Wrestling 1/6/02 -- Augsburg 27, Wartburg (Iowa) 11

At left, Nick Slack * claimed an impressive pin victory at 174 pounds.

WAVERLY, Iowa (1/6/02) -- For most of Sunday's wrestling nonconference dual meet between Augsburg College and Wartburg College, it seemed that most of the 1,500 fans in attendance at Wartburg's Knights Gymnasium were going to get what they wanted to see -- a close, back-and-forth match that would eventually turn in favor of the hosts.

But it was not to be. Instead, the visiting Auggies claimed victories in the final four matches to pull away from the Knights and claim a 27-11 triumph in a matchup of the top two teams in the NCAA Division III national rankings.

Augsburg, now 4-0 in dual meets, is the two-time defending Division III national champions and winners of seven of the last 11 Division III national crowns. The Auggies are ranked No. 1 in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III national poll. Wartburg, ranked No. 2 in the national poll, fell to 5-1 in dual meets.

Augsburg has now won seven of the eight meetings between the two schools, dating back to the 1990-91 season. Augsburg has won the last six duals in a row between the two schools.

Wartburg led 11-10 after six matches, but the Auggies won the last four to claim the impressive win.

Tony Abbott * (Sr., Inver Grove Heights, Minn./St. Thomas Academy HS) (pictured below left), ranked second in the nation at 165 pounds, took advantage of three 3-point near-falls in the first period to cruise to a 13-3, major-decision win over Wartburg's Kevin Powell (Sr., Kirksville, Mo.).

At 174, the top-ranked wrestler in the nation, Nick Slack * (Sr., Belle Plaine, Minn.), showed why he has earned that honor with a pin in 59 seconds of Wartburg's Mark Sturm (Fr., Ringsted, Iowa).

Ricky Crone (Jr., Apple Valley, Minn.), who transferred to Augsburg this seasonfrom Division I Northern Iowa, returned to the Hawkeye State to deliver an 11-3, major-decision upset win over Sonny Alvarez (Jr., Aledo, Ill.), ranked fourth in the nation in Division III. A key stretch at the end of the second period, when Crone turned a takedown into a three-point near-fall, gave the Auggie newcomer a commanding lead.

At 197, Augsburg's Kevin Rasmussen (Sr., Owatonna, Minn.), ranked fourth in the country, ended the Auggie comeback with a hard-fought 7-6 win over Wartburg's Alain Djournessi (So., Quest, Cameroon). Rasmussen came back from a 2-1 first-period deficit to lead 5-4 entering the third period. Rasmussen escaped from the down position to take a 6-4 lead early in the third, but Djournessi fought back, tying the match with a takedown with 31 seconds left. However, four seconds later, Rasmussen forced an escape for the deciding point.

Augsburg won seven matches to Wartburg's three in the match, but needed every team point it could to secure the win.

Opening the match, Wartburg's LeRoy Gardner III (Jr., Golden Valley, Minn.), in the wake of his second-place finish in a FILA world junior competition, dominated in a 13-2, major-decision win over Augsburg heavyweight Scott Revier (So., Olivia, Minn./BOLD HS).

It appeared that it was going to be a long day for the Auggies in the next match, when three-time All-American and defending national champion Darin Bertram * (Sr., Herman, Minn./Herman-Norcross HS), ranked No. 1 in the country at 125, was nearly pinned in the first period by Wartburg's Heath Ropp (Jr., Kalona, Iowa). Ropp converted a quick takedown into a three-point near-fall, and led 5-0 one minute into the match. However, Bertram slowly rallied back, tying the match with two takedowns and an escape entering the third period, and getting a reversal and riding-time advantage to claim an 8-6 win.

John Marchette (Sr., Canual Fulton, Ohio/North Canton Hoover HS), a national champion in 1999 at 133 pounds, made one of his most impressive statements in his return to the Auggie lineup after missing last season with an injury redshirt with a 13-4, major-decision triumph over Wartburg's Joe Havig (Jr., Osage, Iowa), who entered the match ranked third in the country, while Marchette was unranked. The quick Marchette scored four takedowns and a three-point near-fall in the win.

Jamell Tidwell (Fr., Richfield, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS), who made his first varsity appearances in an Auggie singlet this weekend by moving up a weight class to 149 pounds, claimed an impressive 3-2 win over Wartburg's Tony Ganas (Jr., Des Plaines, Ill.), who entered the match ranked sixth in the country at 141 and also moved up a weight class for the meeting.

