College Wrestling -- Augsburg 27, Wartburg 9

MINNEAPOLIS (1/9/00) -- In a battle of the top-rated NCAA Division III wrestling programs in the nation on Sunday afternoon, host Augsburg College claimed a 27-9 victory over Wartburg College in a nonconference dual meet at Augsburg's Si Melby Hall.

Augsburg, now 3-1 in dual meets this season, entered the meet as the No. 1-rated team in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III national poll. Wartburg, now 8-1 in dual meets, is currently rated second in the nation. Last season, Wartburg claimed the Division III national championship, its second, by 1.5 points over Augsburg, which had won five national titles in the 1990s (1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998).

Augsburg won eight of the 10 individual matches in Sunday's dual meet.

The highlight of Sunday's match came at 125 pounds, where Augsburg's Darin Bertram (So., Herman, Minn./Herman-Norcross HS), the No. 2-ranked wrestler in the country in his weight class, upset top-ranked Zac Weiglein (Sr., New Hampton, Iowa) 6-4 in overtime. Bertram tied the match at 4-4 with a takedown with nine seconds left in the third period, then scored the match-winning takedown 31 seconds into the sudden-death overtime period. Bertram is now 11-1 with the win, while Weiglein is now 9-1.

In the other matchup of top-ranked wrestlers, Augsburg College's Josh Cagle (Sr., Faribault, Minn.), the No. 1-rated wrestler in the nation at 149 pounds, knocked off Wartburg's No. 2-ranked Nick Mitchell (Sr., Johnston, Iowa) 8-2. Cagle remained unbeaten at 20-0 with the win, while Mitchell dropped to 12-1.

Augsburg's John Marchette (Jr., Canton, Ohio/North Canton Hoover HS), the defending national champion and No. 1 wrestler in the nation at 133 pounds, improved to 17-1 with a 5-2 win in his weight class.

Wartburg's wins came from Casey Doyle (Jr., Manchester, Iowa), who pinned Augsburg's Brian Jones (Sr., Alexandria, Minn.) at 141 pounds; and from Chris Smith (Sr., Sumner, Iowa), who knocked off Augsburg's Justin Baker (Sr., Kerkhoven, Minn./Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunberg HS) 15-8 at 157 pounds.

Augsburg's lone pin came from Nick Slack (So., Belle Plaine, Minn.), who improved to 15-0 with a first-period pin of Wartburg's Sonny Alvarez (Fr., Aledo, Iowa).

Augsburg returns to action with a dual at Moorhead State on Friday (1/14) at 7 p.m. Wartburg next wrestles at Wisconsin-Stevens Point on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

AUGSBURG 27, WARTBURG 9
Action begins at 197 pounds
197 -- Josh Clausen (AUG, 14-1) dec. Matt Bushkohl (8-3) 6-1 (Augsburg 3-0).
HWT -- Ben Bauer (AUG, 19-1) dec. Kris O'Rear (9-4) 5-1 (Augsburg 6-0).
125 -- Darin Bertram (AUG 11-1) dec. Zac Weiglein (9-1) 6-4 in overtime (Augsburg 9-0).
133 -- John Marchette (AUG, 17-1) dec. Jordan Ottow (record unknown) 5-2 (Augsburg 12-0).
141 -- Casey Doyle (WART, 11-2) pinned Brian Jones (14-4) 1:04 (Augsburg 12-6).
149 -- Josh Cagle (AUG 20-0) dec. Nick Mitchell (12-1) 8-2 (Augsburg 15-6).
157 -- Chris Smith (WART, 20-3) dec. Justin Baker (14-5) 15-8 (Augsburg 15-9).
165 -- Tony Abbott (AUG, 13-5) dec. Justi Holdgrafter (16-5) 3-2 (Augsburg 18-9).
174 -- Nick Slack (AUG, 15-0) pinned Sonny Alvarez (16-9) 2:45 (Augsburg 24-9).
184 -- Nik Lewandowski (AUG, 15-4) dec. Carson Andorf (17-7) 3-1 (Augsburg 27-9).

COLLEGE WRESTLING PLAY-BY-PLAY
DUAL MEET -- WARTBURG AT AUGSBURG
JANUARY 9, 2000 -- SI MELBY HALL, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.

Attendance -- 1,000 (estimated)

AUG has first choice in odd matches, WART in even matches
Match starts at 197 pounds; Time listed is time remaining in period

197 -- MATT BUSHKOHL (WART) vs. JOSH CLAUSEN (AUG)
First --2:00 WART stall warning, no scoring. First -- 0-0.
Second -- AUG down; 1:55 AUG reversal (AUG 2-0), 0:05 WART stalling, AUG penalty point (AUG 3-0). Second -- AUG 3-0
Third -- WART down; 1:07 WART escape (AUG 3-1); 0:55 AUG takedown (AUG 5-1), AUG 3:40 riding time advantage (AUG 6-1). FINAL -- AUG 6-1 (AUG 3-0 match).

