Central Oklahoma captures 2002 Division II Wrestling Championship title

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Michael J Carnes (TheMat.com)
03/09/2002


KENOSHA, Wis. - Central Oklahoma didn't bring the most qualifiers to the NCAA Division II national tournament. But they made the most of what they had.    The Broncos won four out of five championship matches and walked away with the school's fifth national title Saturday night at Wisconsin-Parkside University.  Central Oklahoma coach David James brought just eight wrestlers into the national meet. But he made the most of them, getting seven All-Americans and wrapping up the school's first title since they won four in a row from 1992-1995.    "We had to," James said. "There's no doubt about it, and North Dakota State didn't want to give up that title. I'm so proud of our guys and we had to win four out of five tonight and I'm very excited for our kids to win a hard-fought tournament."    North Dakota State coach Bucky Maughan, who led his team to three of the last four Division II titles, said his team simply got beat by a better bunch.  "They had a great tournament and I congratulate them," he said. "We simply didn't get any help with such a gap between second and third and we didn't get it, but my hat's on to them."    Pitt.-Johnstown's Brandon Newill, who earned All-American status in Div. III as a freshman, finished off a four-year All-American career with a second-period pin of Chris Saferite of Central Oklahoma. Newill finished fourth at 125 last year and was also third as a sophomore before capping his 39-6 senior campaign with a national title..    Cole Province won his second straight title for the Bronchos at 133 pounds, dominating Jimmy Melek of Adams State with an 11-3 major decision.    "There were some early rounds where he was tested, but being here in being a champion you have that edge. Especially with not knowing how the matches were going to come out, his win was big. And to win one you're good, but when you win two you're real good."    Second-ranked Matt Dodgen of Central Oklahoma held off top-ranked Chris Shears of Ashland for a 5-4 win at 141 pounds, getting a three-point nearfall in the second period and then holding off Shears in the final seconds.    At 149 pounds, Waylon Lowe of Findlay managed to stay off his back in the third period as Adrian Jiron of Western State was unable to turn the sophomore in the final period, giving Lowe a 6-5 victory.    The 157-pound title went to top-ranked Shad Benton of Pitt.-Johnstown, who took down Paul Carlson of North Dakota State early in the match, caught him for a two-point nearfall early in the third period and made that stand up in a 6-1 decision that gave him a 46-6 record for the year and ultimately clinched the team championship for Central Oklahoma.    At 165 pounds, Shawn Silvis found a way to keep his cool in a wild rally in the last 20 seconds. Tyler Bryant of South Dakota State got a good single in on him, but the top-ranked Silvis fought off several attacks to hang on for a 3-2 win over Bryant.    North Dakota State senior Todd Fuller closed out a stellar career with his third striaght national title, dominating Nebraska-Omaha's Bob Edmonds 11-3 in the finals at 174 pounds to finish his senior year with a 35-4 mark and become one of a handful of three-time Division II national champions. He was also named the tournament's outstanding wrestler.    At 184 pounds, the second of three battles between the top two rated wrestlers ensued, and top-ranked Mauricio Wright of San Francisco State was able to hold off a deep single-leg attack by Tyler Jones of South Dakota State to take a 5-3 win.    The third and final 1-2 matchup also went to the top-rated wrestler, as Muhammed Lawal of Central Oklahoma capped the Bronchos' championship weekend with an 8-4 win over Chad Wallace of Nebraska-Omaha.    "He moved up a weight this year and he's plenty strong for the weight," James said. "He deserves every bit of success that he gets."    In the heavyweight match, defending champion Nick Severson of North Dakota State kept the title in Fargo, as he posted a third-period pin over third-ranked Lyneil Mitchell of Gannon to close out the tournament.