Two ranked Auggie wrestlers suffered losses on Sunday. Brad Fisher * (Sr., Austin, Minn.) suffered his first loss of the season after 18 straight wins at 141, falling 5-3 to Wartburg's Will Kelly (Jr., Dubuque, Iowa). Jeremy Jirele (Sr., Owatonna, Minn.), who entered the match ranked seventh in the country at 157, dropped his second match on the weekend with an 11-2, major-decision setback by Kevin Bratland (Jr., Dakota City, Iowa). It was the only matchup of ranked wrestlers in the dual meet, as Bratland entered the match ranked third in the country.

Augsburg returns to action on Tuesday (1/8) with a dual meet at Division II St. Cloud State (Minn.). The meet begins at 7 p.m. at SCSU's Halenbeck Hall. Wartburg returns to action on Friday (1/11) with a dual at Simpson (Iowa) at 7 p.m. in Indianola, Iowa. 


Augsburg College Wrestling
Augsburg College vs. Wartburg College (Iowa)
January 6, 2002 -- Knights Gymnasium, Waverly, Iowa

 

Action begins at Heavyweight. Time of match 1:37.
Attendance: 1,500.
Official: Chuck Yagla.

Augsburg 27, Wartburg (Iowa) 11
HWT -- LeRoy Gardner III (WC, 5-0) maj. dec. Scott Revier (Augsburg, 12-9) 13-2 (Wartburg 4-0).
125 -- Darin Bertram * (Augsburg, 12-0) dec. Heath Ropp (WC, 9-7) 8-6 (Wartburg 4-3).
133 -- John Marchette (Augsburg, 13-0) maj. dec. Joe Havig (WC, 8-5) 13-4 (Augsburg 7-4).
141 -- Will Kelly (WC, 3-2) dec. Brad Fisher * (Augsburg, 18-1) 5-3 (TIED 7-7).
149 -- Jamell Tidwell (Augsburg, 15-2) dec. Tony Ganas (WC, 4-2) 3-2 (Augsburg 10-7).
157 -- Kevin Bratland (WC, 15-6) maj. dec. Jeremy Jirele (Augsburg, 18-3) 11-2 (Wartburg 11-10).
165 -- Tony Abbott * (Augsburg, 17-2) maj. dec. Kevin Powell (WC, 4-3) 13-3 (Augsburg 14-11).
174 -- Nick Slack * (Augsburg, 17-1) pinned Mark Sturm (WC, 14-3) 0:59 (Augsburg 20-11).
184 -- Ricky Crone (Augsburg, 15-0) maj. dec. Sonny Alvarez (WC, 8-5) 11-3 (Augsburg 24-11).
197 -- Kevin Rasmussen (Augsburg, 15-2) dec. Alain Djournessi (WC, 16-5) 7-6 (Augsburg 27-11).

Action begins at Heavyweight.
Time listed is time remaining on clock, records are records entering match (except forfeits).

HWT -- Scott Revier (Augsburg, 12-8) vs. LeRoy Gardner III (WC, 4-0)
1st Period -- 2:46 WC takedown (WC 2-0), 1:40 AUG stalling warning, 0:10 AUG stalling, WC penalty point (WC 3-0).
2nd Period -- WC defers, AUG down. 0:31 AUG stalling, WC penalty point (WC 4-0).
3rd Period -- WC down. 1:55 WC reversal (WC 6-0), 1:26 AUG escape (WC 6-1), 1:19 WC takedown (WC 8-1), 1:10 AUG escape (WC 8-2), 0:58 WC takedown (WC 10-2), 0:32 AUG stalling, WC 2 penalty points (WC 12-2), WC 6:21 riding time (WC 13-2).

125 -- Darin Bertram * (Augsburg, 11-0) vs. Heath Ropp (WC, 9-6)
1st Period -- 2:20 WC takedown (WC 2-0), 1:58 WC 3-near fall (WC 5-0), 1:27 AUG escape (WC 5-1), 1:11 AUG takedown (WC 5-3).
2nd Period -- AUG defers, WC neutral. 1:03 AUG takedown (TIED 5-5).
3rd Period -- AUG down. 1:16 AUG reversal (AUG 7-5), 0:52 WC stalling warning, 0:04 WC escape (AUG 7-6), AC 1:59 riding time (AC 8-6).

