Auggies compete at USA Wrestling events

CLEVELAND — Augsburg College wrestler Niko Bogojevic (FY, Superior, Wis.) finished third in the 120-kilogram (265-pound) class in Greco-Roman competition at the FILA Junior Nationals Tournament over the weekend, leading a contingent of three Auggies in competition at the event.

USA WRESTLING U.S. OPEN/FILA JUNIOR NATIONALS PAGE (THEMAT.COM)

Bogojevic joined Auggie teammate Mike Orange (SO, Southfield, Mich.) and former Auggie and two-time All-American and current assistant coach Mark Simmonds ’05 in competition at the FILA Junior Nationals and U.S. Open, held last weekend at the Cleveland Public Hall.

Competing for the Minnesota Storm, Bogojevic opened his tournament with a 4-0, 1-0 win over Chris Weber of the Cleveland Wrestling Club, then lost 0-2 (pin 0:28) to eventual champion Toby Erickson of the Bronco Wrestling Club in the semifinals. In the wrestlebacks, Bogojevic scored a 59-second pin over Nathan Spieth of Oakland Regional Training, then scored a 1-0, 7-0 win over Weber in the third-place match.

Bogojevic also competed in the U.S. Open in the 120-kilogram Greco-Roman competition, where he went 1-2. He opened with a 2-0 (pin 0:48) win over Michael Gregory of YES Wrestling, but fell 1-0, 0-1, 2-0 to eventual third-place finisher Steve Andrus of the Michigan Wrestling Club in the quarterfinals. Bogojevic lost his wrestleback match in a 1:48 pin to Jake Kettler of the Minnesota Storm.

Simmonds, who finished fourth at heavyweight for the Auggies in national competition in both 2004 and 2005, lost both his matches at the U.S. Open in the 120-kilogram Greco-Roman competition, falling 0-1, 2-0, 1-0 to eventual runner-up Timothy Taylor of the U.S. Army, and 1-0, 2-1 to Peter Kowalczuk of Sunkist Kids.

Orange competed for the Minnesota Storm in the FILA Junior Nationals Freestyle competition at 63 kilograms (138 pounds), where he went 2-2. He opened with a 3-3, 4-2 loss to Matt Bystol of the New York Athletic Club-Harlem. In wrestlebacks, he topped Sam Mecham of Wolverine Wrestling 5-2, 4-2 and Drew Hammer of Bobcat Wrestling Club 1-1, 3-0, before falling 4-2, 0-1, 2-0 to eventual third-place finisher C.J. Cobb of Seagulls.