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Auggies win D-III wrestling national title!
SOURCE: web.archive.org
March 06, 2010
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - With eight All-Americans and three national runner-up individuals, the Augsburg College wrestling team claimed its 11th NCAA Division III national title in the last 20 seasons on Saturday evening at the U.S. Cellular Center.
Augsburg finished with 110.5 points, 10 points better than second-place Wisconsin-La Crosse's 100.5. Defending national champion Wartburg (Iowa) was third with 83.5 points, Coe (Iowa) was fourth with 76.0 points and Delaware Valley (Pa.) was fifth with 50.5 points.
Augsburg head coach Mark Matzek, named Division III National Coach of the Year by the National Wrestling Coaches Association, is the youngest head coach to ever win a Division III wrestling national title at age 27, in his second year as the Auggies' mentor. Augsburg assistant head coach Jared Evans was named National Assistant Coach of the Year by the NWCA.
"It was nine individual efforts that created this team national championship," Matzek said. "I'm proud of each and every one of those guys that wrestled this weekend, and I'm proud of each and every one of those guys in this program."
The final session of the tournament completed a unique first for the Auggies - the first time Augsburg has won a national title without an individual national titlist. The feat has occurred just twice before in the 37-year history of the Division III championships - Ithaca (N.Y.) in 1989 and Buffalo (N.Y.) in 1978.
However, Augsburg's depth carried the weekend and lifted the team to the national title. Augsburg had eight All-Americans - two more than any other school in the field - and its seven top-four finishers were also two more than any other school in the field.
Augsburg extended its streak of "trophy finishes" - finishing in the top four in the team race - to 22 straight years, the longest active streak of any NCAA wrestling program, regardless of division. Augsburg has finished fourth or better every year since 1989, and its 22-year streak is the second-longest top-four finish streak of any school in NCAA wrestling history, behind the 28 of Oklahoma State in Division I from 1929-59.
Competing in his first national tournament, Paul Bjorkstrand (SR, Burnsville, Minn.) finished as a national runner-up at 133 pounds, falling to Wisconsin-La Crosse's Bebeto Yewah 14-9 in the title bout. The championship match was an exciting one, as the two wrestlers exhanged takedowns and escapes throughout the early portion of the match, before Yewah took control with three straight takedowns, building 2:10 of riding time in the process. Bjorkstrand finished 39-8 on the season, 102-35 in his Auggie career.
Earlier on Saturday, Bjorkstrand qualified for the national title match with a 3-2 victory over Nichalos Nothern of Cornell (Iowa). Bjorkstrand converted a takedown with eight seconds left in the first period and an escape in the second, while riding Nothern for the entire third period to claim the win.
At 149, Tony Valek (SO, Belle Plaine, Minn./Scott West) reached the title match for the first time in his second appearance in the national meet, but fell 8-4 to Isaac Dukes of Case Western Reserve (Ohio) in the championship match. Behind two takedowns and a three-point near-fall, Dukes built a 7-1 lead, with Valek cutting into the advantage in the final minute of the match. The loss was Valek's first in 21 matches against Division III competition this season.
To reach the finals, Valek used a three-point near-fall with 50 seconds left in the third period and 2:27 of riding time to score a 7-3 win over Jason Pyle of Luther (Iowa) in the semifinals. Valek finished his sophomore campaign at 33-5, and is 65-18 in his career.
At 165, Orlando Ponce (JR, Hialeah, Fla./Hialeah-Miami Lakes HS) joined Valek in reaching the finals for the first time in his second trip to the national tournament, but also dropped his title match, falling 7-3 to Vincent Renaut of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (N.Y.). Ponce built a 3-0 lead early in the second period, but Renaut scored a takedown late in the second period, then went ahead with a takedown and two-point near-fall in the final eight seconds of the bout.
Ponce reached the championship match with a wild 11-9 victory over Nick LeClere of Coe (Iowa) in the semifinals. In a dramatic, back-and-forth battle, Ponce converted a takedown with 19 seconds left in the third period to win the match. Ponce finished 30-11 on the season and is 58-25 in his Auggie career.
