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Augsburg finishes fourth at NWCA D-III National Duals

AUGSBURG DIVISION III NATIONAL DUALS NOTES (PDF)

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DIVISION III NATIONAL DUALS RESULTS/BRACKETS (TRACKWRESTLING)

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SATURDAY'S RIDGEWATER COLLEGE OPEN RESULTS (WHITE TEAM/JV - TRACKWRESTLING)

SUNDAY, JANUARY 12
DES MOINES, Iowa -- The No. 2-ranked Augsburg College wrestling team finished in fourth place at the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III National Duals, presented by Hibiclens and The Marines, on Sunday at the Iowa Events Center. After claiming two victories on Saturday -- a 34-8 win over Elmhurst College (Ill.) and a 16-15 win over No. 9-ranked Coe College (Iowa) -- the Auggies fell 21-15 in the semifinals to No. 6-ranked Concordia-Moorhead and 25-9 in the third-place match to No. 4-ranked Wisconsin-Whitewater on Sunday.

Three Auggies won all four of their matches on the weekend. Top-ranked and two-time defending NCAA Division III national champion heavyweight Chad Johnson (SR, Ferryville, Wis./DeSoto HS) went 4-0 with a major-decision on the weekend, including two wins over ranked opponents -- a 6-0 win over Elmhurst's No. 6-ranked Danny Vargas on Saturday and an 8-2 win over No. 4-ranked Cody Kasprick of Concordia-Moorhead on Sunday. He also scored a 5-1 win over UW-Whitewater's Anthony Edgren on Sunday. Johnson is now 17-1 on the season and 122-14 in his Auggie career.

No. 2-ranked 125-pounder Mike Fuenffinger (JR, Hibbing, Minn.) also won all four of his matches on the weekend, including a second-period pin in his opening match on Saturday. On Sunday, he scored a 6-5, overtime win over Gabe Foltz of Concordia, then scored a 6-1 win over Zac Denny of UW-Whitewater. Fuenffinger is now 16-1 on the season and 59-18 in his career.

No. 2-ranked 197 pounder Matt Hechsel (JR, Apple Valley, Minn.) scored four wins, including a forfeit win against Concordia and an 8-2 win over Justin Birschbach of UW-Whitewater on Sunday. He had a 16-2, major-decision win over Danny Balderas of Elmhurst on Saturday. Hechsel is now 18-2 on the season and 72-31 in his career.

Since the NWCA established a Division III National Duals format in 2002, Augsburg has finished among the top four teams in 12 of the 13 tournaments. Since 1992, Augsburg is now 46-19 all-time in the National Duals, including a 41-10 mark in Division III National Duals competition. Against NCAA Division III opponents since the 1979-80 season, Augsburg is now 272-36-1, including a 197-26-1 record since the 1989-90 season.

Augsburg returns to action next Saturday (1/18), as the varsity competes in a dual meet at 7 p.m. at Concordia-Moorhead, while the White Team (JV) will compete at 9 a.m. at the Minnesota West CTC-Worthington Open.

THIRD-PLACE MATCH - No. 4 Wisconsin-Whitewater (9-3) 25, No. 2 Augsburg (5-2) 9
125 –
No. 2 Mike Fuenffinger (AUG, 16-1) dec. Zac Denny (UWW) 6-1 (Augsburg 3-0)
133 –
No. 9 Jimmy Nehls (UWW) dec. Chad Bartschenfeld (AUG, 9-8) 6-2 (TIED 3-3)
141 –
Max Hubbard (UWW) maj. dec. Tom Kuehn (AUG, 4-5) 14-3 (UW-Whitewater 7-3)
149 –
Elroy Perkin (UWW) dec. Rashad Kennedy (AUG, 15-10) 2-0 (UW-Whitewater 10-3)
157 –
Tom Gerszewski (UWW) pinned No. 9 Will Keeter (AUG, 14-8) 4:35 (UW-Whitewater 16-3)
165 –
No. 4 Cedric Gibson (UWW) dec. Justin Bowland (AUG, 11-8) 4-2 (UW-Whitewater 19-3)
174 –
Jordan Newman (UWW) dec. Tommy Teigen (AUG, 13-8) 5-3 (UW-Whitewater 22-3)
184 –
Ryan Aprahamian (UWW) dec. Miles Hammerlund (AUG, 6-9) 6-0 (UW-Whitewater 25-3)
197 –
No. 2 Matt Hechsel (AUG, 18-2) dec. Justin Birschbach (UWW) 8-2 (UW-Whitewater 25-6)
HWT –
No. 1 Chad Johnson (AUG, 17-1) dec. Anthony Edgren (UWW) 5-1 (UW-Whitewater 25-9)

