan Stadel (285-pounds)then kept the Wolverine win streak alive as he held on to beat NC State's Bobby Isola by the score of 3-2. In the final match of the night it was UVU's 11th-ranked junior Benjamin Kjar's (125-pounds) turn to shine as he recorded three takedowns in the first period and one more in the second, then scored a quick reversal and a near fall in the third to take a 15-3 major decision over the Wolfpack's Taylor Cummings. With the win Kjar improved to 5-1 on the young season. Kjar's victory concluded the dual as UVU won 26-10. With the win the Wolverines went a perfect 3-0 in North Carolina to begin their dual season. The Wolverines will conclude their East Coast road trip this weekend by competing in the Wolfpack Open at NC State on Saturday beginning at 8 a.m. MT. Other than UVU and NC State the Wolfpack Open will include wrestlers from No. 19 Virginia, No. 21 Old Dominion and No. 23 Virginia Tech, along with wrestlers from UT Chattanooga, Hofstra, North Carolina, Newberry, Gardner-Webb, Auburn, and several unattached wrestlers. Results: 133 - Darrius Little (NCS) Dec., Flint Ray, 10-7 141 - Dale Shull (NCS) Major Dec., Marty Carlson, 9-0 149 - Justin Morrill (UVU) Injury Def., Colton Palmer, at 3:00 157 - Bobby Ward (NCS) Dec., Richard Winger, 11-8 165 - Monte Schmalhaus (UVU) Dec., Kasey Young, 12-5 174 - Brad Darrington (UVU) Dec., Quinton Godley, 4-2 sv2 184 - Casen Eldredge (UVU) Major Dec., Jonathan Becker, 9-1 197 - Josh Wood (UVU) Dec., Andrew Tumlin, 9-8 Hwt - Dylan Stadel (UVU) Dec., Bobby Isola, 3-2 125 - #11 Benjamin Kjar (UVU) Major Dec., Taylor Cummings, 15-3

BELLEFONTE, PA -- The Broncs won six of 10 bouts to defeat Lock Haven in a come-from-behind victory Friday evening at Bellefonte High School. "Overall we did pretty well," said Rider head coach Gary Taylor. "Both teams went at it pretty hard." For Rider (1-1), sophomore Aaron Nestor (Transfer, PA/Reynolds) and freshman Jim Resnick (Media, Pa./Penncrest) won by falls. "Those two pins were huge," Taylor said. "It was very important to get those pins." Resnick was not in the starting line up to begin the season, wrestling behind senior Mike Ward (Mayfield, Ohio/Mayfield Village), but Resnick defeated Ward in the Binghamton Open last week and Ward suffered an injury that kept him out of the Lock Haven match. "Resnick is really taking off," Taylor said. "He competes hard, he likes to win and he really does not like to lose." Resnick wrestled unattached at the Binghamton Open and placed runner-up, winning four of five bouts. Senior Michael Kessler (Randallstown, MD/Owings Mills), ranked 18th in the nation, won to tie the score at 9-9 and Resnick's pin gave Rider the lead for good. "Mike is still getting used to that weight class," Taylor said of Kessler, a three-time NCAA qualifier who moved down a weight class this year in hopes of reaching All-America status. "He looks stronger." Freshman Zac Cibula (Luxenburg, Wis./Casco), sophomore Tyler Smith (Phillipsburg, N.J./Belvidere) and senior Ed Bordas (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central), ranked 19th in the nation, also won for Rider. "Eddie did what he had to do to win," Taylor said. "He got the job done." The victory was Rider's second in a row over Lock Haven (27-16 Broncs last year in Lawrenceville). The Broncs have only defeated Lock Haven four times in 20 meetings. Rider travels to Binghamton, NY for the Sprawl and Brawl to take on Edinboro, Cal-Davis and Pittsburgh, hosted by Binghamton University November 22. "That is going to be really tough," Taylor said. "Edinboro is very tough. They were in the top ten last year. Pitt is really good as well. It will be a tough challenge for us. We're going in hoping to win more than we lose." Results: 125 Nick Hyatt LH wbf Tim Trivisonno R 1:10 0-6 133 John Trumsetti LH dec. Jimmy Kirchner R 8-5 0-9 141 Aaron Nestor R wbf Owen Wilkinson LH 1:18 6-9 149 Michael Kessler R dec. Brock Parker LH 3-2 9-9 157 Zac Cibula R dec. Seth Creasy LH 7-3 12-9 165 Kevin Dufresne LH dec. Rob Morrison R 7-3 12-12 174 Jim Resnick R wbf Aaron Ernest LH :49 18-12 184 Jeremie Cook LH dec. Mike Miller R 5-0 18-15 197 Tyler Smith R dec. John Trumbetti LH 6-2 21-15 HWT Ed Bordas R dec. Daniel Craig LH 2-0 24-15

STILLWATER, Okla. -- The No. 4 Oklahoma State wrestling team picked up a 21-9 win over No. 20 Arizona State Friday at Gallagher-Iba Arena. The dual marked the season opener for the Cowboys (1-0 overall) and was the first defeat of the season for the Sun Devils (2-1 overall; 2-0 Pac-10). The Cowboys were victorious at seven weight classes, with 157-pounder Neil Erisman providing the highlight with a 12-5 victory over Te Edwards. Cowboy 149-pounder Albert White added a 10-5 victory over Vicente Varela. The overall tone of the dual was very defensive, with takedowns hard to come by on both sides. No bouts featured bonus points and national rankings held throughout the day. The Cowboys won every bout they were favored in, with the Sun Devils picking up wins at the two weight classes at which they were favored. The lone swing match of the day went Arizona State's way, with Eric Starks picking up a 5-1 win over Chris McNeil at 174 pounds. "It was nothing I didn't expect today," OSU coach John Smith said. "We did alright at a couple of weights. Not as aggressive as I would like to see but I think that comes and you have to work in to that. Just not a lot of action from our standpoint. It looked like we were holding back a little bit and those two key matches at 125 and 141 just felt like we weren't the aggressors. To beat that quality of a wrestler, we weren't aggressive enough; it's not going to happen by falling in to it." The Cowboys return to action when they travel to Norman on Dec. 1 for the first of two Bedlam Duals this season. "We have a lot of work to do," Erisman said. "We've got to get off bottom and ride tougher on top. We have to get a lot better and can't be complacent with that." Results: 165 pounds: No. 19 Alex Meade (OSU) dec. Kyle DeBerry (ASU); 6-3 174 pounds: Eric Starks (ASU) dec. Chris McNeil (OSU); 5-1 184 pounds: No. 9 Clayton Foster (OSU) dec. Jake Meredith (ASU); 5-2 197 pounds: No. 11 Alan Gelogaev (OSU) dec. Anthony Pike (ASU); 8-2 285 pounds: No. 3 Jared Rosholt (OSU) dec. Erik Nye (ASU); 2-0 125 pounds: No. 3 Anthony Robles (ASU) dec. No. 8 Chris Notte (OSU); 2-0 133 pounds: No. 11 Jordan Oliver (OSU) dec. Ben Ashmore (ASU); 4-2 SV 141 pounds: No. 5 Chris Drouin (ASU) dec. No. 11 Jamal Parks (OSU); 4-1 149 pounds: No. 17 Albert White (OSU) dec. Vicente Varela (ASU); 10-5 157 pounds: No. 10 Neil Erisman (OSU) dec. Te Edwards (ASU); 12-5

