FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Results vs. Williams
Results vs. Augsburg
Results vs. St. John's
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (Jan. 9, 2010) - The North Central College wrestling team's second-ever appearance at the National Wrestling Coaches Association/Cliff Keen National Duals ended after the first day of the two-day event, as the Cardinals were eliminated from the elite 16-team field on Saturday.
North Central, ranked 10th nationally and the seventh seed in the tournament, took on 14th-ranked and 10th-seeded Williams College (Mass.) in the opening round, defeating the Ephs, 23-16. The Cardinals moved on to the quarterfinals, where they were beaten by second-ranked Augsburg College, 25-12, and relegated to the consolation bracket. North Central tied St. John's University (Minn.), 15-15, but the Johnnies moved on in the tournament based on the tiebreaker criteria.
The Cardinals opened their first match with three straight wins, as
Joe Norton, sixth-ranked
Nathan Fitzenreider and third-ranked
Johnny Starzyk won by decision at 125, 133 and 141 pounds, respectively. Williams countered with three wins of its own, including a major decision, to take a 10-9 lead before
Cowan Brown won by technical fall at 174 and third-ranked
Gabe Youel accepted a forfeit at 184. The Ephs' Ryan Malo, ranked second in the nation, won by pin at 197, but
Rodney Knowlton closed out the match with a victory by decision at 285.
North Central also prevailed in the first three matches against Augsburg, as Norton, Fitzenreider and Starzyk each won by decision again. Augsburg's next four wrestlers, each ranked in the top 10 nationally, each claimed victories before Youel stopped the bleeding with a win by decision at 184. Youel trailed, 4-2, after the first period against Caleb Lines, but rallied and scored the 7-4 victory. Augsburg, howevr, claimed the last two matches to advance to the semifinals.
Each of the matches against St. John's were decided by decision. Norton and Fitzenreider opened with wins, as Fitzenreider topped second-ranked Mogi Baatar, 3-1, for the second time this season.
Tim Gingerich scratched out a 3-2 win at 157, Brown avenged an earlier loss by defeating Matt Pfarr, 9-4, at 174, and Youel blanked Mitch Hagen, 4-0.
St. John's won the tiebreaker based on total points scored in the match.
With his three victories on the day, Youel is now tied with Adam Johnson '08 for the North Central record for career victories (143).
The Cardinals (11-5-1) travel to North Manchester, Ind., on Saturday to participate in the Manchester College Spartan Mat Classic.