Augsburg scored five other All-Americans earlier in the day on Saturday, marking the eighth time Augsburg has had eight or more All-Americans in a single year. Augsburg has had at least five All-Americans in every national tournament since 1989.
At 157, Jason Adams (SR, Coon Rapids, Minn.) became the 35th Augsburg wrestler to earn three All-American honors, finishing in third place. Adams finished 46-5 this season and 136-25 in his career. Adams and his father, three-time All-American Bob Adams '83, are the lone father-and-son combination in Augsburg wrestling history to both earn All-American honors.
Jared Massey (JR, Circle Pines, Minn./Centennial HS), last year's national champion at 197 pounds, finished in third place this season. Massey, who returned to college wrestling after a four-year absence last year following his initial year of competition at Division I Wisconsin in the 2003-04 season, finished this season 29-1 and is 59-2 in his two seasons at Augsburg, 64-4 in his overall collegiate career.
Zach Molitor (JR, Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti HS) earned All-American honors for the second time, finishing third at 174 pounds. Molitor, who finished sixth last year, finished 31-4 this season and is 80-27 in his career (62-14 at Augsburg).
Josh Roberts (FY, Grand Forks, N.D./Grand Forks Central HS) finished fourth for the Auggies at 125 in his first appearance at the national tournament, finishing the season at 27-10. Andy Witzel (SR, Fulda, Minn.) closed his career with his second All-American finish, placing eighth at heavyweight. Massey ended his final season at 28-12, and 111-47 in his Auggie career.
Among other Minnesota schools, St. John's 141-pounder Minga Batsukh repeated his national title from last year with a 10-4 win over Jeremy Stierly of Ithaca (N.Y.) in the finals, finishing 18-2 on the season. Concordia-Moorhead's Phil Moenkedick, a national runner-up last season, won his first national title with a 7-4 triumph over Brennan Ward of Johnson and Wales (R.I.). The Cobbers, who finished ninth with 31.5 points, had two other placewinners, as Justin Berns placed seventh at 149 and Ross Dankers placed eighth at 174.
Augsburg finished with 110.5 points, 10 points better than second-place Wisconsin-La Crosse's 100.5. Defending national champion Wartburg (Iowa) was third with 83.5 points, Coe (Iowa) was fourth with 76.0 points and Delaware Valley (Pa.) was fifth with 50.5 points.
Augsburg head coach Mark Matzek, named Division III National Coach of the Year by the National Wrestling Coaches Association, is the youngest head coach to ever win a Division III wrestling national title at age 27, in his second year as the Auggies' mentor. Augsburg assistant head coach Jared Evans was named National Assistant Coach of the Year by the NWCA.
"It was nine individual efforts that created this team national championship," Matzek said. "I'm proud of each and every one of those guys that wrestled this weekend, and I'm proud of each and every one of those guys in this program."
The final session of the tournament completed a unique first for the Auggies - the first time Augsburg has won a national title without an individual national titlist. The feat has occurred just twice before in the 37-year history of the Division III championships - Ithaca (N.Y.) in 1989 and Buffalo (N.Y.) in 1978.
However, Augsburg's depth carried the weekend and lifted the team to the national title. Augsburg had eight All-Americans - two more than any other school in the field - and its seven top-four finishers were also two more than any other school in the field.
Augsburg extended its streak of "trophy finishes" - finishing in the top four in the team race - to 22 straight years, the longest active streak of any NCAA wrestling program, regardless of division. Augsburg has finished fourth or better every year since 1989, and its 22-year streak is the second-longest top-four finish streak of any school in NCAA wrestling history, behind the 28 of Oklahoma State in Division I from 1929-59.
Competing in his first national tournament, Paul Bjorkstrand (SR, Burnsville, Minn.) finished as a national runner-up at 133 pounds, falling to Wisconsin-La Crosse's Bebeto Yewah 14-9 in the title bout. The championship match was an exciting one, as the two wrestlers exhanged takedowns and escapes throughout the early portion of the match, before Yewah took control with three straight takedowns, building 2:10 of riding time in the process. Bjorkstrand finished 39-8 on the season, 102-35 in his Auggie career.
