Wrestling 1/7/03 -- Augsburg 24, Augustana (S.D.) 15
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (1/7/03) -- Augsburg College won six of 10 matches, including two by fall, to net a 24-15 dual-meet victory over host Augustana College (S.D.) in a nonconference wrestling match Tuesday night at Augustana's Elmen Center's Hall Sports Forum.

Augsburg, ranked third in the latest NCAA Division III national rankings, is now 3-1 on the season in dual meets, while Augustana, ranked 15th in the Division II national rankings, drops to 1-1.

Augsburg has won eight of the last 12 NCAA Division III national titles and the last three straight. Against teams from Divisions II and III, Augsburg is now 168-8 since 1989-90, losing just three matches since 1995-96. Augsburg is now 4-0 over Augustana in the all-time series.

Augsburg's Marcus LeVesseur (Fr., Minneapolis, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS), a transfer from Division I Minnesota wrestling in his first Auggie dual meet after gaining eligibility in late December, improved to 17-0 on the season with a 38-second pin of Ben Caven at 157 pounds. LeVesseur is ranked fourth in the latest Division III individual rankings at 157.

Also scoring a pin for the Auggies was Josh Barlage (Sr., Farmington, Minn.), who scored a second-period fall at 197. Augustana's lone pin came at 125, when Aaron Graumann scored a third-period match-ender.

The teams split two meetings of ranked wrestlers. Augsburg's Joe Moon * (So., Ellendale, Minn./New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva HS), ranked fifth in Division III at 174, pulled off an 11-8 win over Augustana's Tom Meester, ranked second in Division II.

But in the next match at 184, Augustana's Sam Kenton, ranked fourth in Division II, claimed a 7-3 decision of Augsburg's Ricky Crone * (Sr., Apple Valley, Minn.), ranked third in Division II.

Augsburg's Jamell Tidwell (So., Burnsville, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS), ranked fourth nationally at 141, improved to 25-1 on the season with an 8-4 win over Ryan King, while heavyweight Mike Flanagan (Sr., St. Paul, Minn./St. Thomas Academy HS), ranked fourth nationally, claimed a 3-1 overtime win over Cris Bietz.

Mark Matzek (So., Ellsworth, Wis.) improved to 21-3 on the season for Augsburg with a 15-12 win over Andre VanderVelde at 133 pounds.

Austin Scarset scored a decision for Augustana at 149, with Dusty Wilking adding a decision at 165.

Both teams return to action on Saturday (1/11). Augsburg competes as an unattached team at the Dickinson State (N.D.) Invitational at 9 a.m., while Augustana hosts Southwest State in a dual meet at 7 p.m.

College Wrestling -- Augsburg 24, Augustana (S.D.) 15
January 7, 2003 at Elmen Center Hall Sports Forum, Sioux Falls, S.D.
Action begins at 133 pounds.

133 -- Mark Matzek (Augsburg, 21-3) dec. Andre VanderVelde (Augustana, 12-7) 15-12 (Augsburg 3-0).
141 -- Jamell Tidwell (Augsburg, 25-1) dec. Ryan King (Augustana, 11-6) 8-4 (Augsburg 6-0).
149 -- Austin Scarset (Augustana, 6-4) dec. Ryan Stroud (Augsburg, 13-7) 6-4 (Augsburg 6-3).
157 -- Marcus LeVesseur (Augsburg, 17-0) pinned Ben Caven (Augustana, 5-9) 0:38 (Augsburg 12-3).
165 -- Dusty Wilking (Augustana, 8-2) dec. Rob Doliber (Augsburg, 15-10) 10-5 (Augsburg 12-6).
174 -- Joe Moon * (Augsburg, 15-4) dec. Tom Meester (Augustana, 18-6) 11-8 (Augsburg 15-6).
184 -- Sam Kenton (Augustana, 14-4) dec. Ricky Crone * (Augsburg, 17-4) 7-3 (Augsburg 15-9).
197 -- Josh Barlage (Augsburg, 14-8) pinned Jeremy Murphy (Augustana, 0-1) 4:12 (Augsburg 21-9).
HWT -- Mike Flanagan (Augsburg, 20-5) dec. Cris Bietz (Augustana, 16-6) 3-1 (OT) (Augsburg 24-9).
125 -- Aaron Graumann (Augustana, 17-4) pinned Bryan Miller (Augsburg, 0-1) 6:05 (Augsburg 24-15).