Wrestling 1/30/04 -- Wartburg (Iowa) 23, Augsburg (Minn.) 11

WAVERLY, Iowa (1/30/04) -- Sidestepping a major decision for No. 2-ranked Augsburg College in the opening match, the No. 1-ranked Wartburg College wrestling team compiled 23 of the final 30 points en route to a 23-11 dual-meet decision over their NCAA Division III rivals in front of a capacity crowd of 1,500 at Knights Gymnasium on Friday night.

The Knights¹ victory increased their 2003-04 record-setting dual record to 25-1. It also was the fourth straight over their Lutheran rivals in the series. Augsburg dropped to 10-3 on the season, suffering its second consecutive setback.

Against teams from Divisions II and III, Augsburg drops to 187-12 since 1989-90, losing just seven matches since the 1995-96 season. Against Division III opponents, Augsburg is 209-17 since the 1979-80 season and 133-7 since 1989-90. Of those seven losses to Division III foes in the last 15 years, five have been to Wartburg, which has won its last four duals in a row over the Auggies. Augsburg is 8-5 all-time against Wartburg.

Augsburg looked ready to avenge its 20-17 loss to Wartburg at the NWCA Division III National Duals title match as top-ranked 125-pounder Matt Shankey (Jr., Apple Valley, Minn.) amassed four takedowns in an 11-2 win over fourth-ranked Justin McClintock to open the dual.

However, it was all Wartburg the rest of the way.

Senior 133-pounder Ozzie Saxon scored nine points in the third period of his major decision at 133 over Greg Brendemuehl (So., Medford, Minn.) and was followed by a win for sophomore 141-pounder Dustin Hinschberger. Hinschberger, upping his season record to 27-4, upended third-ranked Jamell Tidwell * (Jr., Burnsville, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS) 4-1, giving the Knights the lead for good.

The two sides traded wins over the next four weights, highlighted by top-ranked 149-pounder Bart Mehlert staying unbeaten for the Knights by winning his 24th decision in a row and Augsburg¹s No.1-ranked Marcus LeVesseur * (So., Minneapolis, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS) gaining his 71st consecutive win, with a 6-2 decision victory over No. 3-ranked Cory Connell. LeVesseur, now 27-0, has yet to lose a collegiate match in his two seasons.

After second-ranked Joe Moon * (Jr., Ellendale, Minn./New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva HS) pulled the Auggies within 14-11 with an 11-0 major at 174, Wartburg closed out the evening with three straight wins. Third-ranked Ryan Sturm and second-ranked Akeem Carter both took decisions, while freshman fourth-ranked heavyweight Blake Gillis avenged an earlier loss to third-ranked Mark Simmonds (Jr., Minneapolis, Minn./Edison HS) with a 6-1 win.

Augsburg finishes its weekend on the road on Sunday (2/1) with a 2 p.m. dual at Division II South Dakota State. Wartburg hosts No. 8 Luther (Iowa) on Saturday (1/31) at 7 p.m.

Wartburg (Iowa, 25-1) 23, Augsburg (Minn., 10-3) 11
January 30, 2004 -- Knights Gymnasium, Waverly, Iowa.
Official -- Bill Roths. Attendance: 1,500.
Action begins at 125 pounds.
125 -- Matt Shankey (AUG, 16-1) maj. dec. Justin McClintock (WAR, 25-7) 11-2 (Augsburg 4-0).
133 -- Ozzie Saxson (WAR, 19-2) maj. dec. Greg Brendemuehl (AUG, 12-4) 16-7 (TIED 4-4).
141 -- Dustin Hinschberger (WAR, 27-4) dec. Jamell Tidwell * (AUG, 31-3) 4-1 (Wartburg 7-4).
149 -- Bart Mehlert (WAR, 22-0) maj. dec. Josh Erlandson (AUG, 6-6) 19-5 (Wartburg 11-4).
157 -- Marcus LeVesseur * (AUG, 27-0) dec. Cory Connell (WAR, 22-5) 6-2 (Wartburg 11-7).
165 -- Andre Knaack (WAR, 18-6) dec. Ryan Valek (AUG, 26-7) 12-6 (Wartburg 14-7).
174 -- Joe Moon * (AUG, 30-1) maj. dec. Nathan Specht (WAR, 20-11) 11-0 (Wartburg 14-11).
184 -- Ryan Sturm (WAR, 21-3) dec. Clint Hodgdon * (AUG, 21-8) 9-6 (Wartburg 17-11).
197 -- Akeem Carter (WAR, 15-3) dec. Joe Cullen (AUG, 23-7) 6-2 (Wartburg 20-11).
HWT -- Blake Gillis (WAR, 20-4) dec. Mark Simmonds (AUG, 25-6) 6-1 (Wartburg 23-11).