Bulldogs finish 28th at NAIA Championships
The Concordia University wrestling team completed the 2010-2011 season with a trip to the NAIA National Wrestling Championships in Cedar Rapids over the weekend. Eight Bulldog wrestlers competed in a field of almost 400 wrestlers from 39 colleges and universities.
The trip started with an unusual turn of events on Wednesday morning. As the team was preparing to leave the hotel at 7:30 to have a practice session, they noticed that the trailer they were pulling was missing. The security lock had been cut and was sitting on the asphalt parking lot.
After filing a police report with the Cedar Rapids Police department, Coach Reese was told, “Don’t count on seeing the trailer ever again.”
Around noon, while the team was in study table, the Cedar Rapids police called and informed Reese that the trailer was found. They gave Coach Reese the directions, and the coaches hurried to the location. When they arrived, they found seven police officers at the scene in a back alley.
The coaches were informed that an undercover police squad was staking out a “crack house” awaiting the delivery of a search warrant when a pickup truck pulling the Concordia University trailer arrived. The stolen trailer gave the police reasonable cause, and they rushed the scene. They arrested two female suspects, and two male suspects fled the scene.
All the contents of the trailer were intact, but the Nebraska license plate was missing and replaced with an Iowa plate. The police officers, all wrestling fans, allowed the Concordia coaches to take the trailer instead of holding it for evidence. After purchasing new heavy-duty locks, the wrestling team got back on their tournament itinerary.
Here is a recap of the tournament, weight by weight:
125 – Gordie Fowlkes (Newman Grove, Neb.) lost by fall in 6:26 to A.J. Gassman of Baker University in his opening round match. Trailing 6-3 in the last minute of the match, Fowlkes attempted a throw. His move was countered, and he was pinned. In the first round of the consolation bracket, Fowlkes lost 17-8 to Kellan Zietz of Minot State University. In the first period, Fowlkes was thrown for five points. He then reversed Zietz. Trailing 6-3, Fowlkes hit a deep double leg takedown and was penalized for an illegal slam. If the takedown was deemed legal, the match would have been 6-5. Instead, he was hit with a one-point penalty and lost the takedown. The entire momentum of the match was lost. The loss eliminated Fowlkes from the competition.
133 – Adam Joseph (Hastings, Neb.) won his opening round match, 8-2, over Matt Ruby of Minot State University. Joseph was in complete control through the entire match scoring a takedown, a reversal and a three-point near fall. In the next round, Joseph lost a 6-5 decision to Cameron Neiss of Montana State University Northern. Joseph held a one point lead going into the third period but gave up a reversal with two seconds left in the bout that cost him the match.
Travis Patrick (Castle Rock, Wash.) lost his opening round match to the #3 seed Alfonso Valles of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, 3-0. Patrick gave up a late third period takedown and a riding time point in the loss. In the consolation bracket, Patrick dominated Caleb Perkins of the University of the Cumberlands (KY), 16-5. Patrick scored on three takedowns and turned Perkins to his back three times for near fall points.
Unfortunately, in this national championship, two teammates had to face each other in the second consolation round. Adam Joseph defeated teammate Travis Patrick with a 9-0 major decision.
Joseph then lost to Anton Perkins of Missouri Baptist University, 7-5. Joseph trailed 7-0 in the first period and scratched his way back. He simply ran out of time to gain the victory. Both of Joseph’s losses were to competitors who earned All-American honors in the tournament.
141- Alex Rostvet (Hastings, Neb.) opened the tournament with a loss to returning national champion Tom Pretty of Cambellsville University by fall in 3:58. In the consolation bracket, Rostvet faced Hunter Muskrat of Oklahoma City University. Trailing 5-4 going into the third period, Rostvet rode out Muskrat for the entire two minutes to tie up the match on a riding time point and force the bout into overtime. Muskrat was able to secure a takedown to win in sudden victory.
149 – Brandon Starkey (St. Paul, Neb.) lost an opening round match to Alex Stemner of Simon Fraser University (CAN), 6-3. Starkey then lost in the consolation bracket to Zack McCormick of Lindsey Wagner College (KY) by fall in 5:57.
165 – Blake Augustyn (Ord, Neb.) lost his opening round match to Raleigh Abbott of Shorter University (GA) by fall in 36 seconds. In the consolation bracket, Augustyn bounced back with an 18-2 technical fall over Lupe Sillas of Bacone College (OK). Augustyn scored on five near falls, a takedown and a reversal to win the match in just five minutes. In the second round consolation match, Augustyn won by major decision versus John Tyler of Calument College of St. Joseph, 10-2. Leading 4-1 going into the third period, Augustyn broke Tyler mentally and added six more points to his total.
In the third round of consolations, Augustyn upset NAIA North Region foe Nick Zumwalt of Dickenson State University (ND) by fall in 2:48 off of a fireman’s carry. In the fourth consolation round, the winners earn All-American status and advance to the medal rounds. Augustyn faced Drae Cox of Lindenwood University (MO). Cox prevailed and won a major decision, 9-1.
197 – Julian Silva (Covina, Calif.) lost his opening round match to Derek Nightser of Calument College of St. Joseph (IN) by fall in 4:21. In the consolation bracket, Silva defeated Justin Cooper of Lindsey Wagner University (KY), 6-1, with two takedowns and riding time. Then, Silva defeated Jake Mabry of Oklahoma City University by the score of 10-4 with four takedowns, two of which came in the third period to secure the win.
In round four of consolations (the round of 12), where the winners earn All-American status, Silva faced Spencer Adams of Campbellsville University. With the score tied with one minute left in the match, Silva made a technical error, stepping around the wrong direction with an upper body tie-up. He was countered for a takedown by Spencer, who won 4-2.
Heavyweight – Frank Ayala (West Covina, Calif.) lost 12-4 to Carl Lawrence of Missouri Valley College and then dropped a 12-6 decision in the consolation bracket to Juan Enriquez of the University of Great Falls (MT).
Concordia finished in 28th place with 12.0 team points. Concordia finished ahead of conference foes Northwestern College, Hastings College, University of Sioux Falls, and Briar Cliff University.
“It was a tough, physical tournament,” said head coach Doug Reese. “We did not receive the best of draws which just made the tournament that much more difficult for us. The nice thing is that our three freshmen won six matches at the national tournament, highlighted by Blake Augustyn who won by fall, major decision, and major decision. That is an outstanding effort. We will continue to build upon this experience next season. We finished our second year with a 5-1 record, third in the GPAC with eight national qualifiers. It was a pretty good year that we can be excited about.”