STEVENS POINT, Wis. — Winning nine of 10 bouts, including seven by bonus-point margins, the No. 2-ranked Augsburg College wrestling team capped its regular season with a dominating performance in a 40-6 dual-meet triumph over the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point on Friday evening.
Augsburg, ranked No. 2 in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III national poll, used two pins, two technical falls and three major decisions among its nine victories to claim the win in impressive fashion. The win was Augsburg’s 22nd in its 23 all-time dual meets against the Pointers.
Augsburg claimed the first 15 points of the match, as No. 5-ranked 141-pounder Dave Flynn (FY, Jordan, Minn./Scott West) opened with a first-period pin, No. 8-ranked 149-pounder Ryan Epps (FY, Cannon Falls, Minn.) claimed a 17-2 technical fall, and 157-pounder Grant Parker (SR, Onalaska, Wis.) scored an 11-3 major decision.
Now 19-4 since transferring to Augsburg after competing in the first half of the season at Division I North Dakota State (now 28-7 overall), Flynn collected his 12th pin of the season (eighth at Augsburg) in his 1:50 win over Frank Lor. Epps improved to 29-5 with his fourth technical fall and 12th bonus-point win of the season, winning 17-2 over Alex Heiden.
Returning to the Augsburg lineup after suffering an injury on Jan. 22, Parker improved to 19-9 on the season with his 11-3 win over Jaden Boivin, his eighth bonus-point win (four major decisions, four pins) of the season.
Top-ranked 184-pounder Owen Webster (FY, Shakopee, Minn.) continued his dominant season, scoring his 23rd straight victory and improving to 26-1 overall with a 1:48 pin of Ben Stassin, his sixth pin of the season and 19th bonus-point win (nine major decisions, four technical falls, six pins). Webster is now 17-0 against NCAA Division III opponents, with his lone loss coming to Division II Minnesota State-Mankato’s Matt Blome (3:50 pin) on Nov. 19 in the finals of the Auggie-Adidas Open.
The Auggies closed the match as they opened it, with three bonus-point wins. No. 3-ranked heavyweight Donny Longendyke (SR, Vadnais Heights, Minn./White Bear Lake HS) claimed a 10-1, major decision win over Donny Ralston, moving to 21-3 on the season with his 16th bonus-point win (13 pins, three major decisions). He is now 145-29 in his collegiate career with 109 bonus-point wins (82 pins, four technical falls, 23 major decisions), including a 104-8 record with 79 bonus-point wins (59 pins, four technical falls, 16 major decisions) in three seasons at Augsburg.
No. 4-ranked 125-pounder Victor Gliva (FY, Farmington, Minn.) scored his fourth technical-fall victory of the season, a 17-1 win over Moziah Clark. Gliva is now 27-4 on the season with 14 bonus-point wins (six major decisions, four technical falls, four pins). He extended his winning streak to 18 straight matches on Friday.
Sam Bennyhoff (SO, Mound, Minn./Mound-Westonka HS) raised his record to 26-7 with a 10-1, major decision win over Michael Bannach to close the match at 133, improving to 26-7 overall with 16 bonus-point wins (nine major decisions, five technical falls, two pins).
Austin Boniface (SR, Wyoming, Minn./Forest Lake HS) claimed an 8-6 decision at 174 pounds, improving to 21-12 on the season, and Sebastian Larson evened his record at 16-16 with a 4-1 decision at 197.
FOR THE FOES: The lone win for the Pointers came at 165 pounds, as defending Division III national champion Logan Hermsen pinned Lucas Jeske (FY, St. Michael, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville HS) in 2:27.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE: Against opponents from Divisions II and III, Augsburg is now 314-49-1 in dual meets since the 1989-90 season. Augsburg has lost just 45 matches to non-Division I opponents since the 1995-96 season. Against strictly NCAA Division III opponents, Augsburg is 305-48-1 since the 1979-80 season. Since the 1989-90 season, Augsburg is 230-38-1 against Division III opponents.
UP NEXT: Augsburg will attempt to qualify wrestlers to the national championships at the NCAA Division III West Regional next Saturday (2/25) at 9 a.m. at Concordia College-Moorhead. Augsburg has won NCAA regional tournaments each of the last 14 seasons, since starting regional competition in the 2002-03 season.
Friday, February 17, 2017 — Quandt Fieldhouse, Stevens Point, Wis.
Action begins at 141 pounds.
No. 2 Augsburg (Minn., 11-2) 40, Wisconsin-Stevens Point (2-12) 6
141 — No. 5 David Flynn (AUG, 28-7) pinned Frank Lor (UWSP) 1:50 (Augsburg 6-0)
149 — No. 8 Ryan Epps (AUG, 29-5) tech. fall Alex Heiden (UWSP) 17-2 (Augsburg 11-0)
157 — Grant Parker (AUG, 19-9) maj. dec. Jaden Boivin (UWSP) 11-3 (Augsburg 15-0)
165 — No. 1 Logan Hermsen (UWSP) pinned Lucas Jeske (AUG, 18-7) 2:27 (Augsburg 15-6)
174 — Austin Boniface (AUG, 21-12) dec. Jordan Weinzetl (UWSP) 8-6 (Augsburg 18-6)
184 — No. 1 Owen Webster (AUG, 26-1) pinned Ben Stassin (UWSP) 1:48 (Augsburg 24-6)
197 — Sebastian Larson (AUG, 16-16) dec. Dylan Diebitz (UWSP) 4-1 (Augsburg 27-6)
HWT — No. 3 Donny Longendyke (AUG, 21-3) maj. dec. Donny Ralston (UWSP) 10-1 (Augsburg 31-6)
125 — No. 4 Victor Gliva (AUG, 27-4) tech. fall Moziah Clark (UWSP) 17-1 (Augsburg 36-6)
133 — Sam Bennyhoff (AUG, 26-7) maj. dec. Michael Bannach (UWSP) 10-1 (Augsburg 40-6)