133 -- John Marchette (Augsburg, 12-0) vs. Joe Havig (WC, 8-4)
1st Period -- 1:54 AUG takedown (AUG 2-0), 1:35 WC escape (AUG 2-1), 0:18 AUG takedown (AUG 4-1).
2nd Period -- WC defers, AUG down. 1:58 AUG escape (AUG 5-1), 1:48 AUG takedown (AUG 7-1), 1:32 AUG 3-near fall (AUG 10-1), 1:29 WC escape (AUG 10-2).
3rd Period -- WC down. 1:34 WC escape (AUG 10-3), 1:12 AUG takedown (AUG 12-3), 0:32 WC escape (AUG 12-4), AUG 1:52 riding time (AUG 13-4).

141 -- Brad Fisher * (Augsburg, 18-0) vs. Will Kelly (WC, 2-2)
1st Period -- 0:28 WC stalling warning.
2nd Period -- AUG down. 1:48 AUG escape (AUG 1-0), 0:39 WC takedown (WC 2-1).
3rd Period -- WC down. 1:37 WC reversal (WC 4-1), 1:27 AUG reversal (WC 4-3), 0:59 WC escape (WC 5-3).

149 -- Jamell Tidwell (Augsburg, 14-2) vs. Tony Ganas (WC, 4-1)
1st Period -- 0:33 AUG takedown (AUG 2-0), 0:25 WC escape (AUG 2-1).
2nd Period -- WC defers, AUG down. 1:11 AUG escape (AUG 3-1).
3rd Period -- WC down. 1:55 WC escape (AUG 3-2), 0:16 AUG stalling warning.

157 -- Jeremy Jirele (Augsburg, 18-2) vs. Kevin Bratland (WC, 14-6)
1st Period -- No scoring.
2nd Period -- AUG down. 1:58 AUG escape (AUG 1-0), 1:39 WC takedown (WC 2-1), 1:14 WC 3-near-fall (WC 5-1), 0:54 AUG escape (WC 5-2).
3rd Period -- WC down. 1:47 WC escape (WC 6-2), 1:22 WC takedown (WC 8-2), 0:39 WC 2-near-fall (WC 10-2), WC 1:59 riding time (WC 11-2).

165 -- Tony Abbott * (Augsburg, 16-2) vs. Kevin Powell (WC, 4-2)
1st Period -- 2:42 AUG takedown (AUG 2-0), 1:45 AUG 3-near-fall (AUG 5-0), 0:42 AUG 3-near-fall (AUG 8-0), 0:00 AUG 3-near-fall (AUG 11-0).
2nd Period -- WC defers, AUG top. 1:42 WC escape (AUG 11-1).
3rd Period -- WC neutral. 0:28 WC takedown (AUG 11-3), 0:16 AUG escape (AUG 12-3), AUG 2:47 riding time (AUG 13-3).

174 -- Nick Slack * (Augsburg, 16-1) vs. Mark Sturm (WC, 14-2)
1st Period -- 2:48 AUG takedown (AUG 2-0), 2:01 AUG pin. Pin 0:59.

184 -- Ricky Crone (Augsburg, 14-0) vs. Sonny Alvarez (WC, 8-4)
1st Period -- 1:25 WC takedown (WC 2-0), 1:10 AUG reversal (TIED 2-2).
2nd Period -- WC defers, AUG down. 1:43 WC stalling warning, 1:27 AUG escape (AUG 3-2), 0:32 AUG takedown (AUG 5-2), 0:00 AUG 3-near-fall (AUG 8-2).
3rd Period -- WC neutral. 1:32 AUG takedown (AUG 10-2), 1:07 WC escape (AUG 10-3), AUG 1:25 riding time (AUG 11-3).

197 -- Kevin Rasmussen (Augsburg, 14-2) vs. Alain Djournessi (WC, 16-4)
1st Period -- 1:00 WC takedown (WC 2-0), 0:45 AUG escape (WC 2-1).
2nd Period -- AUG defers, WC neutral. 1:44 AUG takedown (AUG 3-2), 1:14 WC escape (TIED 3-3), 0:52 AUG takedown (AUG 5-3), 0:47 WC escape (AUG 5-4).
3rd Period -- AUG down. 1:59 AUG escape (AUG 6-4), 0:31 WC takedown (TIED 6-6), 0:27 AUG escape (AUG 7-6).