HWT -- KRIS O'REAR (WART) vs. BEN BAUER (AUG)
First -- 0:18 WART stall warning, no scoring. First -- AUG 0-0.
Second -- WART defers, AUG down; 1:45 AUG escape (AUG 1-0), 1:37 AUG takedown (AUG 3-0), 0:17 WART stalling, AUG penalty point (AUG 4-0). Second -- AUG 4-0.
Third -- WART down; 1:57 WART escape (AUG 4-1), AUG 1:25 riding time advantage (AUG 5-1). FINAL -- AUG 5-1 (AUG 6-0 match).

125 -- ZAC WEIGLEIN (WART) vs. DARIN BERTRAM (AUG)
First -- 1:45 WART takedown (WART 2-0). First -- WART 2-0.
Second -- AUG defers, WART down; 0:11 WART escape (WART 3-0). Second -- WART 3-0.
Third -- AUG down; 1:32 AUG reversal (WART 3-2), 0:23 WART escape (WART 4-2), 0:09 AUG takedown (TIED 4-4). Third -- Tied 4-4.
Overtime -- 1:29 AUG takedown (AUG 6-4) FINAL -- AUG 6-4 (AUG 9-0 match).

133 -- JORDAN OTTOW (WART) vs. JOHN MARCHETTE (AUG)
First -- No scoring. First -- TIED 0-0
Second -- WART defers, AUG down; 1:02 WART stall warning, 0:34 AUG escape (AUG 1-0). Second -- AUG 1-0.
Third -- WART down; 1:42 AUG stall warning, 1:27 WART escape (TIED 1-1), 0:38 AUG takedown (AUG 3-1), 0:32 WART escape (AUG 3-2), 0:10 AUG takedown (AUG 5-2) FINAL -- AUG 5-2 (AUG 12-0 match).

141 -- CASEY DOYLE (WART) vs. BRIAN JONES (AUG)
First -- 2:05 WART takedown (WART 2-0), 1:56 WART pins. FINAL -- WART fall 1:04 (AUG 12-6 match).

149 -- NICK MITCHELL (WART) VS. JOSH CAGLE (AUG)
First -- 2:20 AUG takedown (AUG 2-0), 1:35 WART escape (AUG 2-1), 0:08 AUG takedown (AUG 4-1). First --AUG 4-1.
Second -- WART down; 0:39 AUG stall warning. Second -- AUG 4-1.
Third -- AUG down; 1:53 AUG escape (AUG 5-1), 0:47 AUG takedown (AUG 7-1), 0:33 WART escape (AUG 7-2), 0:10 WART stall warning, AUG 3:04 riding time advantage (AUG 8-2). FINAL -- AUG 8-2 (AUG 15-6 match).

157 -- CHRIS SMITH (WART) VS. JUSTIN BAKER (AUG)
First -- 1:53 AUG takedown (AUG 2-0), 1:38 WART escape (AUG 2-1), 0:35 AUG takedown (AUG 4-1) 0:02 AUG stall warning, 0:01 WART escape (AUG 4-2). First -- AUG 4-2.
Second -- AUG defers, WART down; 0:40 WART escape (AUG 4-3). Second AUG 4-3.
Third -- AUG down; AUG escape (AUG 5-3), 1:45 WART takedown (tied 5-5), 1:35 AUG escape (AUG 6-5), 1:24 WART takedown (WART 7-6), 1:21 AUG escape (tied 7-7), 1:10 AUG stalling penalty point (WART 8-7), 1:00 WART takedown (WART 10-7), 0:55 AUG escape (WART 10-8), 0:45 WART takedown (WART 12-8), 0:30 AUG stalling WART penalty point (WART 13-8), 0:07 AUG stalling WART 2 penalty points (AUG 15-8). FINAL -- WART 15-8 (AUG 15-9 match).

165 -- JUSTIN HOLDGRAFER (WART) vs. TONY ABBOTT (AUG)
First -- 0:46 WART stall warning, no scoring. First -- TIED 0-0.
Second -- WART defers, AUG down; 1:52 AUG escape (AUG 1-0). Second -- AUG 1-0.
Third -- WART down; 1:42 WART escape (TIED 1-1), 1:24 AUG takedown (AUG 3-1), 0:51 WART escape (AUG 3-2). FINAL -- AUG 3-2 (AUG 18-9 match).

174 -- SONNY ALVAREZ (WART) vs. NICK SLACK (AUG)
First -- 2:34 AUG takedown (AUG 2-0), 0:42 WART stall warning), 0:15 AUG pin. FINAL -- AUG 2:45 pin (AUG 24-9 match).

184 -- CARSON ANDORF (WART) vs. NIK LEWANDOWSKI (AUG)
First -- No scoring. First -- TIED 0-0
Second -- WART defers, AUG down;1:54 AUG escape (AUG 1-0), 1:37 AUG/WART both stall warnings. Second -- AUG 1-0.
Third -- WART down; 0:40 WART stalling, AUG penalty point (AUG 2-0), 0:11 WART escape (AUG 2-1), AUG 1:42 riding time advantage (AUG 3-1) FINAL -- AUG 3-1 (AUG 27-9 match).

FINAL MATCH SCORE -- AUGSBURG 27, WARTBURG 9.