Auggies dominate in 30-7 win
STEVENS POINT, Wis. — Scoring wins in eight of the 10 bouts, including three by major decision, the No. 3-ranked Augsburg College wrestling team dominated in a 30-7 win over the No. 18-ranked University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in a dual meet on Friday evening at Berg Gym.
Augsburg closed its regular season with an 8-5-1 record. Against opponents from Divisions II and III, Augsburg is now 257-26-1 in dual meets since the 1989-90 season. Augsburg has lost just 21 matches to non-Division I opponents since the 1995-96 season. Against strictly NCAA Division III opponents, Augsburg is 257-26-1 since the 1979-80 season. Since the 1989-90 season, Augsburg is 181-16-1 against Division III opponents.
Four Auggie ranked wrestlers scored wins, including a dominating performance by No. 5-ranked 149-pounder Tony Valek (JR, Belle Plaine, Minn./Scott West), who improved to 31-4 on the season with a 10-1, major-decision triumph over No. 9-ranked Kris Magruder. A two-time national tournament qualifier and last year’s national runner-up at 141, Valek is now 96-22 in his Auggie career.
At 174, No. 3-ranked Zach Molitor (JR, Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti HS) improved to 21-3 on the season with a 10-1, major-decision win over Ryan Conant. Molitor is now 102-30 in his collegiate wrestling career, including an 84-17 record in three seasons at Augsburg.
No. 2-ranked Jared Massey (SR, Circle Pines, Minn./Centennial HS) scored a 9-5 win over Chad Gregory at 197, improving to 13-1 on the season and 72-3 in his three seasons at Augsburg. A two-time All-American and national champion in 2009, Massey is now 77-5 in his collegiate wrestling career.
Orlando Ponce (JR, Hialeah, Fla./Hialeah-Miami Lakes HS), who recently moved from 165 to 157 pounds, improved to 27-5 on the year with a 12-6 win over Kory Kleuskens. Ponce, an All-American and two-time national qualifier now ranked No. 4 nationally at 157, is now 83-29 in his Auggie career.
Will Keeter (FY, Twin Falls, Idaho) also scored a major-decision win for the Auggies, a 14-5 win over Shane Sweeney, enabling Keeter to improve to 23-16 on the season. Brandon Bahr (JR, Bemidji, Minn.) improved to 29-13 on the year with an 8-3 win over Jordan Schulte at 165.
Chad Johnson (FY, Ferryville, Wis./De Soto HS) improved to 24-8 with a 5-4, overtime win over Matt Cudara at heavyweight, and Ky Olsen (SR, Kansasville, Wis./Westosha Central HS) scored a forfeit win at heavyweight.
At 184, Wisconsin-Stevens Point two-time All-American and No. 2-ranked Ben Engelland scored a 10-1, major-decision win over Augsburg’s No. 6-ranked Brad Baus (JR, Mukwonago, Wis.). The Pointers’ other win came at 133, as Jordan Kust edged Boyd Suparat (SO, North Branch, Minn.) 7-6.
Augsburg is now idle until Saturday, Feb. 26, when the Auggies compete at the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional at Lakeland College in Sheboygan, Wis., where 29 wrestlers will qualify from the region for the NCAA Division III national championships. Augsburg has won the regional each of the eight previous years since joining the Great Lakes Region in 2003.
Friday, Feb. 18, 2010, Berg Gym, Stevens Point, Wis.
Action begins at 174 pounds
No. 3 Augsburg (Minn., 8-5-1) 30, No. 18 Wisconsin-Stevens Point (9-9-0) 7
174 — No. 3 Zach Molitor (AUG, 21-3) maj. dec. Ryan Conant (UWSP) 10-1 (Augsburg 4-0)
184 — No. 2 Ben Engelland (UWSP) maj. dec. No. 6 Brad Baus (AUG, 26-10) 10-1 (TIED 4-4)
197 — No. 2 Jared Massey (AUG, 13-1) dec. Chad Gregory (UWSP) 9-5 (Augsburg 7-4)
Hwt — Chad Johnson (AUG, 24-8) dec. Matt Cuadra (UWSP) 5-4 (SV-OT) (Augsburg 10-4)
125 — Ky Olsen (AUG, 9-14) wins by forfeit (Augsburg 16-4)
133 — Jordan Kust (UWSP) dec. Boyd Suparat (AUG, 19-13) 7-6 (Augsburg 16-7)
141 — Will Keeter (AUG, 23-16) maj. dec. Shane Sweeney (UWSP) 14-5 (Augsburg 20-7)
149 — No. 5 Tony Valek (AUG, 31-4) maj. dec. No. 9 Kris Magruder (UWSP) 10-1 (Augsburg 24-7)
157 — No. 4 Orlando Ponce (AUG, 27-5) dec. Kory Kleuskens (UWSP) 12-6 (Augsburg 27-7)
165 — Brandon Bahr (AUG, 29-13) dec. Jordan Schulte (UWSP) 8-3 (Augsburg 30-7)