The NCAA News - News and Features

March 24, 1997

Against the odds

Even without grants-in-aid, San Francisco State wins II wrestling title

San Francisco State won three individual titles on its way to capturing the Division II Wrestling Championships March 15 at North Dakota State.

The champions, whose previous best finish was fifth in 1975, bested second-place Nebraska-Omaha, 95-81.

"I just wanted to get a trophy ... be in the top four, and that's what we were looking for," said Gators coach Lars Jensen, who was named the division's coach of the year. "This is just unbelievable that this happened to us.

"We have no scholarships ... and it's just unbelievable."

San Francisco State led 32 to 28 1/2 over Central Oklahoma after the first day of competition and stretched that lead as Nebraska-Omaha surpassed Central Oklahoma on the second, thanks to the performances of champions Damon Broadbent (118 pounds), Greg Jackson (158 pounds) and Lee Lofton (190 pounds).

It was Jackson's 3-1 sudden-death win over Central Oklahoma's Matt Surber that gave the Gators an insurmountable lead.

"It was a lot of pressure because my victory basically, hopefully, sealed the national title," Jackson said. "Plus I wanted to win it for myself. It's all part luck and part hard work."

Nate Hendrickson of Moorhead State, who won the 167-pound title and became his school's first national champion in 30 years, finished the season 28-0 and was named Most Outstanding Wrestler. Hendrickson beat Central Missouri State's Jeron Quincy, 9-1, in the championship bout.

"I had two overtime matches before I got into the finals and in the final one, I ended up making it look easier than the guy should have been," Hendrickson said.

South Dakota State was the only other team with more than one champion. Adam Feldman won the 126-pound class, and Ryan Resel won heavyweight, pinning Western State's Shane Carwin in 1:01.

Mankato State's Troy Szydel, who finished fifth at 142 pounds, had the most pins in the least amount of time (three falls in 3:46).

Division II wrestling

TEAM RESULTS

1. San Fran. St., 95; 2. Neb.-Omaha, 81; 3. Central Okla., 67; 4. South Dak. St., 65; 5. Pitt.-Johnstown, 63; 6. Western St. 48 1/2; 7. North Dak. St., 48; 8. (tie) Northern Colo. and West Liberty St., 32; 10. Fort Hays St., 30 1/2.

11. Moorhead St., 29; 12. Augustana (S.D.), 28 1/2; 13. North Dak., 27 1/2; 14. SIU-Edwardsville, 27; 15. Southern Colo., 25 1/2; 16. Adams St., 25; 17. Mankato St., 24; 18. Central Mo. St., 23; 19. Chadron St., 19 1/2; 20. St. Cloud St., 18.

21. Southwest St., 17; 22. Ashland, 11; 23. Colorado Mines, 8 1/2; 24. (tie) American Int'l, Carson-Newman and Wis.-Parkside, 5; 27. (tie) Gardner-Webb and Neb.-Kearney, 4 1/2; 29. Mansfield, 8; 30. Mass.-Lowell, 2; 31. Kutztown, 11/2; 32. (tie) Indianapolis and Truman St., 1; 34. N.C.-Pembroke, 1/2.

118-pound class

First round -- Erin Razo, North Dak., def. Mike Bailey, Central Mo. St., 12-4; John Strittmatter, Pitt.-Johnstown def., Bob Tucker, West Liberty St., 16-4; Karega Scott, Truman St., def. Naret Viravong, Carson-Newman, 10-7; Damon Broadbent, San Fran. St., def. Trevor Hasenjager, Wis.-Parkside, 5-3; Johnny Vigil, Western St., pinned Bob Banks, Gannon, 6:22; Keith Kizzar, Central Okla., def. Ralph Dasti, Chadron St., 15-4; Cody Bickley, Fort Hays St., def. Aaron Gonzalez, Northern Colo., 6-1.

Quarterfinals -- Strittmatter def. Razo, 5-4; Broadbent def. Scott, 8-6; Kizarr def. Vigil, 3-2; Chad Wickman, South Dak. St., def. Hickley, 5-4.

Semifinals -- Broadbent def. Strittmatter, 10-3; Kizarr def. Wickman, 6-4.

Finals -- Broadbent def. Kizarr, 4-3. Third place -- Vigil def. Razo, 9-3. Fifth place -- Strittmatter def. Wickman, 8-4; Seventh place -- Dasti def. Bailey, 7-3.

126-pound class

First round -- Nathan Hand, Carson-Newman, def. Marc Schulze, Mankato St., 2-0; Craig Otto, Western St., def. Roger Spear, Wis.-Parkside, 7-4; Scott Braun, North Dak., def. Tony Clark, Pitt.-Johnstown, 18-6; Jeff Kapusta, North Dak. St., def. Brad Kieffer, Truman St., 10-0; Rafael Calixto, American Int'l, def. Jess Shaffer, Colorado Mines, 8-4; Brian Anderson, SIU-Edwardsville, def. Brent Campbell, N.C.-Pembroke, 10-4; Adam Feldman, South Dak. St., def. Carlos Sumulong, San Fran. St., 10-3; Chad Red, Indianapolis, def. Brock Moore, Central Okla., 5-2.