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The coaches of the third-ranked Ohio State wrestling team (1-0) knew they would have their hands full against a talented Lehigh squad, which came into the match Friday in St. John Arena No. 16 in the nation. With that said, a fast start was crucial to the Buckeyes' success and that is exactly what they got when Nikko Triggas scored six team points on a pin en route to an Ohio State 22-12 victory to open up action in the Buckeyes' home opener. In all, Ohio State won six of 10 bouts, including a crucial major decision by Colt Sponseller at 165 pounds and back-to-back 4-3 decisions by No. 3 Mike Pucillo and Cody Magrum at 184 and 197 pounds, respectively. Also registering in the "win" column was No. 1 Reece Humphrey with a 7-1 victory, as well as No. 3 Lance Palmer, who also was a 7-1 winner. Triggas, a junior from Moraga, Calif., and John McDonald entered the third period knotted up at 5-all at 125 pounds. However, Triggas quickly took control in the final stanza, recording a takedown and 3-point nearfall before finally pinning McDonald 5:50 into the bout. True freshman Ian Paddock, a native of Warsaw, N.Y., suffered an 8-3 setback at 133 pounds. In his first collegiate dual match, Paddock trailed No. 12 Matt Fisk throughout the match. At 141 pounds, senior tri-captain Humphrey, who hails from Indianapolis, Ind., was the second Buckeye to put points on the board. Up, 2-0 after the first period and 4-1 following the second against 15th-ranked Seth Ciasulli, Humphrey's takedown and riding time of 1:38 in the final two minutes gave the Buckeyes a 9-3 lead. While also preparing to wrestle in the 44th Annual NWCA All-Star Classic Sunday, Palmer, a captain from Columbia Station, Ohio, made his case for participation in the prestigious tournament Friday after handing Brian Tanen a 7-1 loss at 149 pounds. With a slim 2-1 lead in the first period, Palmer scored a reversal, 2-point nearfall and compiled a riding time of 3:33 to finish off the Mountain Hawk. Palmer will take off for Cal State Fullerton Saturday for the All-Star Classic and will wrestle fifth-ranked Kyle Borshoff of American. With Ohio State owning a 12-6 lead, redshirt-freshman Tony Jameson, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, held a 9-3 advantage heading into the third period at 157 pounds. However, Sean Bilodeau was able to rally, recording a takedown, 2-point nearfall and reversal before registering a 3-point nearfall in the final seconds of the period to win 12-11. Up next at 165 pounds, Sponseller gave the Buckeyes a crucial four points as he defeated Brandon Hatchett, 19-7. For the match, the Buckeye from Glenmont, Ohio, amassed nine takedowns and a 2:48 riding time to lift the Buckeyes to a 16-6 lead. Senior Dave Rella lost a heartbreaker to Robert Hamlin on 11 seconds of riding time at 174 pounds. The bout was a closely contested match that exhausted all overtime opportunities. Coming off a loss in the final of the Oklahoma Gold Classic, 184-pounded Pucillo rebounded nicely against No. 12 David Craig with his 4-3 victory. The senior captain from Strongsville, Ohio, secured a late takedown in the third period for the win. After seeing frequent action in open tournaments last season as a redshirt-freshman, Magrum completed his first collegiate dual meet with a 4-3 win and most importantly a 22-9 Ohio State lead. Following a scoreless tie after the first, Magrum, who hails from Oak Harbor, Ohio, took a 3-0 lead into the third before locking in the victory at 197 pounds courtesy of a 1:18 riding time. Senior Corey Morrison nearly pulled off the rally and upset at heavyweight as he was going up against No. 5 Zach Rey. Trailing 5-2 after the second, Morrison, who is from Shaker Heights, Ohio, scored an early escape and took advantage of consecutive warning calls on Rey. Down just 5-4, Morrison quickly scored a takedown for the 6-5 lead. However, Morrison was called for a technical violation, which automatically gave Rey a point for the 6-6 tie. Rey also had compiled 1:02 of riding time that gave him the 7-6 win. Officially 1-0, the Buckeyes will continue action Sunday with the Buckeye Duals in St. John Arena. A total of 12 teams will get started at 10 a.m., with matches continuing through 4 p.m. Results: 125 Nikko Triggas (OSU) pinned John McDonald (Lehigh), 5:50 133 No. 12 Matt Fisk (Lehigh) dec. Ian Paddock (OSU), 8-3 141 No. 1 Reece Humphrey (OSU) dec. No. 15 Seth Ciasulli (Lehigh), 7-1 149 No. 3 Lance Palmer (OSU) dec. Brian Tanen (Lehigh), 7-1 157 Sean Bilodeau (Lehigh) dec. Tony Jameson (OSU), 12-11 165 No. 8 Colt Sponseller (OSU) mdec. Brandon Hatchett (Lehigh), 19-7 174 Robert Hamlin (Lehigh) dec. No. 15 Dave Rella (OSU), 3-3 (Lehigh wins on 11 seconds of riding time) 184 No. 3 Mike Pucillo (OSU) dec. No. 12 David Craig (Lehigh), 4-3 197 Cody Magrum (OSU) dec. Joe Kennedy (Lehigh), 4-3 285 No. 5 Zach Rey (Lehigh) dec. No. 16 Corey Morrison (OSU) , 7-6