SEMIFINALS - No. 6 Concordia-Moorhead (9-1) 21, No. 2 Augsburg (5-1) 15
125 –
No. 2 Mike Fuenffinger (AUG, 15-1) dec. Gabe Foltz (CON) 6-5 (OT-TB1) (Augsburg 3-0)
133 –
Jacoby Bergeron (CON) dec. No. 4 Kirk Anderson (AUG, 8-5) 8-5 (TIED 3-3)
141 –
Yonas Gebreab (CON) dec. Tom Kuehn (AUG, 4-4) 4-3 (Concordia 6-3)
149 –
No. 3 Jacob Long (CON) pinned Rashad Kennedy (AUG, 15-9) 6:27 (Concordia 12-3)
157 –
No. 8 Kyle LeDuc (CON) dec. No. 9 Will Keeter (AUG, 14-7) 2-0 (Concordia 15-3)
165 –
Justin Bowland (AUG, 11-7) dec. Brandon Haluptzok (CON) 4-1 (Concordia 15-6)
174 –
Sebastian Gardner (CON) dec. Tyrell Martin (AUG, 12-6) 7-5 (OT-SV1) (Concordia 18-6)
184 –
Christian Harrison (CON) dec. Tommy Teigen (AUG, 13-7) 6-2 (Concordia 21-6)
197 –
No. 2 Matt Hechsel (AUG, 17-2) wins by forfeit (Concordia 21-12)
HWT –
No. 1 Chad Johnson (AUG, 16-1) dec. No. 4 Cody Kasprick (CON) 8-2 (Concordia 21-15)

SATURDAY, JANUARY 11
DES MOINES, Iowa -- The No. 2-ranked Augsburg College wrestling team advanced to the semifinals of the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III National Duals, winning both of its matches on Saturday at the Iowa Events Center. The Auggies opened with a 34-8 win over Elmhurst College (Ill.) in the opening match, then edged No. 9-ranked Coe College (Iowa) 16-15 in the quarterfinals. 

Augsburg (5-0 overall) will face No. 6-ranked Concordia-Moorhead (8-1 overall) in a semifinal match on Sunday (1/12) at 11 a.m. Top-ranked Wartburg (Iowa) will face No. 4-ranked Wisconsin-Whitewater in the other semifinal. The championship and third-place matches will be at 3 p.m. on Sunday. 

Augsburg is attempting to win its sixth NWCA Division III National Duals title. The Auggies are now 46-17 all-time in NWCA National Duals appearances, including a 41-8 record in Division III National Duals matches dating to 2002.

The Auggies had to rally from a 15-9 deficit with wins in their final two bouts in the quarterfinals against Coe, in a match where both teams won five bouts. No. 2-ranked 197-pounder Matt Hechsel (JR, Apple Valley, Minn.) claimed a 7-4 win over Donnie Horner to cut the margin to 15-12, and in the final match, top-ranked and two-time defending national champion heavyweight Chad Johnson (SR, Ferryville, Wis./DeSoto HS) scored the lone bonus-point win of the match, a 9-0, major-decision win, giving the Auggies the four team points necessary to secure the win.

Both Hechsel and Johnson went 2-0 on the day, as did No. 2-ranked 125-pounder Mike Fuenffinger (JR, Hibbing, Minn.). Fuenffinger claimed a second-period pin in his opening match, then claimed a 10-4 win in the quarterfinals. Hechsel scored a 16-2, major-decision win in his opening match, while Johnson scored a 6-0 win over No. 6-ranked Danny Vargas of Elmhurst in his opening match.

Three Auggies scored wins by pin in the match against Elmhurst -- Fuenffinger, No. 4-ranked 133-pounder Kirk Anderson (SO, Comstock, Minn./Barnesville HS) and 174-pounder Tommy Teigen (JR, Ham Lake, Minn./Meadow Creek Christian HS).

QUARTERFINALS - No. 2 Augsburg (5-0) 16, No. 9 Coe (Iowa, 8-2) 15
125 – No. 2 Mike Fuenffinger (AUG, 14-1) dec. Jan Rosenburg (COE) 10-4 (Augsburg 3-0)
133 –
No. 5 Jimmy Gotto (COE) dec. No. 4 Kirk Anderson (AUG, 8-4) 9-2 (TIED 3-3)
141 –
Tom Kuehn (AUG, 4-3) dec. Beau Westpfahl (COE) 6-4 (OT-SV1) (Augsburg 6-3)
149 –
Rashad Kennedy (AUG, 15-8) dec. Josh Donkle (COE) 6-3 (Augsburg 9-3)
157 –
No. 5 Dimitri Boyer (COE) dec. No. 9 Will Keeter (AUG, 14-6) 4-0 (Augsburg 9-6)
165 –
Farai Sewera (COE) dec. Justin Bowland (AUG, 10-7) 8-4 (TIED 9-9)
174 –
No. 7 Ethan Ball (COE) dec. Tommy Teigen (AUG, 13-6) 4-3 (Coe 12-9)
184 –
Ryan Sheldon (COE) dec. Miles Hammerlund (AUG, 6-8) 8-7 (Coe 15-9)
197 –
No. 2 Matt Hechsel (AUG, 16-2) dec. Donnie Horner (COE) 7-4 (Coe 15-12)
HWT –
No. 1 Chad Johnson (AUG, 15-1) maj. dec. Cory Becker (COE) 9-0 (Augsburg 16-15)

