The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- March 29, 1999

Three event winners place Pittsburgh-Johnstown on top

Brothers Jody and John Strittmatter won the first two weight classes of the Division II Wrestling Championships, lifting Pittsburgh-Johnstown to its second title March 12-13 at Nebraska-Omaha.

Troy Barbush also placed first as Pittsburgh-Johnstown amassed 110 points to win its second championship and edge the hosts by 41/2 points. Nebraska-Omaha finished second for the fourth time in the last seven years.

Jody Strittmatter rolled through the 125-pound weight class with falls in the first three rounds and a 13-1 major decision over Nebraska-Omaha's Mack LaRock in the finals. Strittmatter, who won the 118-pound class in 1998 and was selected as this year's recipient of the Most Outstanding Wrestler award, finished the season with a 43-1 record.

John Strittmatter used four decisions to earn the top spot in the 133-pound class, climaxed by a 10-6 win over Scott Braun of South Dakota State. He ended the year with a 40-6 mark.

Barbush gave Pittsburgh-Johnstown its second victory over a Nebraska-Omaha opponent in the finals, outpointing Chris Blair, 8-4, in the 165-pound class. Besides the three champions, Pittsburgh-Johnstown also received a second-place effort from Ethan Brownback at 184 and a third-place performance from Issac Greeley in the 149-pound class.

The only other repeat champion was Braumon Creighton of the host school. Creighton followed his 134-pound class title of 1998 with this year's first-place finish at 141. He decisioned Paul Konechne of South Dakota State 12-6 in the final to conclude the year at 41-3.

Central Oklahoma and Southern Colorado, which finished third and fourth, respectively, each crowned two champions. Chris Currier (149) and Trent Monlux (174) won for Southern Colorado, and Edwin Lorne (184) and Jeremiah Constant (197) posted back-to-back titles for Central Oklahoma.

Pat Pecora of Pittsburgh-Johnstown was named the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division II Coach of the Year.

Wrestling

TEAM RESULTS

1. Pitt.-Johnstown, 110; 2. Neb.-Omaha, 1051/2; 3. Central Okla., 721/2; 4. Southern Colo., 701/2; 5. South Dakota St., 63; 6. Minn. St.-Mankato, 601/2; 7. North Dakota St., 541/2; 8. (tie) Adams St. and Western St., 281/2; 10. Carson-Newman, 271/2.

11. Fort Hays St., 26; 12. (tie) Ashland and Augustana (S.D.), 23; 14. St. Cloud St., 211/2; 15. Northern Colo., 20; 16. (tie) Chadron St., Colorado Mines and Shippensburg, 131/2; 19. (tie) San Francisco St. and Truman St., 121/2.

21. Moorhead St., 101/2; 22. (tie) Central Mo. St. and Gannon, 91/2; 24. Binghamton, 8; 25. Gardner-Webb, 7; 26. (tie) Minn.-Morris and Southwest St., 61/2; 28. (tie) Central Wash. and West Liberty St., 6; 30. (tie) Kutztown and Wis.-Parkside, 3.

32. Northern St., 21/2; 33. (tie) Indianapolis and SIU-Edwardsville, 2.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

125-pound class

First round: Jody Strittmatter, Pitt.-Johnstown, pinned Allen Luke, St. Cloud St., 3:25; Max Schurkamp, San Francisco St., def. Wes Watson, West Liberty St., 8-4; Chad Wickman, South Dakota St., def. Jeff Putt, Shippensburg, 11-7; Chris Peretti, Ashland, def. Bobby Banks, Gannon, 14-3; Mack LaRock, Neb.-Omaha, def. Eddie Ponce, Southern Colo., 5-3, sudden victory; Naret Viravong, Carson-Newman, def. Zach Gresset, Neb.-Kearney, 10-9; Ryan Lewis, North Dakota St., def. Rob Jankowski, Wis.-Parkside, 12-4.

Quarterfinals: Strittmatter pinned Tom Grafstrom, Moorhead St., 4:59; Schurkamp def. Wickman, 14-6; LaRock def. Peretti, 7-6; Lewis pinned Viravong, 4:09.

Semifinals: Strittmatter pinned Schurkamp, 5:49; LaRock pinned Lewis, 3:58.

Finals: Striittmatter def. LaRock, 13-1. Third place -- Lewis def. Schurkamp, 16-4. Fifth place -- Ponce def. Peretti, by default. Seventh place -- Jankowski def. Viravong, 9-4.

133-pound class

First round: Ryan Hintz, Central Mo. St., def. Mike Barerras, Adams St., 6-5; Packy Burke, Binghamton, def. Kelly Martinez, San Francisco St., 7-3; Jesse Montez, SIU-Edwadsville, def. Aaron Sanders, St. Cloud St., 7-3; Scott Braun, South Dakota St., def. Lance Parsons, Indianapolis, 9-1; Kris Nelson, North Dakota St., def. Brock Moore, Central Okla., 12-11; Jeremy Rhodes, Gardner-Webb, def. Gabe Montoya, Western St., 4-2; John Strittmatter, Pitt.-Johnstown, def. Dugan Bentley, Ashland, 9-2.