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The Purdue wrestling team scored a major road victory on Friday night, taking down the ninth-ranked University of Missouri Tigers at the Hearnes Center, 19-15. Purdue won six of the 10 bouts on the evening, including head-to-head ranked matchups at 174 and 197 pounds. Purdue moves to 12-8-1 all-time against the Tigers, snapping a two-match slide and winning in Columbia for the first time since 1999. Juniors Juan Archuleta, Luke Manuel and Logan Brown all remained undefeated for the Boilermakers, who improved to 3-1 with the win. The win is the first for Purdue against a ranked opponent since their victory over No. 17 Indiana on Feb. 8, 2008. Missouri jumped out to a 3-0 lead as freshman Brad Wisdom caught Purdue sophomore Matt Fields in a cradle for a five-point move and rode it to a 9-6 decision at 125. Fields rode Wisdom the entire third period, and caught him in a cradle of his own late, but the three-point nearfall was not enough to close the gap. The Boilermakers turned things around as sophomore Akif Eren sparked a three-match Purdue win streak with his 11-5 decision over Missouri freshman Nathan McCormick. Eren gave up an early takedown to fall behind 2-0, but it was all Purdue the rest of the way as Eren posted a takedown to take the lead and ran the score up in the third with a reversal, three-point nearfall and takedown en route to an 11-5 win. Archuleta moved to 7-0 at 141 pounds for the Boilermakers, knocking off #19 Missouri junior Todd Schavrien by decision, 9-5. Archuleta set the pace from the get-go, scoring a pair of first period takedowns en route to a 5-3 lead. After a stagnant second, he added a takedown in the third and the riding-time point to seal the victory. The run continued at 149 as Purdue senior Nick Bertucci turned in a dominant performance in his 9-0 major decision over Tiger sophomore Scott O'Donnell. The scoring didn't start until the second period, but Bertucci ran it up quick, escaping and hitting a cradle for the five-point play and 6-0 lead. After a neutral start to the third, Bertucci grabbed the bonus point with a second takedown and riding-time point for good measure. Missouri's Patrick Wright ended the Purdue streak at 157 pounds , upsetting 10th-ranked Boilermaker junior Colton Salazar, 4-0. Salazar seemed to have suffered an injury halfway through the match, but finished it off and refused to surrender bonus points in a gutsy performance. The Tigers picked up a second straight win at 165 pounds as No. 7 Nick Marable topped Purdue senior Jason Martin, 6-3. Twelfth-ranked Manuel righted the ship for the Boilermakers at 174 pounds, winning a ranked matchup with No. 16 junior Dorian Henderson, 6-2. Manuel did all the work in the bout, scoring a pair of takedowns in a solid performance for the win. Senior Nick Corpe followed up for the Old Gold and Black at 184, stretching the team lead to 16-9 with a 7-4 decision over freshman Todd Porter. Corpe took the Tiger to his back for a five-point play in the first and rode the lead out for the win. Brown, ranked 11th in the nation, made it three straight for the Boilermakers and sealed the team victory at 197 pounds, scoring a thrilling 7-5 sudden victory over 17th-ranked Missouri freshman Brent Haynes. Brown did the work early scoring two first-period takedowns, but Haynes battled back in the third, taking advantage of a fleeing penalty and scoring a late takedown to force overtime. Brown battled late in the match, working for the takedown and scoring the win. Haynes third-period takedown was the first surrendered by the Boilermaker junior this season. Fourth-ranked Dominique Bradley closed the gap for the Tigers in a meaningless heavyweight bout, as Purdue freshman Adam Walls came out firing, but was caught quickly and pinned in 18 seconds. Purdue returns to action Sunday, staying in Columbia for the Missouri Open. Follow the action throughout Sunday at the Purdue Wrestling Twitter page. Results: 125: Brad Wisdom (UM) def. Matt Fields (PU), D 9-6 (0-3) 133: Akif Eren (PU) def. Nate McCormick (UM), D 11-5 (3-3) 141: Juan Archuleta (PU) def. #19 Todd Schavrien (UM), D 9-5 (6-3) 149: Nick Bertucci (PU) def. Scott O'Donnell (UM), MD 9-0 (10-3) 157: Patrick Wright (UM) def. #10 Colton Salazar (PU), D 4-0 (10-6) 165: #7 Nick Marable (UM) def. Jason Martin (PU), D 6-3 (10-9) 174: #12 Luke Manuel (PU) def. #16 Dorian Henderson (UM), D 6-2 (13-9) 184: Nick Corpe (PU) def. Todd Porter (UM), D 7-4 (16-9) 197: #11 Logan Brown (PU) def. #17 Brent Haynes (UM), SV 7-5 (19-9) 285: #4 Dominique Bradley def. Adam Walls (PU), Fall 0:18 (19-15)

IOWA CITY, IA -- The top-ranked University of Iowa wrestling team opened the 2009-10 dual meet season Friday, going 5-0 at the Iowa City Duals. A crowd of 5,468 fans attended the event at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes posted a 49-1 record on the day beating Coe College (39-3), Cornell College (57-0), Iowa Lakes Community College (52-0), University of North Carolina Pembroke (47-0) and Southern Illinois Edwardsville (51-0). The five victories extended Iowa's dual match winning streak to 43, which breaks the school record of 42 set from 1994-97. The Hawkeyes recorded 25 pins, nine technical falls, seven major decisions and eight decisions on the day. Iowa also tallied 139 takedowns, while giving up none. "This was an early measuring stick for us and an early show for our fans," said Hawkeye Head Coach Tom Brands. "We saw some good things today, but we've got to up our effort and preparation for next week's road trip to Bucknell and Rutgers." Hawkeye seniors Brent Metcalf (149) and Jay Borschel (174) led Iowa, pinning all five of their Iowa City Duals opponents. Borschel pinned each of his foes in the first period, including one in 13 seconds which is the fastest on the team so far this season. His combined pin time total was 8:28, while Metcalf's was 16:14. Seniors Daniel Dennis (133) and Dan LeClere (141), and redshirt freshman Matt McDonough (125) each scored team bonus points in all five of their victories. Senior Phillip Keddy (184) scored two pins, two technical falls and a decision; senior Ryan Morningstar (165) recorded two pins, one technical fall, one major decision and one decision; while senior Chad Beatty (197) scored one pin, one technical falls, one major decision and two decisions on the day. Sophomore Jordan Johnson (Hwt.) recorded three pins and two decisions, while junior Jake Kerr (157) scored two pins and two decisions. Up next for Iowa is the Kaufman-Brand Open Saturday in Omaha, NE, and the NWCA All-Star Classic Sunday in Fullerton, CA. The Kaufman-Brand Open is the nation's largest single-day meet, attracting between 500-700 wrestlers from approximately 35 teams in 12 stats to UNO's Sapp Fieldhouse. Senior Daniel Dennis will face fourth-ranked Steve Bell of Maryland in the NWCA All-Star Classic 133-pound match. The event, which will be held at Cal State Fullerton's Titan Gym, is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. (CT). Bell won the pair's only meeting - a 4-3 decision in sudden victory - at the 2008 Journeyman Duals in Binghamton, NY. It is the first time Dennis will compete in the event.

