KEARNEY, Neb. – The No. 2 ranked St. Cloud State University wrestling squad sits in tie for third place in the NCAA Division II Championships after session I of the tournament at the University of Nebraska-Kearny Health and Sports Center Friday afternoon.
The Huskies posted a pin, two major decisions and two decisions in eight matches, as the Huskies scored nine team points in the morning session.
The University of Nebraska-Omaha (UNO) sits in first place with 12 points and Western State is in second place with 10 points, while Augustana College is tied with SCSU with nine points.
Junior Eric Ellington (17-10) lost the first SCSU match of the tournament 3-2 in the 133-pound match to Trent Cox (23-11) of UNO. Cox scored a reversal in the third period, before Ellington matched it in the final seconds of the match, but lost the decsion on a riding time point.
In the 141-pound match, No. 6 Gabe Suarez (25-9) got down 9-0 in the first period and could not come back in an 11-4 loss to Naveed Bagheri (26-8) of San Francisco State University.
Then No. 5 ranked junior Jacob D. Horn (26-9) got the first Husky win of the day with a 13-3 major decision in the 149-pound match over Ethan Swope (24-12) of Cannon.
Senior John Sundgren (13-3) backed up Horn’s win with the only Husky pin in session one in the second period against Adam Walters (17-11) of Findlay. The pin came at 3:57 mark of the match.
Fellow senior and No. 2 ranked Tad Merritt (36-3) then made it three straight Husky wins with a 5-3 decision over Jordan Larsen (22-12) of Colorado School of Mines in the 165-pound match.
Sophomore Shamus O’Grady (29-7) kept things rolling after a regional championship in Augustana on Feb. 27 with a come-from-behind 8-6 overtime win over Steve Makin (23-9) of Pittsburgh-Johnstown.
Down 6-1 in the second period, No. 3 ranked O’Grady posted a reversal before the end of the period and recorded another reversal in the third before riding out Makin for the final 1:00 to put the match into overtime. O’Grady then posted a takedown in overtime to earn the decision.
Junior Lucas Munkelwitz (19-7) had his hands full with undefeated Donovan McMahill (29-0) of Western State College in a 15-5 loss at 197 pounds.
In the final SCSU match in session one, No 1. ranked Jacob Kahnke (27-1) posted a 17-3 major decision over JD Ramsey of West Liberty University (23-9).
The Huskies will complete day one of the NCAA Championships at 6 p.m. tonight in session II of the tournament.
For a complete list of team scores and individual matches go to: http://www.lopers.com/news/2011/3/10/WREST_0310115906.aspx?path=wrestling