CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - It has been 43 long years since a University of Minnesota State-Mankato wrestling team has hoisted the big trophy at the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships.

The Mavericks just might want to start clearing a little room in their trophy case for another gold trophy,

Top-ranked Minnesota State-Mankato is on a mission this weekend at the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships at the U.S. Cellular Center.

The way the Mavericks have it figured, that team trophy from the 1964-65 is getting more than a little bit lonely in that trophy case. They figure it's time to give it some company.

The Mavericks send five wrestlers into Saturday's semifinals, racked up 66 1/2 points on Friday and take a nine-point lead over Nebraska-Kearney into Saturday's final day.
  
"We're glad we've still got seven guys going for us," Minnesota State-Mankato coach Jm Makovsky said. "The big points come (Saturday) morning. We'll see if we can keep it rolling."

Nebraska-Kearney will have plenty to say about that. The Lopers have been national runners-up each of the last two years. The Lopers are tired of being the bridesmaids.

Nebraska-Kearney will try to do so with four wrestlers still alive in the semifinals and four more in the consolations. The Lopers have 57 1/2 team points.

"We're happy with where we're at right now," Nebraska-Kearney coach Marc Bauer said. "Mankato is ahead right now because they have more bonus points. We're not out of this yet. There are sill some big points out there."

The surprise of the day came from Pittsburgh-Johnstown, which sent five wrestlers into the semifinals and stands in third place in the team race with 51 points.

"We had a great day today," Pittsburgh-Johnstown coach Pat Pecora said.

Nebraska-Omaha kept itself in the hunt for the team title. The Mavericks won consecutive team titles from 2004-06 before finishing third last year. They sent three wrestlers into the semifinals and have six All-Americans looking to bring home another team trophy,

"I can't fault our effort. I thought our guys wrestled hard, we just couldn't get things to work out," said Nebraska-Omaha coach Mike Denney. "It can turn right around and bounce our way Saturday. We have six guys who can all score some points."

Nebraksa-Kearney suffered a pair of upsets in the first round when Joe Ellenberger (157) and Keenan McCurdy (165) both lost.

But the Lopers rebounded in the second round to position themselves for a run at the title.

"Saturday is my last day and we are right in the team race. It's very exciting," said Nebraska-Kearney senior heavyweight Trevel Dlagnev, the defending national champion. "I am really looking forward to it."

Nebraska-Omaha got off to a flying start. Yasiim Bribrieseca upset fifth-ranked Tony Washington of Newberry College in the first round at 141 and Henry Wahle followed with a 5-3 upset win over Nebraska-Kearney's Joe Ellenberger at 157.

But the Mavericks suffered a setback at 165 when fourth-ranked Aaron Denson lost a 10-6 decision to Hudson Harrison of Mercyhurst College.

The day started on an ominous note for Minnesota State-Mankato when fourth-ranked Travis Elg lost a 7-6 decision to Shane Valko of Pittsburgh-Johnstown in the first round at 141 pounds. Valko was awarded a controversial escape late in the match, a call which had Makovsky arguing with the officials vehemently for five minutes.

"With this team, I really don't think they know what's going on. I don't think they even know what the team score is," Makovsky said. "They are so focused on the task at hand."

That task is ending a 43-year drought. 

"I've been here four years and this is something we have really rallied around,' said Minnesota State-Mankato senior Nick Smith after posting a 12-6 decision over Western State's Eddie Lopez to advance to the finals at 125. "We want to hoist that gold trophy and bring it home. I want to be a part of that."

"This means everything to us," said Minnesota State-Mankato sophomore heavyweight Brady Wilson after pinning Limestone College's William Moss in 26 seconds to advance to the semifinals. "Ask anyone on this team and they will tell you they will gladly give up and individual title to win a team title. That's how much this means to us."

Team scores
1. Minnesota State-Mankato, 66 1/2
2. Nebraska-Kearney, 57 1/2
3. Pittsburgh-Johnstown, 51
4. Nebraska-Omaha, 49 1/2
5. Western State, 42
6. Central Oklahoma, 40 1/2
7. Adams State, 36 1/2
8. Newberry College, 31
9. Ashland, 23
10. Upper Iowa, 22.


Semifinal matchups
125
No. 3 Nick Smith (Minnesota State Mankato) (22-5) vs. No. 2 Tyler Mumbulo, (Upper Iowa) (31-5)
No. 7 Devlon Webb (Chadron  State) (19-12) vs. No. 1 Cody Garcia (Nebraska-Omaha) (17-1) 

133
No. 1 Brandon Reay (Pittburgh-Johnstown (34-5) vs. No. 2 Shane Perkey (Indianapolis)
No. 8 John Putman (Minnesota State-Mankato) (20-10) vs. No. 3 Brett Allgood (Nebraska-Omaha) (5-1)

141
No. 2 Steven Fittery (Shippensburg) (23-4) vs. Shane Valko (Pittburgh-Johnstown) (27-13)
No. 3 Jeff Rutledge (Nebraka-Kearney) (37-12) vs. No. 1 Kyle Evans (Central Oklahoma) (30-2)

149
No. 8 Colby Robinson (Central Oklahoma) vs. No. 2 Camille DuPont (Western State) (24-1)
Joseph Deguero (Adams State) (23-9) vs. No. 1 Todd Meneely (Nebraska-Omaha) (17-2)

157
No. 7 Travis Eggers (Upper Iowa) (29-8) vs. No. 4 Antonio Guerra (Findlay) (34-9)
No. 1 Jason Rhoten (Minnesota-Mankato) (39-2) vs. No. 6 Muhammad Abdur-Rahman (Ashland), 27-7)

165
No. 8 Kyle Keane (Pittsburgh-Johnstown) (37-6) vs. No. 3 Andy Pickar (Minnesota State-Mankato) (21-3)
J.J. Davis (North Carolina-Pembroke) (33-5) vs. Hudson Harrison (Mercyhurst College) (33-8)

174
No. 6 Albert Miles (Pittsburgh-Johnstown) (36-7) vs. No. 1 Kamarudeen Usman (Nebraska-Kearney) (24-7)
Josh Shields (Mercyhurst College) (22-8) vs. No. 2 Ross Taplin (Nebraska-Omaha) (28-5)

184
No. 2 Daniel Scanlan (Limestone College) (38-2) vs. No. 5 Heath Jolley (Central Oklahoma) (28-14)
Mike Corcetti (Pittsburgh-Johnstown) (34-8) vs. No. 1 Jared Deaguero (Adams State) (32-5)

197
No. 4 Donovan McMahill (Western State) (30-4) vs. No. 3 Tyler Copsey (Augustana College) (30-5)
No. 1 Josh Majerus (Chadron State) (35-3) vs. No. 2 Josh Ohl (Ashland) (28-2)

Hwt
No. 3 Cy Wainwright (Newberry College) (38-3) vs. No. 1 Tervel Dlagnev (Nebraska-Kearney) (36-0)
No. 4 Dustin Finn (Central Oklahoma) (28-5) vs. No. 2 Brady Wilson (Minnesota-Mankato) (35-4)