ITHACA, N.Y. -- The No. 10 University of Maryland wrestling team came up with one of the biggest victories in school history Friday night, coming back from a 17-9 deficit with only two matches left to knock off No. 4 Cornell 18-17. After eight matches, the Terps trailed the Big Red by a margin of eight points, but two-time All-American Hudson Taylor, ranked No. 3 in the country, brought Maryland within two. Taylor recorded a takedown and a near fall in the first period to go ahead 4-0, and then closed the match in the second period. Going against fifth ranked Cam Simaz, Taylor recorded a crucial pinfall, giving the Terps six points to bring the team score to 17-15. The deciding match came down to junior heavyweight Patrick Gilmore, who was taking on No. 12 Josh Arnone. Arnone got out to a 4-1 lead, and held it until the third period. There, Gilmore staged a comeback that would force the match into sudden victory overtime. He got an escape with 1:53 left to bring the score to 4-2. Then, with only three second left on the clock, Gilmore recorded a takedown to tie the match at four and force it to overtime. Gilmore recorded another takedown in extra time, giving him the 6-4 victory and Maryland the 18-17 win. "This is huge for the program," said head coach Kerry McCoy. "It's one of the highest-ranked teams that we've beaten in school history. It was a total team effort; everyone contributed to the win. It's just great for our team and great for our program. It's good to know where we are in November so that we can continue to build for the rest of the season." Cornell was able to establish an early lead despite wrestling without defending NCAA champion Troy Nickerson at 125 pounds. Frank Perrelli, wrestling in his place, took a 4-1 decision over James Knox in the first match for a 3-0 Cornell lead. Knox was 7-0 on the season prior to the match. No. 8 Steven Bell pulled Maryland even with a 4-3 decision over No. 6 Mike Grey at 133 pounds. Cornell pulled back ahead at 141 as No. 8 Kyle Dake took an 8-3 decision over No. 4 Alex Krom. Krom held a 3-1 lead going into the third period, but a late flurry by Dake provided Cornell with a 6-3 lead going into the middle weights. The Big Red widened their lead to 9-3 as Corey Manson knocked off Jon Kohler at 149, but Maryland would not go away. Kyle John took a 4-1 decision over DJ Meagher at 157 and Josh Asper outlasted John Basting 8-6 at 165 pounds to bring the team score to 9-9. Cornell took the next two matches to push their lead to 17-9, setting up the stunning comeback by the Terps. Results: 125 - Frank Perrelli (CU) dec. James Knox, 4-1 (0-3) 133 - No. 8 Steven Bell (MD) dec. No. 6 Mike Grey, 4-3 (3-3) 141 - No. 8 Kyle Dake (CU) dec. No. 4 Alex Krom, 8-3 (3-6) 149 - Corey Manson (CU) dec. Jon Kohler, 9-3 (3-9) 157 - Kyle John (MD) dec. DJ Meagher, 4-1 (6-9) 165 - Josh Asper (MD) dec. John Basting, 8-6 (9-9) 174 - No. 2 Mack Lewnes (CU) technical fall over No. 4 Mike Letts, 18-3 (9-14) 184 - No. 20 Steve Bosak (CU) dec. Corey Peltier, 4-0 (17-9) 197 - No. 3 Hudson Taylor (MD) fall over No. 5 Cam Simaz, 4:45 (15-17) HWT - Patrick Gilmore (MD) dec. (OT) No. 12 Josh Arnone, 6-4 (18-17)

Columbia, Mo. -- Competing in its first of two duals on the day, the No. 8 Missouri wrestling team suffered a 22-15 loss in the Hearnes Center to No. 25 Cal Poly despite Tiger wins at five weight classes. True freshman Brad Wisdom (Farmington, Mo.) opened the afternoon dual with an 8-5 win at 125 pounds. Wisdom is the first true freshman to step into Missouri’s lineup and win in his first appearance since heavyweight Sean Connole accomplished the feat five years ago. A three-time Missouri High School State Champion, Wisdom took down Mustang grappler Micah Ferguson 43 seconds into the match, quickly turning him for a three-point nearfall. Ferguson escaped but was returned to the mat only to escape again with six seconds remaining in the first period. Wisdom, with a 7-2 lead, chose down to start the second period and escaped, extending his advantage to six points. The Mustang lightweight opted to start down in the third and escaped, taking Wisdom down for the final points of the bout. Missouri suffered four straight losses before two-time All-American Nicholas Marable (Collierville, Tenn.) came up with a 5-2 win by decision at 165 pounds. Squaring off with Steven Vasquez, Marable recorded two takedowns and an escape for his five points, allowing Vaszuez only two points off of a first and second period escape. Marable now stands at 7-0 on the year. Sophomore 174-pounder Dorian Henderson (Columbus, Ga.) was next to the mat for Missouri and came from behind to defeat Travis Rasmussen, 7-4. Henderson accumulated 2:26 of riding time, adding to his four points through takedowns and two from escapes. Ranked for the first time of his collegiate career, No. 12 Brent Haynes (Kansas City, Mo.) held on for a 10-7 win over Ryan Smith at 197 pounds. Haynes scored early with a takedown and three-point nearfall in the first period, then reversed Smith to start the second. Smith stormed back scoring five points, before Haynes answered with two escapes, improving to 2-0 in dual competition. Redshirt freshman Dominique Bradley (Blue Springs, Mo.) wrapped up the dual with a 4-1 win over heavyweight Jim Powers. Bradley scored a takedown in the first period and escaped in the third, wracking up 3:09 of riding time for the three point victory. Missouri returns to action tonight against Purdue. The meet is slated to begin at 7 p.m. (CT) in the Hearnes Center. Results: 125 Bradley Wisdom (MU) decision Micah Ferguson (CPU): 8-5 133 No. 14 Boris Novachkov (CPU) decision Nathan McCormick (MU): 5-2 141 No. 14 Filip Novachkov (CPU) fall No. 18 Todd Schavrien (MU): 2:40 149 David Christian (CPU) decision Brandon Wiest (MU): 9-7 No. 2 Chase Pami (CPU) major decision Nick Gregoris (MU): 13-3 No. 7 Nicholas Marable (MU) decision Steven Vasquez (CPU): 5-2 174 No. 16 Dorian Henderson (MU) decision Travis Rasmussen (CPU): 7-4 184 Ryan DesRoches (CPU) fall Todd Porter (MU): 2:39 197 No. 12 Brent Haynes (MU) decision Ryan Smith (CPU): 10-7 285 Dominique Bradley (MU) decision Jim Powers (CPU): 4-1

