Nebraska-Kearney’s Dalton Jensen looks for a fall in his semifinal win. Gary Abbott photo.

PUEBLO, Colo. – Third-ranked Nebraska-Kearney threatened to run away with the title after a big first day at the NCAA Division II Championships.

But top-ranked St. Cloud State had other ideas entering the second and final day of the competition.

The Huskies stormed back and are now deadlocked with the Lopers in one of the best team battles in tournament history entering the finals of the event on Saturday at CSU-Pueblo’s Massari Arena.

Nebraska-Kearney and St. Cloud State are tied with 91 points apiece entering the finals. UNK and St. Cloud State both send three wrestlers into the finals. The Lopers won their only national title in 2008. St. Cloud State is shooting for its first title.

“They did a phenomenal job. We were down by 15 points coming into today,” St. Cloud State coach Steve Costanzo said. “We almost had to be flawless to be where we are at now. I can't say enough about their effort. They all did a great job."

The finals are set for 7 p.m. Saturday.

St. Cloud State has finalists in Andy Pokorny (133), Derek Skala (184) and Jake Kahnke (285). Skala earned a key 3-1 win over UNK’s Ross Brunkhardt in the semifinals.

“He’s a tough kid,” Skala said. “It was a great match. I was just happy to come out on top. It’s definitely a big win for the team race. Kearney has been wrestling fantastic, so it was good that I could help our team out.”

Returning NCAA runner-ups Dalton Jensen (141) and T.J. Hepburn (157) returned to the finals for Nebraska-Kearney after earning semifinal wins Saturday morning.

The top-ranked Jensen downed No. 3 Chism Fink of Augustana 7-4 in the semifinals. Jensen advances to face No. 4 William Young of Newberry, who was second at 133 last year. Jensen previously started for Iowa State.

“It’s a relief to get back to the finals,” Jensen said. “My experience and my conditioning paid off for me in the third period. It helps a lot that I’ve been in the finals before. I want to be a leader for this team, and win individual and team titles.”

The second-ranked Hepburn outlasted top-ranked Dillon Bera of Wisconsin-Parkside 4-2 in overtime in the semifinals. Hepburn was second last year at 149 and Bera second at 157.

UNK’s Raufeon Stots, ranked third at 149, also reached the finals. He will meet surprise finalist Keenan Hagerty of first-year program Maryville.

St. Cloud State earned a big win when Tad Merritt downed UNK’s Joey Wilson 3-0 in the third-place match at 165. The fourth-ranked Wilson had beaten the top-ranked Merritt in the quarterfinals on Friday.

The unranked Hagerty, a true freshman who had knee surgery seven days ago, knocked off second-ranked Bobby Ward of Grand Canyon 7-1 in the semifinals.

“It’s awesome to do this for our program – it’s a start,” Hagerty said. “I’m excited to have an opportunity to wrestle in the finals. I am just having fun and enjoying this experience.”

Hagerty is wrestling for past Nebraska-Omaha coach Mike Denney, whose UNO teams won the last three Division II national titles and six of the last eight before its program was dropped after the 2011 season.

Top-ranked Luke Rynish of Wisconsin-Parkside earned a 3-2 semifinal win over second-ranked Michael Lybarger of Findlay. Rynish placed second at 174 last year while Lybarger won a national title at 165.

Returning champions Trevor Franklin of Upper Iowa (133) and Matthew Mueleners of Northern State (285) also have landed spots in the finals.

The top-ranked Franklin, a junior who won a national title at 125 last year, beat fourth-ranked Ryan Fillingame of Adams State 4-1 in the semifinals. Franklin will face the third-ranked Pokorny, a past Nebraska and Nebraska-Omaha wrestler, in the finals. Franklin beat Pokorny 3-1 in a dual meet this season.

“It feels great to be back in the finals,” Franklin said. “Pokorny’s a tough kid and it will be a tough match. I think the experience of being in the finals last year helps a lot. I won’t be as jittery and nervous as I was last year.”

The top-ranked Meuleners will face the second-ranked Kahnke in the finals. Meuleners beat Kahnke in the finals last year.

2008 national champion Dan Scanlan of Limestone rolled into the finals at 197. The top-ranked Scanlan will face No. 4 Luke McPeek of Adams State in the finals.

TOP 10 TEAMS
Nebraska-Kearney 91, St. Cloud State 91, Findlay 58, Grand Canyon 50, Newberry 46, Wisconsin-Parkside 45.5, Augustana 41.5, Central Oklahoma 41.5, Upper Iowa 41.5, Adams State 38.5.