Earlier on Saturday, Bjorkstrand qualified for the national title match with a 3-2 victory over Nichalos Nothern of Cornell (Iowa). Bjorkstrand converted a takedown with eight seconds left in the first period and an escape in the second, while riding Nothern for the entire third period to claim the win.
At 149, Tony Valek (SO, Belle Plaine, Minn./Scott West) reached the title match for the first time in his second appearance in the national meet, but fell 8-4 to Isaac Dukes of Case Western Reserve (Ohio) in the championship match. Behind two takedowns and a three-point near-fall, Dukes built a 7-1 lead, with Valek cutting into the advantage in the final minute of the match. The loss was Valek's first in 21 matches against Division III competition this season.
To reach the finals, Valek used a three-point near-fall with 50 seconds left in the third period and 2:27 of riding time to score a 7-3 win over Jason Pyle of Luther (Iowa) in the semifinals. Valek finished his sophomore campaign at 33-5, and is 65-18 in his career.
At 165, Orlando Ponce (JR, Hialeah, Fla./Hialeah-Miami Lakes HS) joined Valek in reaching the finals for the first time in his second trip to the national tournament, but also dropped his title match, falling 7-3 to Vincent Renaut of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (N.Y.). Ponce built a 3-0 lead early in the second period, but Renaut scored a takedown late in the second period, then went ahead with a takedown and two-point near-fall in the final eight seconds of the bout.
Ponce reached the championship match with a wild 11-9 victory over Nick LeClere of Coe (Iowa) in the semifinals. In a dramatic, back-and-forth battle, Ponce converted a takedown with 19 seconds left in the third period to win the match. Ponce finished 30-11 on the season and is 58-25 in his Auggie career.
Augsburg scored five other All-Americans earlier in the day on Saturday, marking the eighth time Augsburg has had eight or more All-Americans in a single year. Augsburg has had at least five All-Americans in every national tournament since 1989.
At 157, Jason Adams (SR, Coon Rapids, Minn.) became the 35th Augsburg wrestler to earn three All-American honors, finishing in third place. Adams finished 46-5 this season and 136-25 in his career. Adams and his father, three-time All-American Bob Adams '83, are the lone father-and-son combination in Augsburg wrestling history to both earn All-American honors.
Jared Massey (JR, Circle Pines, Minn./Centennial HS), last year's national champion at 197 pounds, finished in third place this season. Massey, who returned to college wrestling after a four-year absence last year following his initial year of competition at Division I Wisconsin in the 2003-04 season, finished this season 29-1 and is 59-2 in his two seasons at Augsburg, 64-4 in his overall collegiate career.
Zach Molitor (JR, Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti HS) earned All-American honors for the second time, finishing third at 174 pounds. Molitor, who finished sixth last year, finished 31-4 this season and is 80-27 in his career (62-14 at Augsburg).
Josh Roberts (FY, Grand Forks, N.D./Grand Forks Central HS) finished fourth for the Auggies at 125 in his first appearance at the national tournament, finishing the season at 27-10. Andy Witzel (SR, Fulda, Minn.) closed his career with his second All-American finish, placing eighth at heavyweight. Massey ended his final season at 28-12, and 111-47 in his Auggie career.
Among other Minnesota schools, St. John's 141-pounder Minga Batsukh repeated his national title from last year with a 10-4 win over Jeremy Stierly of Ithaca (N.Y.) in the finals, finishing 18-2 on the season. Concordia-Moorhead's Phil Moenkedick, a national runner-up last season, won his first national title with a 7-4 triumph over Brennan Ward of Johnson and Wales (R.I.). The Cobbers, who finished ninth with 31.5 points, had two other placewinners, as Justin Berns placed seventh at 149 and Ross Dankers placed eighth at 174.
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