Great Falls, MT -- On the strength of three consecutive pins in the middle of their lineup, the University of Great Falls wrestling team, ranked No. 4 in the land amongst NAIA programs, evened its dual record at 1-1 on the season with a convincing 35-9 defeat of rival Montana State Northern before 372 fans at the McLaughlin Center. "We came out and performed the way I expected us to tonight," said UGF head coach Caleb Schaeffer, who ran his dual record to 5-0 against his alma mater. "This is always a hard dual to coach for me, personally, because of the ties I have to the Lights wrestling program. But, with that said, I’m proud to be the head wrestling coach here at the University of Great Falls and I’m certainly proud of the effort our guys put forth tonight." Redshirt freshman Brian Borst (Duanesburg, NY/Cortland State University) led off the night for UGF at 125 pounds and scored a 21-6 technical fall against Northern’s Chase Dirden (Harlem, MT). True freshman Myles Mazurkiewicz (Havre, MT/Havre High School) put the Argos up 8-0 with a hard fought 6-4 decision against Northern’s Sean Costello (Kodiak, AK) at 133 pounds. The Lights gained some momentum when freshman Steven Quesada (Silverton, OR) defeated returning All- American Jason Costello (Redmond, WA/Squalicum High School) 5-4 in the 141 pound match-up. But, the Argos closed the door as juniors Byron Kuylen (Sidney, MT/MSU Northern) and Ross Mosher (Augusta, MT/Augusta High School) and redshirt freshman Michael Hader (Columbia Falls, MT/Columbia Falls High School) scored back-to-back-to-back pins at weight classes of 149, 157 and 165, respectively. Senior Brendon DeCock (Huntley, MT/Huntley Project High School), the No. 1 ranked wrestler in the nation at 174 pounds, was awarded a forfeit victory and fellow senior Alex Calvi (Cut Bank, MT/Cut Bank High School) won his match-up with Evan Mattingly (Vashon Island, WA) at 197 pounds by a 4-0 final. The Lights managed two wins the final three match-ups of the night as Evan Hinebauch (Havre, MT) defeated UGF’s Michael French (Malta, MT/Malta High School) in overtime, 5-3, in a match-up of the No. 2 and No. 3 nationally ranked wrestlers in their 184 pound weight class. French had previously defeated Hinebauch in overtime to win his weight class at the Northwest Open (Powell, WY) on November 7. Northern’s Jim Eavenson (Caldwell, ID) took a 5-4 decision over the Argos’ Paden Jenkins (Florence, MT/Florence High School) in the heavyweight division to close out the dual. The Argos get back at it tomorrow with three duals scheduled against different opponents at North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene, ID before closing out the week by competing in the Spokane (WA) Open on Saturday.

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma City University picked up a 32-7 defeat of Neosho County (Kan.) on Thursday at Abe Lemons Arena. The Stars improved to 2-1 in duals as Jake Mabry and Mark Meyer earned falls. “We wrestled better,” OCU coach Archie Randall said. “The difference was a good practice. We came out aggressively, pushed the pace and were successful.” Mabry sparked OCU by starting the dual with a pin. Mabry, a junior from Gig Harbor, Wash., finished off Kris Powell in 3:31 at 197. After Neosho’s major-decision win at 125, Cameron Ream picked up a 13-3 major-decision win for OCU over Alfonso Osuna at 133. John Lynch of the Stars used a takedown to erase a 2-1 deficit and rolled to a 13-6 win over Josh Wolfe at 141. Lynch, a freshman from Lakin, Kan., took the lead with 19 seconds left in the second period and added three takedowns in the final period. OCU’s Cole Nelson notched a 5-3 overtime win over Josh Isam in the 157-pound bout. Nelson tied the match with an escape with 32 seconds left in regulation, then led 3-2 after a takedown with 25 seconds remaining. Isam forced overtime with a reversal. After the minute sudden-victory period, Nelson recorded the reversal early in the 30-second overtime. Nelson, a freshman from Lakeside, Ariz., rode Isam out in the final 30 seconds to secure the win. Meyer of the Stars caught Mike Vieira and finished him before the first period ended with six seconds remaining at 165. The Stars compete next in the Missouri Open on Sunday in Columbia, Mo. Results: 197: Jake Mabry, OCU, pinned Kris Powell, 3:31 285: Collin MacMillan, OCU, dec. Jon Arnold, 8-3 125: Derek Steeley, NC, maj. dec. Robert Turrentine, 15-3 133: Cameron Ream, OCU, maj. dec. Alfonso Osuna, 13-3 141: John Lynch, OCU, dec. Josh Wolfe, 13-6 149: Will Shelton, OCU, maj. dec. Justin Ringgold, 15-6 157: Cole Nelson, OCU, dec. Josh Isam, 5-3 (OT) 165: Mark Meyer, OCU, pinned Mike Vieira, 2:54 174: Andrew Pontikes, OCU, dec. Aaron Butler, 7-4 184: Ralph Manous, NC, dec. Marvin Lewis, 10-7

CRANTON, Pa. -- Washington & Jefferson College held off a late rally to defeat The University of Scranton, 18-13, in non-conference wrestling action Thursday evening at the Long Center. The Royals won three of four bouts to cut a 16-7 deficit down to 15-13 heading into the final bout of the match. The Presidents' Ty Sampsell then sealed the win by posting a 3-0 decision over junior Joe Williams (Florham Park, N.J./Hanover Park) in the 285-pound weight class. Scranton, now 2-7, got wins from freshman Vinny Signoriello (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) at 133, senior Mike Guenther (Pittstown, N.J./Delaware Valley Regional) at 157, sophomore Matthew Terry (East Northport, N.Y./St. Anthony's) at 174, and senior Kevin DiGiulio (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic). Signoriello was in control from start to finish in his 8-0 major decision over Brandon Sansom. He posted take-downs in each of the three periods and picked up two more points on an escape and with 2:52 in riding time to improve his season record to 7-2. Guenther, who earned his team-leading 10th win of the season, overcame a 1-0 third period deficit by posting an escape and two take-downs to pull out a 5-2 decision against Brandon Roshon. Terry got the Royals to within six points with a 5-1 decision over Eric Kohr before Kevin DiGiulio picked up a point on an escape and another on a penalty to squeeze out a 2-1 decision. DiGiulio's win, coupled with a point deduction against the Presidents for unsportsmanlike conduct, cut the deficit to two, 15-13, entering the final match. Sampsell used a take-down in the first period and picked up a point for an escape in the third and held on for the match-deciding victory at 285. With the wins, Terry and DiGiulio improved to 4-8 and 3-6 on the season, respectively. The Royals will return to action this Saturday, November 21, at the Red Dragon Invitational on the campus of Oneonta State University in Oneonta, New York. The results of tonight's match are as follow: Results: 125 Zach Cecchetti (W) pinned Josh Javitz (2:53) 6 0 133 Vinny Signoriello (S) maj. dec. Brandon Sansom, 8-0 6 4 141 Tyler Berger (W) dec. Mike Ebert, 3-1 9 4 149 Brett Jeffries (W) dec. Tom Manning, 7-2 12 4 157 Mike Guenther (S) dec. Brandon Roshon, 5-2 12 7 165 Dominick Demor (W) maj. dec. Steve Glickman, 14-4 16 7 174 Matt Terry (S) dec. Eric Kohr, 5-1 16 10 184 Kevin DiGiulio (S) dec. Justin Herder, 2-1 *15 13 197 No contest 285 Ty Sampsell (W) dec. Joe Williams, 3-0 18 13 Exhibition bouts 141 James Roth (S) dec. Nicholas Sewell, 11-6 141 Andrew Greco (S) dec. Braden Fyffe, 3-2 *Point deducted for unsportsmanlike conduct