MEDAL MATCHES

125 Pounds
1st – Cody Lensing (Augustana) vs. Kyle McCrite (Grand Canyon)
3rd – Dave Fogle (Pitt-Johnstown) dec. Ben Sergent (Findlay), 4-3
5th – Kenny Trumbetta (Seton Hill) dec. Joshua Kieffer (Indianapolis), 4-1
7th – David Demo (Minnesota State Mankato) dec. Garrett Evans (Ouachita Baptist University), 6-2

133 Pounds
1st – Andy Pokorny (St. Cloud State) vs. Trevor Franklin (Upper Iowa)
3rd – Ryan Fillingame (Adams State) dec. Evan Yenolevich (Kutztown), 4-2
5th – Jason Jeremiason (Augustana) dec. Michael Magaha (Limestone), 4-1
7th – Justin Reinsma (Southwest Minnesota State) dec. Adli Edwards (Ashland), 6-2

141 Pounds
1st – William Young (Newberry) vs. Dalton Jensen (Nebraska-Kearney)
3rd – Daniel Ownbey (North Carolina-Pembroke) dec. Chism Fink (Augustana), 3-2
5th – Casy Rowell (Central Oklahoma) 31-12 won by decision over Trevor Johnson (Mary), 3-2
7th – Tywan Claxton (King) dec. Aaron Smith (American International), 3-0

149 Pounds
1st – Keenan Hagerty (Maryville) vs. Raufeon Stots (Nebraska-Kearney)
3rd – Bobby Ward (Grand Canyon) dec. Nathan Link (Pitt-Johnstown), 5-3
5th – Ky Corley (Central Oklahoma) dec. Ethan Swope (Gannon), 8-3
7th – Josh Hensley (Adams State) dec. Marc Hoff (Ashland), 13-5

157 Pounds
1st – Jarrod Shaw (West Liberty) vs. T.J. Hepburn (Nebraska-Kearney)
3rd – Dillon Bera (Wisconsin-Parkside) dec. Taylor Knapp (Newberry), 5-2
5th – Bobby Williams (Ouachita Baptist) dec. Braden Turner (East Stroudsburg), 6-3
7th – Zachary Lundgren (Pitt-Johnstown) dec. Jeremy Bommarito (Limestone), 12-7

165 Pounds
1st – Mike Williams (North Carolina-Pembroke) vs. Mason True (Findlay)
3rd – Tad Merritt (St. Cloud State) dec. Joey Wilson (Nebraska-Kearney), 3-0
5th – Taylor Nagel (Mary) dec. Matt Vandermeer (Lake Erie College), 7-2
7th – Cody Quinn (Minnesota State Mankato) dec. Chester Granard (Colorado Mesa University), 3-2

174 Pounds
1st – Victor Carazo (Grand Canyon) vs. Luke Rynish (Wisconsin-Parkside)
3rd – Elliot Copeland (Western State College) dec. Shamus O`Grady (St. Cloud State), 10-5
5th – Michael Lybarger (Findlay) pinned Travis Sheehy (Newberry), 1:26
7th – Travis McKillop (Pitt-Johnstown) dec. Mark Fiala (Nebraska-Kearney), 7-0

184 Pounds
1st – Derek Skala (St. Cloud State) vs. Adam Walters (Findlay)
3rd – Ross Brunkhardt (Nebraska-Kearney) dec. Tanner Keck (Central Oklahoma), 4-2
5th – Mitch Schultz (Upper Iowa) dec. Dallas Smith (Ouachita Baptist University), 10-5
7th – Nick Peterson (Colorado Mesa University) dec. Matt Gille (Wisconsin-Parkside), 3-1 OT

197 Pounds
1st – Luke McPeek (Adams State) vs. Dan Scanlan (Limestone)
3rd – Eddie Ebewo (East Stroudsburg) dec. Lucas Munkelwitz (St. Cloud State), 7-5
5th – Charles Morgan (King) dec. Shane Nolan (North Carolina-Pembroke), 13-0
7th – Joseph Brandt (Ashland) pinned Celic Bell (Grand Canyon), 1:41

285 Pounds
1st – Jake Kahnke (St. Cloud State) vs. Matthew Meuleners (Northern State)
3rd – Jacob Southwick (Ashland) dec. Kevin Barrett (Nebraska-Kearney), 1-0
5th – Zach Rosol (Upper Iowa) dec. James Malechek (Wisconsin-Parkside), 7-1
7th – Jake Elkins (Newberry) 26-7 dec. J.D. Ramsey (West Liberty University), 8-3 OT