Wrestling 12/10/02 -- Augsburg 31, Southwest State 8
MARSHALL, Minn. (12/10/02) -- Winning eight of 10 individual matches, the Augsburg College wrestling team dominated action in claiming a 31-8 dual-meet victory over host Southwest State University on Tuesday night.

Augsburg, now 2-1 in dual meets this season, claimed its 15th straight victory over Southwest State and improved to 16-3 in the all-time series with the Mustangs. Southwest State, an NCAA Divison II team, is now 1-2 in dual meets this year.

Augsburg, winners of eight of the last 12 NCAA Division III national titles and the last three straight, is ranked third in the National Wrestling Coaches Association's Division III national rankings. Against teams from Divisions II and III, Augsburg is 167-8 since 1989-90 (losing just three matches since 1995-96).

Jamell Tidwell (So., Burnsville, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS), ranked fourth in the Division III national rankings at 141 pounds, remained unbeaten at 16-0 with a 14-5, major-decision win over Josh Soupir. It was the only meeting of ranked wrestlers on the evening; Soupir is ranked eighth in the Division II national rankings at 133 pounds.

Billy Morgan (So., Elbow Lake, Minn./West Central HS) claimed a first-period pin at 165 pounds and Chris McAlpine (So., Dayton, Minn./Elk River HS) improved to 9-2 on the season with a technical-fall, 15-1 victory at 157 pounds.

Ricky Crone * (Sr., Apple Valley, Minn.), ranked third nationally in Division III at 184, improved to 10-2 on the season with a major-decision, 19-6 win over SSU's Tim Johns. Mike Flanagan (Sr., St. Paul, Minn./St. Thomas Academy HS), ranked fifth nationally at heavyweight, scored a 2-1 win over Mark Simmonds.

Greg Brendemuehl (Fr., Medford, Minn.) and Jared Evans (Fr., Blue Earth, Minn./Blue Earth Area HS) claimed easy wins at 125 and 133 for the Auggies, and Josh Barlage (Sr., Farmington, Minn.) claimed a decision win at 197.

Southwest State's lone wins came from Jared Cooley, with a decision at 149, and Drew Bouwman, with a technical-fall win at 174.

Augsburg returns to action on Saturday (12/14), with the varsity competing at the St. Cloud State Invitational and the White Team (JV) competing at the Dick Walker Invitational at Wartburg (Iowa). Both meets begin at 9 a.m.

College Wrestling -- Augsburg 31, Southwest State (Minn.) 8
Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2002 at Marshall, Minn.
125 ­ Greg Brendemuehl (AUG, 10-3) dec. Ravin Samaraweera (SSU) 9-2 (Augsburg 3-0).
133 ­ Jared Evans (AUG, 8-1) dec. Keefer Jensen (SSU) 7-1 (Augsburg 6-0).
141 ­ Jamell Tidwell (AUG, 16-0) maj. dec. Josh Soupir (SSU) 14-5 (Augsburg 10-0).
149 ­ Jared Cooley (SSU) dec. Josh Erlandson (AUG, 12-1) 4-2 (Augsburg 10-3).
157 ­ Chris McAlpine (AUG, 9-2) tech. fall Jeremy Boogerd (SSU) 15-1 (Augsburg 15-3).
165 ­ Billy Morgan (AUG, 10-1) pinned Deverson Charles (SSU) 2:43 (Augsburg 21-3).
174 ­ Drew Bouwman (SSU) tech. fall Matt Fraley (AUG, 2-2) 16-0 (Augsburg 21-8).
184 ­ Ricky Crone * (AUG, 10-2) maj. dec. Tim Johns (SSU) 19-6 (Augsburg 25-8).
197 ­ Josh Barlage (AUG, 10-3) dec. Joel Wipperfurth (SSU) 8-1 (Augsburg 28-8).
HWT ­ Mike Flanagan (AUG, 13-2) dec. Mark Simmonds (SSU) 2-1 (Augsburg 31-8).