Quarterfinals -- Otto def. Hand, 2-1; Braun def. Kapusta, 12-5; Calixto def. Anderson, 3-1, sudden death; Feldman def. Red, 13-2.

Semfinals -- Braun def. Otto, 4-3; Feldman def. Calixto, 11-1.

Finals -- Feldman def. Braun, 12-4. Third place -- Kapusta def. Anderson, 6-4, sudden death; Fifth place -- Otto def. Calixto, 12-4; Seventh place -- Spear def. Moore, 8-2.

134-pound class

First round -- George Thompson, North Dak. St., def. Issac Greeley, Pitt.-Johnstown, 9-6; Kip Platts, Western St., def. Josh Sammons, South Dak. St., 3-2; Corey Kline, Ashland, def. Chris Conroy, Mass.-Lowell, 16-2; Chris McElwee, SIU-Edwardsville, def. Jeff Smith, West Liberty St., 7-3; Braumon Creighton, Neb.-Omaha, def. Jason Roth, Southern Colo., 3-2.

Quarterfinals -- Thompson pinned Platts, 3:46; Kline def. Matt Goodson, Central Okla., 2-1; Francis Aquino, San Fran. St., def. McElsee, 13-3; Mike Barreras, Adams St., def. Creighton, 6-5.

Semifinals -- Thompson def. Kline, 2-2, tiebreaker; Aquino def. Barreras, 8-3.

Finals -- Thompson def. Aquino, 4-3. Third place -- Creighton def. Barreras, 8-5. Fifth place -- Goodson def. Kline, by medical forfeit. Seventh place -- Platts def. Conroy, 6-4.

142-pound class

First round -- Shawn Hickey, SIU-Edwardsville, pinned Tony Albertelli, Pitt.-Johnstown, 2:43; Troy Szydel, Mankato St., pinned Ryan Thorpe, Northern St., 6:02; Ryan Vratil, Central Okla., def. Bob Belanger, Mass.-Lowell, 8-0; Troy Brown, Western St., def. Jason Cuperus, North Dak. St., 9-4; Tony Benallo, Northern Colo., def. Jack Gilman, West Liberty St., 7-4; Travis King, South Dak. St., def. Chris Currier, Southern Colo., 18-4.

Quarterfinals -- Szydel pinned Hickey, 0:46; Vratil def. Steve Hilas, San Fran. St., 3-2; Benallo def. Brown, 11-9; Jason Reitmeier, Augustana (S.D.), def. King, 7-2.

Semifinals -- Vratil def. Szydel, 6-5; Reitmeier def. Benallo, 6-5.

Finals -- Reitmeier def. Vratil, 7-2. Third place -- Albertelli def. Hilas, 11-6. Fifth place -- Szydel pinned Benallo, 1:58. Seventh place -- Currier def. Brown, by medical forfeit.

150-pound class

First round -- Benny Charles, Southern Colo., def. Joe Veras, Ashland, 5-3; Andy Reigstad, St. Cloud St., pinned Joel Brinker, Mansfield, 4:12; Chance Stoeser, Augustana (S.D.), def. Ally Sleiman, Southern Conn. St., 6-0; Eddie Woody, Fort Hays St., def. Andy Rouse, Truman St., 9-3; James Branch, West Liberty St., def. Jody Marple, Central Okla., 10-4.

Quarterfinals -- Reigstad def. Charles, 3-1; Stoeser def. Scott Hewitt, Northern Colo., 5-3, sudden death; Woody def. Chris Blair, Neb.-Omaha, 8-7; Branch def. Marc Hodgson, 8-0.

Semfinals -- Reigstad def. Stoeser, 9-0; Branch def. Woody, 9-4.

Finals -- Branch def. Reigstad, 11-7. Third place -- Charles def. Stoeser, 5-3. Fifth place -- Woody def. Blair,
4-3. Seventh place -- Hewitt def. Hodgson, by medical forfeit.

158-pound class

First round -- Matt Surber, Central Okla., def. Justin Edwards, Southern Colo., 18-6; Mark Pazdernik, North Dak. St., pinned Madison Winchester, Shippensburg, 1:27; Richard Foston, West Liberty St., def. Myron Ellegood, Fort Hays St., 9-7; Troy Barbush, Pitt.-Johnstown, def. Jeff Bullerman, St. Cloud St., 5-2; Greg Jackson, San Fran. St., def. Chance Van Gundy, Ashland, 9-5.

Quarterfinals -- Surber def. Pazdernik, 11-3; Foston def. Dan Lovell, Neb.-Omaha, 10-5; Barbush def. Matt Skattum, Northern St., 11-4; Jackson def. Mark Blaschko, Neb.-Kearney, 8-3.

Semifinals -- Surber def. Foston, 8-6; Jackson def. Barbush, 3-2.

