DICKINSON, N.D. (1/12/02) -- Putting individuals into championship matches in nine of the 10 weight classes and earning four individual titles, Augsburg College claimed the championship at the Dickinson State Invitational on Saturday.

Augsburg won the 12-team meet with 134.5 points, outpacing second-place Montana State-Northern's 107.5. Montana State-Northern is ranked fifth in the NAIA wrestling national poll.

Brad Fisher * (Sr., Austin, Minn.), ranked third in the most recent NCAA Division III national polls at 141 pounds, claimed a technical fall and a major decision, to go along with two other wins, to win the Dickinson State title. He scored an 11-2, major-decision win in the title match.

Freshmen Jamell Tidwell (Fr., Richfield, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS) and Ryan Stroud (Fr., Park Falls, Wis.) shared championship honors at 149, as both reached the title match with three victories. Tidwell earned his first national ranking of his college career this week, sitting at third in the 149-pound listing.

Nick Slack * (Sr., Belle Plaine, Minn.), the top-ranked wrestler in the nation at 174, cruised through his weight class with a pin and two technical fall victories to earn title honors. He scored a 17-0, technical-fall win in the championship match against Montana State-Northern's Kyle Fisher, who was ranked second in the nation in the NAIA national rankings at 174.

Darin Bertram * (Sr., Herman, Minn./Herman-Norcross HS), ranked No. 1 in the nation at 125, suffered his first loss of the season in the championship match, falling 4-2 to Pat Runez of the University of Mary (N.D.), the top-ranked wrestler in the NAIA at 125.

John Marchette (Sr., Canual Fulton, Ohio/North Canton Hoover HS), who entered the national rankings for the first time at 133 this season at the top spot in the Jan. 8 rankings, also lost his first match of the season in the 133-pound final, dropping a 14-8 decision to Caleb Schaeffer of Montana State-Northern. Schaeffer, who earned tournament Outstanding Wrestler honors, was ranked fourth in the NAIA national rankings at 133.

Tony Abbott * (Sr., Inver Grove Heights, Minn./St. Thomas Academy HS), ranked second in the country at 165, scored two second-period-pin wins to advance to the championhip match, but was shut out in the title match by a 5-0 decision to Jason LaBrie of the University of Mary, the top-ranked wrestler in the NAIA national rankings.

Ricky Crone (Jr., Apple Valley, Minn.), ranked third in the 184-pound national rankings, had a technical fall and major decision to reach the title match at 184, but was pinned by Tyson Thivierge of Montana State-Northern, the top-ranked NAIA wrestler at 184.

Kevin Rasmussen (Sr., Owatonna, Minn.), ranked second in the country at 197, dropped his championship match 6-1 to Emmett Willson of Montana State-Northern, ranked fifth in the NAIA rankings.

Scott Revier (So., Olivia, Minn./BOLD HS) reached the title match at heavyweight with two pins, but was pinned in the second period in his title match.

Jeremy Johnson (So., Faribault, Minn.) and Mike Cuperus (Jr., Worthington, Minn.) earned consolation title (third-place) honors in their weight classes, Johnson at 174 and Cuperus at 184.

Augsburg returns to varsity action at the Cliff Keen/National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III National Duals on Saturday and Sunday (1/19-20) at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. The 16-team bracket features nine of the top-10 teams in the latest NWCA Division III national rankings. Augsburg opens the Division III bracket on Saturday at 9 a.m. against unranked Thiel (Pa.).

Dickinson State Classic team results: 1. Augsburg 134.5; 2. Montana State-Northern 107.5, 3. Moorhead State (Minn.) 67.5; 4. Mary (N.D.) 52.5; 5. Ricks JC (Idaho) 46.5; 6. Dickinson State (N.D.) 31.5; 7. Concordia-Moorhead 24.5; 8. Jamestown (N.D.) 22.5; 9t. Northwest CC (N.D.) 7; 9t. Northern State (S.D.) 7; 11. Chadron State (Neb.) 6; 12. Western Wyoming 3.