Quarterfinals: Hintz def. Burke, 13-8; Braun def. Montez, 8-5; Rhodes def. Nelson, 4-2; Strittmatter def. Chad Flores, Neb.-Kearney, 8-6.

Semifinals: Braun def. Hintz, 8-5; Strittmatter def. Rhodes, 4-2.

Finals: Strittmatter def. Braun, 10-6. Third place -- Moore pinned Barerras, 4:34. Fifth place -- Rhodes def. Hintz, 4-3. Seventh place -- Nelson def. Bentley, 11-4.

141-pound class

First round: Braumon Creighton, Neb.-Omaha, def. Lamont Tucker, West Liberty St., 6-4; Marcus Mays, Central Wash., def. Brad Kiefer, Truman St., 7-2; Mark Mentzer, Shippensburg, def. Dwight Ballou, Moorhead St., 7-3; Tony Clark, Pitt.-Johnstown, def. Luke Shaw, Central Mo. St., 10-2; Lucas Trujillo, Southern Colo., def. Jake Thielbar, North Dakota St., 6-2; Tony Pelnar, Fort Hays St., def. Kohlby O'Donnell, Kutztown, 5-4.

Quarterfinals: Creighton def. Mays 16-6; Travis Shives, Minn. St.-Mankato, def. Mentzer, 4-2; Clark def. Trujillo, 10-5; Paul Konechne, South Dakota St., def. Pelnar, 8-6.

Semifinals: Creighton def. Shives, 7-4; Konechne def. Clark, 8-6.

Finals: Creighton def. Konechne, 12-6. Third place -- Shives def. Mentzer, 5-2. Fifth place -- Clark def. Pelnar, 4-3. Seventh place -- Mays def. Ballou, 19-8.

149-pound class

First round: Lazaro Reinoso, Carson-Newman, pinned Ryan Mizushima, Western St., 2:03; Pete Dickinson, Moorhead St., pinned Jason Dye, Chadron St., 1:56; Troy Szydel, Minn. St.-Mankato, def. Joe Renfro, Neb.-Kearney, 10-6; Issac Greeley, Pitt.-Johnstown, def. Brad Shefchik, Wis.-Parkside, 10-2; Chris Zink, North Dakota St., def. Floyd Lorne, Central Okla., 12-2; Chris Currier, Southern Colo., pinned T. J. Hellickson, Ashland, 1:48.

Quarterfinals: Reinoso def. Dickinson, 15-11; Szydel def. Joe Privitere, Binghamton, 15-7; Greeley def. Boyce Voorhees, Neb.-Omaha, 1-0; Currier pinned Zink, 1:15.

Semifinals: Reinoso def. Szydel, 9-7; Currier def. Greeley, 4-2, sudden victory.

Finals: Currier pinned Reinoso, 6:52. Third place -- Greeley def. Voorhes, 2-1. Fifth place -- Szydel pinned Privitere, 2:03. Seventh place -- Zink def. Dickinson, by default.

157-pound class

First round: Scott Hewit, Northern Colo., def. Jack Anderson, Central Wash., 12-7; Alan Cartwright, Neb.-Omaha, def. Jason Warthan, Indianapolis, 6-4; Jody Marple, Central Okla., def. Tyke Conover, Pitt.-Johnstown, 8-4; Wayne Mooney, North Dakota St., def. Dean Leaders, Central Mo. St., 16-1; Benny Charles, Southern Colo., def. Matt Petsinger, Minn. St.-Mankato, 11-9; Joe Veres, Ashland, def. Ryan Holgate, Colorado Mines, 7-5; Allen Hankins, Augustana (S.D.), def. Jason Thompson, Moorhead St., 11-4.

Quarterfinals: Hewit def. Cartwright, 6-2; Mooney def. Marple, 3-2; Veres def. Charles, 1-1, tiebreaker; Hankins def. Royce Johnson, Western St., 7-3.

Semifinals: Hewit def. Mooney, 12-4; Hankins def. Veres, 10-1.

Finals: Hewit def. Hankins, 6-1. Third place -- Petsinger def. Mooney, 7-4. Fifth place-- Charles def. Veres, 4-3, sudden victory. Seventh place -- Cartwright def. Johnson, 12-5.

165-pound class

First round: Titus Taylor, SIU-Edwardsville, def. Jake O'Neil, Indianapolis, 11-8; Chance VanGundy, Ashland, def. Calvin Buhler, Truman St., 12-5; Troy Barbush, Pitt.-Johnstown, def. Mike Bammes, Fort Hays St., 11-5; Lance Schwabenhauer, Gannon, def. Joe Callahan, Chadron St., 5-2; Chris Blair, Neb.-Omaha, def. Dave Vondy, Western St., 12-4; Ben Orth, Central Wash., def. Nathan Gomez, Central Okla., 6-3; Jason Tapia, Southern Colo., pinned Klaus Alberts, St. Cloud St., 6:10.