FIRST ROUND - No. 2 Augsburg (4-0) 34, Elmhurst (Ill., 1-5) 8
125 –
No. 2 Mike Fuenffinger (AUG, 13-1) pinned Tyler Price (ELM) 4:33 (Augsburg 6-0)
133 –
No. 4 Kirk Anderson (AUG, 8-3) pinned Omar Bey (ELM) 3:58 (Augsburg 12-0)
141 –
James Spangler (ELM) maj. dec. Marcus Hamer (AUG, 13-5) 9-0 (Augsburg 12-4)
149 –
No. 2 Ryan Prater (ELM) maj. dec. Rashad Kennedy (AUG, 14-8) 9-1 (Augsburg 12-8)
157 –
No. 9 Will Keeter (AUG, 14-5) dec. Nick Dinardo (ELM) 4-2 (OT-TB1) (Augsburg 15-8)
165 –
Austin Boniface (AUG, 11-3) dec. Mike Ryan (ELM) 11-4 (Augsburg 18-8)
174 –
Tommy Teigen (AUG, 13-5) pinned Daniel Threlkeld (ELM) 2:37 (Augsburg 24-8)
184 –
Miles Hammerlund (AUG, 6-7) dec. Bobby Schillinger (ELM) 4-3 (Augsburg 27-8)
197 –
No. 2 Matt Hechsel (AUG, 15-2) maj. dec. Danny Balderas (ELM) 16-2 (Augsburg 31-8)
HWT –
No. 1 Chad Johnson (AUG, 14-1) dec. No. 6 Danny Vargas (ELM) 6-0 (Augsburg 34-8)

DES MOINES, Iowa -- No. 2-ranked Augsburg College will compete at the National Wrestling Coaches Association/Cliff Keen Division III National Duals, presented by Hibiclens and The Marines, this weekend at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, Iowa.

Auggie action begins on Saturday at 11 a.m., as No. 2-seed Augsburg faces unranked Elmhurst (Ill.), and will face either No. 9-ranked Coe (Iowa) or No. 20-ranked Springfield (Mass.) on Saturday at 3 p.m. Action will continue both Saturday and Sunday, with the Division III championship match slated for Sunday at 3 p.m.

Twelve of the 16 teams in the Division III field are ranked in the top 30 in the latest NWCA Division III national poll, including nine of the top 12-ranked teams.

Since the NWCA began the Division III National Duals in 2002, the trophy has rested at either Augsburg or Wartburg (Iowa). Augsburg has won the title five times (2002, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010), while Wartburg has won the crown seven times (2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013). Augsburg has placed second at the National Duals four times (2003, 2004, 2006, 2012) and placed third twice (2008, 2011).

Augsburg is 39-8 in NWCA Division III National Duals competition since 2002. Augsburg also appeared in five NWCA National Duals competitions prior to the 2002 season, when the defending Division III national champion was invited to compete with Division I squads. Augsburg is 44-17 all-time in NWCA National Duals competition. In its 47 Division III National Duals meets, Augsburg has outscored its competition by a 1,385-504 margin, an average score of 29.5 to 10.7.

Augsburg enters this weekend's NWCA Division III National Duals ranked No. 2 nationally in the latest NWCA Division III national poll, released on Monday. Augsburg is currently 3-0 in varsity dual meets, coming off a 33-12 victory over St. Olaf on Sunday in Northfield, Minn. Augsburg topped Waldorf (Iowa) 44-9 on Nov. 26 and Minnesota State Moorhead 34-9 on Dec. 11.

Five Auggies are ranked among the top 10 in their weight classes entering this weekend's action, led by two-time defending Division III heavyweight national champion Chad Johnson (SR, Ferryville, Wis./DeSoto HS). Johnson enters this weekend's action with a 13-1 record, including five pins, a major decision and a technical fall. Since the beginning of his sophomore season, Johnson is 86-3, and is 118-14 in his Augsburg career.

Two Auggies are ranked second nationally in their weight classes -- 125-pounder Mike Fuenffinger (JR, Hibbing, Minn.) and 197-pounder Matt Hechsel (JR, Apple Valley, Minn.). Both placed seventh nationally in their weight classes last season. Fuenffinger enters this weekend's action with a 12-1 record and 55-18 career mark, while Hechsel is 14-2 this season and 68-31 in his career.

Newcomer Kirk Anderson (SO, Comstock, Minn./Barnesville HS) is ranked fourth nationally at 133 pounds. A three-time Minnesota high school state champion, Anderson competed at Division I North Dakota State in the 2007-08 season before serving in the U.S. Marines for four years. Anderson is 7-3 this season and 16-10 in his collegiate career.

Will Keeter (JR, Twin Falls, Idaho), a 2012 All-American (third at 141), returned to the lineup this season at 157 after missing most of last season due to injury. He is ranked ninth nationally at 157 with a 13-5 mark and 82-35 career record.
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