Finals -- Jackson def. Surber, 3-1, sudden death. Third place -- Lovell def. Ellegood, 14-2. Fifth place -- Barbush def. Foston, by medical forfeit. Seventh place -- Pazdernik def. Edwards, 11-10.

167-pound class

First round -- Kevin O'Neil, Pitt.-Johnstown, def. Steve Friedrichs, Mankato St., 13-11; Tim Pomfret, Ashland, def. Mark Cunningham, Central Okla., 3-2; Nate Hendrickson, Moorhead St., def. Kevin Allison, Chadron St., 7-3; T. J. Deaguero, Northern Colo., def. Todd Fluck, Kutztown, 7-1; Paul Healy, San Fran. St., def. Vinnie Mehovic, Gardner-Webb, 13-4; Jason Wagner, North Dak., def. Buck Chamberlain, 11-5.

Quarterfinals -- Pomfret def. O'Neil, 5-4; Hendrickson def. Brett Svendsen, North Dak. St., 4-2, sudden death; Healy def. Draguero, 6-3; Jeron Quincy, Central Mo. St., pinned Wagner, 6:29.

Semifinals -- Hendrickson def. Pomfret, 1-1, tiebreaker; Quincy pinned Healy, 3:42.

Finals -- Hendrickson def. Quincy, 9-1. Third place -- Deaguero def. O'Neil, 7-2. Fifth place -- Healy def. Pomfret, by medical forfeit. Seventh place -- Cunningham def. Svendsen, 11-1.

177-pound class

First round -- Scott Shipman, West Liberty St., def. Ryan Johnson, 15-7; Charlie Higdon, Carson-Newman, def. Eugene Barbu, Minn.-Morris, 16-6; James Leiner, Kutztown, def. Ed Hermsen, Chadron St., 8-7; Jeremy Pascoe, South Dak. St., def. John Simpson, Colorado Mines, 14-4; Link Steffen, Southwest St., def. Alex Tapia, Southern Colo., 9-6.

Quarterfinals -- Shipman def. Higdon, 7-6; Irwin Brambley, Pitt.-Johnstown, def. Leiner, 5-4; Pascoe def. Tom Wagner, Northern Colo., 14-5; Corry Royal, Neb.-Omaha, def. Steffen, 16-7.

Semifinals -- Brambley def. Shipman, by default, 6:21; Royal pinned Pascoe, 4:39.

Finals -- Royal def. Brambley, 6-2. Third place -- Pascoe def. Steffen, 7-2. Fifth place -- Simpson def. Shipman, by medical forfeit; Seventh place -- Hermsen def. Higdon, 5-1.

190-pound class

First round -- Corey Arndt, Chadron St., def. Jaison Klingensmith, Pitt.-Johnstown, 6-2; Ryan Wolters, North Dak. St., def. Steve Hawk, Mansfield, 12-4; Lee Lofton, San Fran. St. def. Dan Orwig, Shippensburg, by technical fall, 7:00; Pat Kelley, Neb.-Omaha, def. Todd Schlater, West Liberty St., 8-0; Tyler Trieglaff, Moorhead St., def. James Short, Gardner-Webb, 12-4; Jason Carter, SIU-Edwardsville, def. Mike Schadwinkel, Adams St., 10-0.

Quarterfinals -- Arndt def. Wolters, 9-3; Lofton def. Jason Schumacher, Augustana (S.D.), by default, 2:10; Kelly pinned Trieglaff, 2:35; Carter def. Ross Johnson, Mankato St., 2-1.

Semifinals -- Lofton def. Arndt, 11-4. Kelley def. Carter, 16-5.

Finals -- Lofton def. Kelley, 8-5. Third place -- Arndt def. Schedwinkel, 7-4. Fifth place -- Carter def. Johnson, by medical forfeit. Seventh place -- Trieglaff pinned Short, 1:03.

Heavyweight class

First round -- Andy Lancaster, Southwest St., def. Greg O'Neil Southern Conn. St., by technical fall, 7:00; Mitch Schlepp, Southern Colo., def. Chris Villalobos, Nothern Colo., 9-5; Jack Anders, West Liberty St., def. Winterhawk Windchief, Central Okla., 3-1, sudden death; Ryan Resel, South Dak. St., def. Dan Jones, Adams St., 4-2; Mike Rogers, SIU-Edwardsville, pinned Patrick O'Shea, Carson-Newman, 1:37.

Quarterfinals -- Carwin def. Lancaster, by technical fall, 7:00; Schlepp def. Jerry Corner, Neb.-Omaha, 5-4; Resel, def. Anders, 8-1; Josh Gooch, Fort Hays St., def. Rogers, 3-0.

Semfinals -- Carwin pinned Schlepp, 2:48; Resel def. Gooch, 7-2.

Finals -- Resel pinned Carwin, 1:01. Third place -- Gooch def. Villalobos, 3-1, sudden death. Fifth place -- Corner pinned Schlepp, 1:20. Seventh place -- Rogers pinned Lancaster, 2:41.