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Utah Valley University's wrestling team began its 2009-10 dual season by going a perfect 2-0 Thursday night as the Wolverines defeated both Gardner-Webb and UNC Greensboro in Greensboro, N.C. On the evening the Wolverines handed Gardner-Webb (0-5) a 37-6 loss and came from behind to defeat UNC Greensboro (0-1) on its home mat, 21-17. "Tonight was a tough matchup against UNC Greensboro," UVU head coach Greg Williams said. "We have five freshmen starters in our lineup so they are finding themselves in situations where their inexperience is exposed. Our younger wrestlers are working hard, learning and really improving out on the mat. Also Justin (Morrill) and Ben's (Kjar) pins against Greensboro were huge for us as they were the difference makers in the matchup." In the nightcap against UNC Greensboro, UVU found itself trailing 13-12 after dropping its last two matches with only three matches remaining. Next up for the Wolverines was their No. 11 nationally ranked junior Benjamin Kjar at 125-pounds. Kjar wasted no time giving helping his squad regain the lead as he pinned Greensboro's Eric Chandler 2:15 into the match Kjar's win then put the Wolverines on top with an 18-13 advantage. It was then the lone seniors turn for UVU as Jeffrey Newby (133-pounds) came from behind to defeat UNCG's Angel Garcia by decision, 5-4. Newby's hard fought victory was his second on the evening and it couldn't have came at a better time as it helped seal the win for the Wolverines as they went up 21-13 over the Spartans with only one match remaining. In the final match of the evening the Spartans got a little revenge as Ivan Lopouchanski defeated UVU freshman Marty Carlson (141-pounds) by major decision 11-2. The victory by Lopouchanski came a little too late as the Wolverines had already secured the win, as they won by the final score of 21-17. All five returning starters for UVU started their 2009-10 dual campaign a perfect 2-0 on the day as Kjar, Newby, junior Justin Morrill (149-pounds), sophomore Brad Darrington (174-pounds), and junior Casen Eldredge (184-pounds) all did. In the first dual of the evening the Wolverines picked up victories from eight of their 10 starters as they defeated the Bulldogs, 37-6. After Morrill picked up an 8-2 victory by decision to begin the dual with Gardner-Webb, UVU then found itself all tied up at three apiece as Winger then lost to GWU's Alex Medved. The Wolverines then picked up three victories in a row to take command of the dual as freshman Monte Schmalhaus (165-pounds), Darrington, and Eldredge all won their respective matches. Darrington's 5-2 win over UNCG's Byron Sigmon was a big one as Sigmon is a two-time national qualifier. The Bulldogs' Travis Porter then picked up the only other win for GWU as he beat Wood by decision cutting the Wolverines lead to 14-6. UVU then took command of the matchup by winning the final four bouts as freshman Dylan Stadel (285-pounds) won by fall, Kjar by forfeit, Newby by fall, and Carlson by technical fall (15-0). UVU will continue its North Carolina road trip this weekend with another dual matchup at ACC foe NC State in Raleigh Friday at 5 p.m. (MT). The Wolverines will then conclude their weekend by competing at NC State's Wolfpack Open Saturday. COMPLETE RESULTS: Utah Valley 37, Gardner-Webb 6 149: Justin Morrill (UVU) Dec., Ryan Medved (GWU), 8-2 157: Alex Medved (GWU) Dec., Richard Winger (UVU), 11-5 165: Monte Schmalhaus (UVU) Dec., David Pelsang (GWU), 6-2 174: Brad Darrington (UVU) Maj. Dec., Blake Salyer (GWU), 12-1 184: Casen Eldredge (UVU) Maj. Dec., Evan Rhodes (GWU), 10-0 197: Travis Porter (GWU) Dec., Josh Wood (UVU), 4-1 285: Dylan Stadel (UVU) Fall, Zach Burke (GWU), 1:45 125: Benjamin Kjar (UVU) Wins by Forfeit 133: Jeffrey Newby (UVU) Fall, Brett Kostern (GWU), 2:45 141: Marty Carlson (UVU) Tech. Fall, Morgan McDaniel 15-0, 5:43 Utah Valley 21, UNC Greensboro 17 149: Justin Morrill (UVU) Fall, Alejandro Soto (UNCG), 4:35 157: Travis Sheehy (UNCG) Dec., Richard Winger (UVU), 10-5 165: Edwin Hojilla (UNCG) Dec., Monte Schmalhaus (UVU), 6-2 174: Brad Darrington (UVU) Dec., Byron Sigmon (UNCG), 5-2 184: Casen Eldredge (UVU) Dec., Andrew Saunders (UNCG), 2-0 197: Jeremy Cannon (UNCG) Dec., Josh Wood (UVU), 4-2 285: Peter Sturgeon (UNCG) Maj. Dec., Dylan Stadel (UVU), 13-5 125: Benjamin Kjar (UVU) Fall, Eric Chandler (UNCG), 2:15 133: Jeffrey Newby (UVU) Dec., Angel Garcia (UNCG), 5-4 141: Ivan Lopouchanski (UNCG) Maj. Dec., Marty Carlson (UVU), 11-2

NORFOLK, Va. -- Junior James Nicholson was selected to represent the Old Dominion University wrestling team as part of an elite field at the 44th Annual NWCA All-Star Classic. This is the second consecutive year that Nicholson was chosen to take part in one of wrestling's premiere exhibitions. The NWCA All-Star Classic pairs two of the top college wrestlers in each of the 10 weight classes. This year, the event is hosted by Cal State Fullerton at Titan Gym on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 2 p.m. Nicholson, ranked No. 5 nationally will take on No. 4 Zach Sanders from Minnesota. It will be a rematch of a 2009 NCAA Tournament match in which Nicholson was narrowly edged by fellow All-American Saunders, 5-4. "Old Dominion University is honored to have James Nicholson selected to compete in the 44th NWCA All-Star Classic Presented by the Wrestling Alumni - College of William & Mary," said Monarch head coach Steve Martin. "This is a very prestigious honor to be selected and it will put Old Dominion University on a national platform. This All Star Classic will give James another opportunity to compete against the best in the nation! Our schedule is loaded with Top 25 opponents this year and it is a goal of our program to always compete at the highest level." Nicholson is currently ranked No. 5 at 125-pounds in both the Intermat and Amateur Wrestling News listings. The junior was a NCAA All-American during the 2007-08 season, finishing eighth at 125-pounds at the NCAA Tournament. He has won the CAA Championship in each of the last two seasons. Last year, Nicholson went 36-4 and once again qualified for the NCAA Tournament. This season, Nicholson has claimed first at the Hokie Open and won his lone dual at No. 12 Wisconsin. Nicholsons appearance is the third overall for a Monarch wrestler at the All-Star Classic. Wayne Bright wrestled in the event in 1970 when it was known as the East-West All-Star Classic. He faced Iowa State's Dan Gable, the eventual 1972 Olympic Champion and longtime Iowa head wrestling coach. Binghamton's Josh Patterson is the CAA's second representative in the event, wrestling at 184 pounds. The event will be broadcast live by LIVESPORTSVIDEO.COM and later by The Big Ten Network on a tape delayed basis in December.

AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State wrestling head coach Kevin Jackson has announced the signing of eight prep wrestlers for the 2010-11 season. An influx of talent is set to join the Cyclones for their next campaign. Several of the future Iowa Staters are in-state talents and a few of the signees sport familiar names to Iowa State wrestling faithful. Joining the ISU squad next year will be Joey Cozart (Brandon, Fla.), Mikey England (Centerville, Iowa), Ryak Finch (Safford, Ariz.), Kyven Gadson (Waterloo, Iowa), Luke Goettl (Clarksdale, Ariz.), Brandon Jones (West Des Moines, Iowa), Michael Moreno (Urbandale, Iowa) and Trevor Voelker (Adel, Iowa). “We are very happy with the class we have coming in next year,” Jackson said. “They are going to make an immediate impact on our team and help our program accomplish its goals. They are highly-ranked guys that are full of potential and talent and they are excited to come to Iowa State. They know our tradition.” The Cyclone recruiting class is highlighted by star power and Cyclone legacy. Four signees (Cozart, 152 pounds; Finch, 119 pounds; Gadson, 189 pounds; and Moreno, 171 pounds) reside within Intermat’s Class of 2010 Top 100 ranking. Cozart, Finch and Moreno are all ranked within the top-30 wrestlers in the nation by the website. The foursome holds six state titles and 10 prep finals appearances between them. Moreno’s father, Mike, was an All-American at 134 pounds for ISU in 1992. The father of Kyven Gadson, Willie, was a two-time All-American (1975-76) at 177 pounds. “We are excited about the legacy wrestlers,” Jackson said. “Gadson, Moreno and Voelker are now Cyclones themselves. Their families’ love and passion for ISU has never waivered. They thought Iowa State University was a class school with the type of academic and athletic standards they were looking for their college educations.” Top local Iowa talent is prepared to hit the Cyclone wrestling room. Jones won the 2009 3A 112-pound title at Valley High school in West Des Moines. England, a three-time Iowa state placewinner (140 pounds, 145 pounds and 171 pounds), hails from Centerville. Voelker, the nephew of former Cyclone two-time 190-pound NCAA champion Eric Voelker, has placed twice at state, most recently at 189 pounds. Jackson knows the importance of finding home-grown talent that emerges from the state of Iowa’s rapid wrestling scene. “We are looking to communicate with all coaches in the state of Iowa,” Jackson said. “Our coaching staff at Iowa State is here with our arms open to welcome in-state kids. We will fight very hard to bring in the best athletes in our state.” Arizona standout Luke Goettl rounds out the eight-man class. Goettl is a three-time state champion hailing from Clarksdale, Ariz. He has taken titles at 112 pounds, 125 pounds and 130 pounds. “There are high expectations for everyone,” Jackson said. “We’d like all of them to make an impact.” Jackson notes the fact that he and his coaching staff are looking for student-athletes, with an emphasis on the “student”. “First and foremost, we push academics,” Jackson said. “ISU student-athletes graduate at a rate of 79 percent. We want student-athletes to come here first for academics, then for athletics. We have a great coaching staff which is going to challenge these student-athletes.” Class of 2010 Wrestling Signees Joey Cozart, Brandon, Fla. (Brandon) Three-time Florida state champion ... has taken titles at 125 pounds, 140 pounds and 145 pounds ... ranked 29th in his class by Intermat ... considered to be one of the top-five 152-pound preps nationally by Amateur Wrestling News and Intermat ... wrestled for storied Brandon High School program that has won 19 team championships and crowned 70 individual titlists ... coached by his father, Russ Cozart. Mikey England, Centerville, Iowa (Centerville) Three-time state 2A placewinner ... has compiled a 121-25 record ... took runner-up honors as a junior at the Iowa state tournament, competing at 171 pounds ... wrestled to third place as a sophomore at 145 pounds ... placed fourth at 140 pounds in his freshman year ... ranked 16th at 171 pounds by Intermat ... competed in the 2009 Junior Nationals. Ryak Finch, Safford, Ariz. (Safford) Considered the top 119-pounder in the nation by Amateur Wrestling News and Intermat two-time Arizona state 3A champion ...stands at 154-2 on his career ... Junior Nationals double champion in freestyle and Greco-Roman at 112 pounds in 2009... two-time NHSCA national champion ... finished sophomore and junior seasons with perfect marks of 40-0 and 56-0, respectively ... rated by Intermat as the 23rd best wrestler in the class of 2010 ... was runner-up at both freestyle and Greco-Roman at the 2008 Junior Nationals ... state runner-up as a freshman at 103 pounds ... member of a five-time defending state champion team at Safford ... coached by Herman Andrews. Kyven Gadson, Waterloo, Iowa (East) Went undefeated, 38-0, as a junior en route to 3A 171-pound state title, winning by fall in four of five matches ...state runner-up as a sophomore at 145 pounds ... ranked in the top-10 at 189 pounds by both Amateur Wrestling News and Intermat ... 2009 FILA Cadet freestyle national champion at 85 kg (187.25 pounds) ... double state champion competing in Greco-Roman and freestyle as a sophomore ... took first place wrestling at 152 pounds at ASICS Folkstyle Nationals in 2008 ... coached by father, former ISU All-American Willie Gadson. Luke Goettl, Clarksdale, Ariz. (Mingus Union) Three-time Arizona state 4A-D2 champion ... titlist at 112 pounds, 125 pounds and 130 pounds ... Junior Nationals champion in Greco-Roman at 125 pounds in 2008 ... crowned champion at Southern Plains regional in 2009 ... ranked 12th and 10th at 135 pounds by Amateur Wrestling News and Intermat, respectively ... coached by Tom Wokasch. Brandon Jones, West Des Moines, Iowa (Valley) Iowa state 3A 112-pound state titlist as a junior ... went 37-3 en route to the championship ... placed seventh as a sophomore at 103 pounds ... notched a 119-pound fourth-place finish at USA Wrestling’s 2009 Preseason Nationals ... took top-honors at the Northern Plains regional, competing at 119 pounds ... runner-up in state freestyle tournament at 119 pounds ... finished fourth at ASICS Folkstyle Nationals in 2009 ... coached by Travis Young. Michael Moreno, Urbandale, Iowa (Urbandale) State runner-up in Iowa class 3A at 160 pounds as a junior and at 152 pounds as a sophomore ... has recorded a career mark of 111-13 ... took fourth in the 145-pound division as a freshman ... considered one of the top 10 preps at 171 pounds by both Amateur Wrestling News and Intermat ... ranked 22nd best wrestler in the class of 2010 by Intermat ... runner-up finish competing in freestyle at 171 pounds at the Northern Plains regional ... saw action at Junior Nationals at 171 pounds ... coached by father and former Cyclone, Mike Moreno. Trevor Voelker, Adel, Iowa (Dallas Center-Grimes) Two-time Iowa state 2A placewinner ... finished fifth in the state at 189 pounds as a junior after compiling a 47-3 mark ... recorded a sixth-place showing at 171 pounds as a sophomore ... competed at Junior Nationals as a junior ... nephew of former Cyclone two-time NCAA 190-pound champion Eric Voelker ... coached by Clint Knoll.

