TOURNAMENT RESULTS (TRACKWRESTLING.COM)
MOORHEAD, Minn. -- Claiming four individual champions/co-champions and 13 placewinners, the Augsburg College wrestling team competed at the Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragon Open on Saturday at Alex Nemzek Fieldhouse. No team results were kept.
Tony Valek (SR, Belle Plaine, Minn./Scott West) improved to 9-0 on the season, claiming the championship at 149 pounds. Valek opened with two major-decision victories and claimed the title with a 3-1 win over Division I wrestler Joe Garner of North Dakota State. The top-ranked wrestler in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III national rankings at 149, Valek has recorded bonus-point victories in seven of his nine wins so far this season.
Brad Baus (SR, Mukwonago, Wis.), ranked No. 8 nationally at 197, claimed two pins among his three victories to claim the championship in his weight class, including a 2:55 pin of Concordia-Moorhead's Nathan Schmitz, the No. 7-ranked wrestler in Division III, in the championship match. Baus is now 7-1 on the season with four pins.
Chad Johnson (SO, Ferryville, Wis./De Soto HS) and
Pat Fletcher (SR, Shelton, Neb.) shared the heavyweight championship for the Auggies. Johnson, ranked No. 2 nationally, collected two pins and improved to 8-0 on the season, while Fletcher had a 36-second pin in the semifinals en route to improving to 7-1 on the year.
Will Keeter (SO, Twin Falls, Idaho), ranked No. 5 nationally at 141, finished second in his weight class, suffering a 4-2 overtime loss in the title match. Keeter is now 7-1 on the season.
Josh Kohler (SR, Monticello, Minn.) placed second at 174, going 3-1 on the day to improve to 6-3 on the season.
Jake Saatzer (SR, Mound, Minn./Mound-Westonka HS) placed third for the Auggies at 141, while
Tom Kuehn (FY, Fargo, N.D./West Fargo HS) placed fourth at 133.
Boyd Suparat (JR, North Branch, Minn.) placed fifth at 133, as did
Zach Enrico (SR, Minnetonka, Minn./Hopkins HS) at 157.
Matt Hechsel (FY, Apple Valley, Minn.) placed sixth at 184.
In White Division (first-year wrestlers) competition,
Zach Riester (FY, Ellsworth, Wis.) placed third at 165 and
Rashad Kennedy (FY, Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Henry Sibley HS) placed sixth at 149.
Augsburg returns to action next Saturday (12/10) at 9 a.m., with the varsity wrestling at the St. Cloud State Husky Open and the White Team (junior varsity) competing at the Wartburg (Iowa) Dick Walker Invitational.
Augsburg Individual Results:
133 Red –
Tom Kuehn 3-1, 4th place; Boyd Suparat 3-1, 5th place;
Jesse Hylton 1-2.
141 Red –
Will Keeter 3-1, 2nd place;
Jake Saatzer 3-1, 3rd place.
141 White –
Ryan Cook 3-2;
Nick Dahlquist 0-2.
149 Red –
Tony Valek 4-0, champion.
149 White –
Rashad Kennedy 3-2, 6th place.
157 Red –
Zach Enrico 3-1, 5th place.
165 White –
Zach Riester 3-1, 3rd place;
Tim Hanlin 0-2.
174 Red –
Josh Kohler 3-1, 2nd place;
Tony Castro 1-2.
184 Red – Matthew Hechsel 3-2, 6th place;
Joshua Vaughan 1-2;
Caleb Davis 0-2.
197 Red –
Brad Baus 3-0, champion.
HWT Red –
Chad Johnson 3-0, co-champion;
Pat Fletcher 3-0, co-champion.