Quarterfinals: Van Gundy def. Taylor, 6-5; Barbush def. Chance Stoeser, Augustana (S.D.), 10-6, sudden victory; Blair def. Schwabenbauer, 10-7; Tapia def. Orth, 13-7.

Semifinals: Barbush def. Van Gundy, 5-3; Blair def. Tapia, 7-4.

Finals: Barbush def. Blair, 8-4. Third place -- Alberts pinned Buhler, 2:44. Fifth place -- Van Gundy def. Tapia, 9-5. Seventh place -- Callahan def. Schwabenbauer, 6-4.

174-pound class

First round: Steve Saxlund, North Dakota St., def. Travis Nagel, Moorhead St., 8-3; Kevin Allison, Chadron St., def. B. J. Friedrichs, Minn.-Morris, 7-5; Brady Wegesin, Ashland, def. Bart Orth, Central Wash., 3-2; Tyler Jones, South Dakota St., def. Steve Massouh, West Liberty St., 8-0; Trent Monlux, Southern Colo., def. Nick Mayer, Indianapolis, 15-3; Tony Realmuto, Central Okla., pinned Joe Dougherty, Pitt.-Johnstown, 5:30; Justin McNicholas, Kutztown, pinned Matt Johnson, Central Mo. St., 5:53; Albert Harrold, Neb.-Omaha, def. Shawn Bammes, Fort Hays St., 8-2.

Quarterfinals: Saxlund def. Allison, 9-1; Jones def. Wegesin, 4-1; Monlux def. Realmuto, 5-2; Harrold def. McNicholas, 13-3.

Semifinals: Saxlund def. Jones, 9-4; Monlux def. Harrold, 5-4.

Finals: Monlux def. Saxlund, 7-6. Third place -- Jones def. Allison, 17-1. Fifth place -- Harrold def. Friedrichs, 7-5. Seventh place -- Massouh def. Mayer, 11-3.

184-pound class

First round: Conrad Johnson, Adams St., pinned Brent Hendriksen, Ashland, 4:28; Corey Alfonsi, Fort Hays St., def. Ryan Rettke, Minn. St.-Mankato, 9-5; Kevin Boccella, Shippensburg, def. Charlie Higdon, Carson-Newman, 10-5; John Rolling, Central Mo. St., def. Scott Antoniak, Neb.-Omaha, 7-3.

Quarterfinals: Johnson pinned Luke Goral, Wis.-Parkside, 6:02; Ethan Brownback, Pitt.-Johnstown, def. Alfonsi, 8-5; Edwin Lorne, Central Okla., def. Boccella, 4-3; John Simpson, Colorado Mines, def. Rolling, 10-6.

Semifinals: Brownback def. Johnson, 10-4; Lorne def. Simpson, 8-7.

Finals: Lorne def. Brownback, 11-9. Third place -- Simpson def. Johnson, 6-3. Fifth place -- Higdon def. Rettke, 8-4. Seventh place -- Antoniak def. Hendriksen, by default.

197-pound class

First round: Clell Cox, Ashland, def. Trevell Smittick, Fort Hays St., 13-7; Jose Medina, Neb.-Omaha, def. Josh Waugh, West Liberty St., 8-2; Andy Sistek, Neb.-Kearney, def. Ben McCrillis, American Int'l, 7-3; Jon Bush, Colorado Mines, def. Dale Daugherty, Northern St., 10-2.

Quarterfinals: Jeremiah Constant, Central Okla., pinned Cox, 2:31; Medina def. Jaison Klingensmith, Pitt.-Johnstown, 9-1; Shawn Ange, Minn. St.-Mankato, pinned Sistek, :15; Ryan Marx, St. Cloud St., def. Bush, 5-4.

Semifinals: Constant pinned Medina, 3:18; Ange def. Marx, 3-1, sudden victory.

Finals: Constant def. Ange, by default. Third place -- Medina def. Klingensmith, 4-3. Fifth place -- Marx def. Smittick, 9-3. Seventh place -- Daugherty def. Waugh, 6-4.

Heavyweight class

First round: Jerry Corner, Neb.-Omaha, def. Bob Murphy, Neb.-Kearney, 8-1; Ryan Resel, South Dakota St., pinned Todd Proper, Gannon, 2:09; Claude Davis, Central Okla., def. Tim Croff, Carson-Newman, 2-1, sudden victory; Shane Carwin, Western St., def. Isaiah Larson, Minn. St.-Mankato, 16-0.

Quarterfinals: Corner pinned James Garvey, Augustana (S.D.), 2:40; Resel def. Keith Blaske, Fort Hays St., 6-1; Davis def. Chris Villalobos, Northern Colo., 5-4; Carwin pinned Brady Van Vooren, Southwest St., 2:26.

Semifinals: Resel def. Corner, 2-1, sudden victory; Carwin pinned Davis, 1:40.

Finals: Carwin def. Resel, 5-1. Third place -- Corner def. Blaske, 5-0. Fifth place -- Davis def. Proper, 16-5. Seventh place -- Van Vooren pinned Garvey, 2:09.