You know that feeling of disappointment when you've been anticipating a specific matchup between two individual wrestlers or teams at a dual meet tournament ... only to have it not happen because things didn't go as expected in the bracket. That's not an issue at the third annual Journeymen/ASICS Sprawl & Brawl, to be held Sunday, November 22 at West Gym at Binghamton University in Vestal, New York. As event organizer Frank Popolizio explained it, "Our format is a bit different. Instead of using traditional brackets like most tournaments, all matchups at the Sprawl & Brawl have been determined in advance." For example, the University of Illinois, one of 14 college programs participating in the 2009 Sprawl & Brawl, knows that it will have three dual meets at the tournament, facing off against University of Pittsburgh in the opening round, then Davidson in the second round, and West Virginia in the third round. In addition to these schools -- and host Binghamton -- other programs competing at the 2009 Sprawl & Brawl include Edinboro, Harvard, Michigan State, Northern Iowa, Penn State, Rider, Rutgers, Sacred Heart, and Wyoming. An appetizing format for coaches The unique format for Sprawl & Brawl was originally created for the Northeast Duals, an event also organized by Frank Popolizio, now in its ninth year, which will be held the following weekend in Albany, New York. Frank Popolizio"A couple years ago, Iowa State wanted to participate in an event in the East, but had already scheduled something the weekend of the Northeast Duals," according to Popolizio. "We created Sprawl & Brawl as an alternative event for schools that liked the idea behind the Northeast Duals." Together, the two events straddle Thanksgiving Day, and offer coaches a choice. For programs seeking a pre-Turkey Day event, there's Sprawl & Brawl; Northeast Duals is held during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. And, according to Popolizio, together the two events will feature fully one-third of the NCAA Division I wrestlers in a seven-day time span in upstate New York. The Sprawl & Brawl format is designed to answer various concerns of college wrestling coaches. Top of the list: "Because we're early in the season, we give college coaches matches that their programs can handle," as Frank Popolizio explains it. "We try to stair-step the team matchups, starting with an easier matchup, then getting progressively more challenging as the day goes on." Popolizio works hard to try to meet the wishes of participating coaches. "It's a real logistical challenge, trying to keep the gradient approach of more challenging matchups for each program, and have exciting matchups throughout the entire event," says Popolizio, who compared scheduling the matchups to solving a Rubik's Cube puzzle. This year's schedule was created manually; a computer program has been developed to help create matches for future events. Another draw for college coaches: "Programs don't always have the travel budgets to go out West to compete," said Popolizio. "By bringing top programs from the Midwest and West, it makes it possible for Eastern schools to broaden their competitive base, which helps wrestlers in terms of their individual rankings, and in qualifying for the NCAAs." Satisfies fan appetites for action, too "(The format) really helps with fan interest," continued Popolizio. "They know exactly what matchups they will see in advance. They can expect to see exciting team matchups like West Virginia vs. Wyoming, Penn State vs. Edinboro, and Michigan State vs. Northern Iowa -- dual meets that would never be part of a regular team schedule." In the second round of this year's Sprawl & Brawl, fans can anticipate a match between All-Americans J.P. O'Connor of Harvard (pictured) and Cyler Sanderson of Penn State (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)Having matchups set up in advance also helps build interest in individual bouts. Popolizio cited one specific example: "In the second round, they can anticipate a barnburner of a match between Cyler Sanderson of Penn State, and J.P. O'Connor, a local guy, now at Harvard." The 'local flavor' idea goes beyond individual wrestlers, to include some of the coaches who will be at the 2009 Sprawl & Brawl, such as Joe Privitere, assistant coach at Davidson, a 2003 graduate of Binghamton ... and Brad Penrith, long-time head coach at Northern Iowa, who grew up in Windsor, New York. "It'll be a homecoming of sorts for these guys," said Popolizio. The "hometown heroes" aspect of guys like O'Connor, Privitere and Penrith making it big in amateur wrestling beyond upstate New York is one of the aspects of Sprawl & Brawl that is one of the prime reasons Popolizio puts so much effort into bringing this event to Binghamton. "It's all about bringing greatness to this area," said the event organizer. "It's about promoting college wrestling in an area that is rich in (high school) wrestling tradition. It not only helps fire up fans in the area, but shows young athletes what's possible, that they can achieve greatness from wrestling." Popolizio describes the venue for the 2009 Sprawl & Brawl -- West Gym at Binghamton University -- as "fan-friendly ... It seats just over 1,000 people. There are four mats, all in use for all five rounds, so there's always action." Josh Patterson"There's no such thing as a bad seat. Fans are really close to the action ... It's an incredible opportunity for fans to rub shoulders with great wrestlers and coaches they might not usually get this close to." The 2009 Sprawl & Brawl takes place the same day as the 2009 NWCA All-Star Classic, held at Cal State Fullerton outside Los Angeles. When asked if this has created a scheduling conflict for any of the participants, Popolizio cited one specific example: Josh Patterson of Binghamton, the school's first Division I All-American (placing seventh at the 2009 NCAAs at 184 pounds). Patterson is the program's first wrestler to compete at the All-Stars in the 44-year history of the event that features the best individuals in college wrestling. As Frank Popolizio put it, "My brother Pat (head coach at Binghamton) said, 'This is a true honor to be invited to compete at the All-Stars so he and his wrestler will be out in California, and miss our event." The Sprawl & Brawl organizer added, "It's interesting to note that Franklin Gomez, defending champ at 133, will be with his team (Michigan State) and us." "We're excited to be able to feature great wrestlers from a wide range of programs throughout the country," said Popolizio. "We're thrilled that this event has been so well-accepted by college coaches, wrestlers and fans in only its third year ... We're successful because of our volunteers. They truly make this event a success." For more information on the 2009 Journeymen/ASICS Sprawl & Brawl event on Sunday, November 22, visit the Web site: http://www.journeymenwrestling.com/competitions.htm.

Shawn Charles

Randy Couture