Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals report - 1:00 p.m. session

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
01/20/2001


A good session, with competitive matches in the quarterfinals. Iowa State needed a strong run in the middleweights to defeat Big 12 rival Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State proved its consistency with a solid win over Arizona State. Nebraska-Omaha and Lehigh moved on in the wrestle-backs.    Quarterfinals  #1 Oklahoma State 26, #8 Arizona State 12  Oklahoma State opened with a pair of wins, as Matt Brown (125) and Johnny Thompson (133)  triumphed, giving OSU a 7-0 team lead. Eric Larkin broke the ice for Arizona State, edging Charles Walker in overtime on a 1-1 tiebreaker, with Larkin riding him out. Reggie Wright responded with a Cowboy major decision at 149 pounds. Arizona State made it close with two straight wins in the middle weights, as Rocky Smart edged Shane Roller in the final seconds at 157 pounds, and Steve Blackford won at 165 pounds over Ty Wilcox, 6-2. Ty Lewis of OSU came on with a 10-3 victory at 174, and Daniel Cormier scored his second pin of the day  for the Cowboys at 184 pounds, decking RD Pursell in 6:15. OSU received a forfeit at 197 pounds, and the meet ended with a victory by Kellen Fluckinger of Arizona State by decision.    #4 Iowa State 19, #5 Oklahoma 17  Iowa State used its power in the top of the lineup for a come-from-behind win from a tough Oklahoma team. Bo Maynes of Oklahoma scored a pin at 125 pounds getting the Sooners off with style. Matt Azevedo had a last second 7-6 win at 133 for Iowa State, making the team score 6-3. The Sooners ran off two big wins behind two-time NCAA runner-up Michael Lightner (141) and Jared Frayer (149). Frayer stopped Benjie Weingardner, a back-up pressed to duty due to injury, and the Sooners led 14-3. This is where the Cyclones put down the pedal, winning five straight bouts. Cole Sanderson rebounded with a victory at 157 pounds, then was followed by wins from Joe Heskett (165), Perry Parks (174), Cael Sanderson (184) and Zach Thompson (197). Thompson's win was a key, as he won a tight 2-1 grind match over Waymon May, giving Iowa State a 19-14 lead. The Sooners needed a fall at heavyweight, but Leonce Crump's 5-1 win over Mark Knauer was not enough to close the gap.    Consolation round one  Nebraska-Omaha 22, Montclair State 21  Div. II Nebraska-Omaha edged Div. III power Montclair State by just one point in a battle two of the best small college wrestling  teams. UNO won the first two matches, with wins from Mack LaRock (125) and Rick Fausto (133). Montclair jumped to a 12-7 lead after four matches, as stars Florian Ghinea (141) and Rami Ratel (149) scored a pair of falls. Ghinea, a Div. III national champion, needed just 27 seconds to pin Cody Ritter. Both Ghinea and Ratel are 2-0 for the tournament. The Mavericks chipped away, winning the next three matches for a 16-12 team lead behind Alan Cartwright (157), Blu Wahle (165) and Zach Stalder (174). Alex Aliakseyenka of Montclair, a native of Belarus, won a key 6-4 overtime match for the Red Hawks at 184 pounds, tightening the score to 16-15. UNO's Chad Wallace  scored a clutch pin at 197 pounds, for an insurmountable 22-15 Maverick lead. A forfeit at heavyweight to Montclair State closed the score to 22-21.    Lehigh 36, Montana State Northern 3  The Mountain Hawks dominated the entire match, winning all of the bouts except one against the defending NAIA National champions. Montana State Northern's only win came at 133 with Caleb Schaeffer. Lehigh had a pin from Chris Vitale (165) and Joe Sahl (HWT) and major decisions from Matt Goldstein (141), David Esposito (149) and Ryan Bernholz (157). Also getting Lehigh wins were Mario Stewart (125), Brad Dillon (174), Rob Rohn (184) and Jon Trenge (197).