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Five Mavericks lock up All-American honors at NCAA National Championships
Minnesota State in fourth place after first day of competition
3/11/05
Omaha, Neb.--- Five Minnesota State wrestlers ensured themselves All-American status with their performances on the first day of the NCAA Division II National Championships, held at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Travis Krinkie, Jason Rhoten and Mathias Bitz remain in the hunt for individual crowns with 2-0 records on the day. The Mavericks finished the day in fourth place in the team race with 40 points and five wrestlers still gaining points. Augustana leads the tournament with 61 1/2 points and seven wrestlers still alive in the tournament.
At 125, freshman Nick Smith (Yankton, S.D.) surrendered the opening takedown to Rob McCabe of Adams State but knotted the score 4-4 by the start of the third period. He would give up the final takedown midway through the final frame, losing 6-4 in the first round. In the first round of consolations, he yielded a first-period takedown and two-point nearfall en route to falling to Jaime Thomas of Shippensburg by a score of 6-4. Smith finishes his first season as a Maverick with a record of 12-6.
Sophomore 133-pounder Efrain Ayala (Grand Island, Neb.) picked up a 3-2 win in his first-round match with J.J. Zanetta of Mercyhurst. The two traded escapes after a scoreless first period but Ayala secured a takedown with 49 seconds left in the match and held on after a Zanetta escape with seconds remaining to advance to the quarterfinals. In the quarterfinal round, Ayala gave up a takedown with just nine second left to Mike Hansen of Central Missouri State and fell 4-2. His season came to an end with a 4-3 loss in the wrestlebacks to Mike Sanders of Gannon. Ayala finishes his first season as a Maverick with a record of 12-7.
Sophomore Brandon Girtz (Forest Lake, Minn.) drew defending 141-pound national champion Merrick Meyer of Truman State in the first round and jumped to an early 2-1 lead. Meyer gained the lead soon thereafter and won when Girtz had to default the match with an ankle injury. Girtz came back for the consolation round and fell behind early to Brandon Monin of Gannon by a score of 6-1. However, Girtz used a five-point throw later in the match to send the pair to overtime tied at eight apiece. After a scoreless sudden-victory session, Girtz surrendered an early escape in the first 30 second tie-breaker session. With just four seconds remaining in his own tie-breaker chance, Girtz pulled Monin out of position for a reversal and two near-fall points to secure the come-from-behind 12-9 win. His season would end in the second round of consolations with a 19-3 technical fall loss to Don Cummings of Mercyhurst. Girtz concludes his sophomore season with a mark of 29-15.
Returning All-American Jason Rhoten (Kasson, Minn.) made the first step toward returning to the podium with a 3-0 first-round win at 149 pounds over Camille DuPont of Western State. Rhoten garnered an escape in the second period and sealed the match with a third-period takedown. In the quarterfinal round, Rhoten ensured repeat All-American honors with a slim 3-2 win over Tony Guerra of Findlay. The score was knotted 2-2 to start the third period but Rhoten earned an escape midway through the finals frame and held on for the win. His opponent in the semifinals will be R.J. Paterniti of Gannon.
At 157, junior Mathias Bitz (Bismarck, N.D.) earned a 4-0 win over Aaron Gunning of UNC-Pembroke, getting a late first period takedown to gain the lead for good and advance from the first round. In the quarterfinals, Bitz took top-ranked David Nordhues of Fort Hays State to overtime at three points apiece. Neither wrestler was able to get any offense in the sudden-victory session and the two headed to the tie-breaker. Bitz used a leg ride to control Nordhues for the entire 30 seconds of the first session and gained an escape with just four seconds left in the second to seal the 4-3 upset and ensure All-American status in his first season as a Maverick. He will face Angelo Vettesse of Findlay in the semifinals tomorrow.
Another returning All-American, Travis Krinkie (Blue Earth, Minn.), advanced at 174 pounds with a 14-8 decision over James Reynolds of Adams State. In the quarterfinals, he held off a late charge from Tommy Clark of West Liberty State to advance to the semifinals with a 9-8 win, ensuring All-American status for the second consecutive season. He squares off with Tim Johns of Southwest MSU in the semifinal round, an opponent he defeated 9-2 at the regional qualifier.
Junior John Koons (Crosby, Minn.) dropped a heartbreaker by a score of 5-4 in the first round. His opponent, Ben McAvinew of Mercyhurst, was penalized two points for stalling late in the match but Koons was unable to secure the winning takedown as time expired with both wrestlers on their feet. In his first consolation opportunity, Koons gave up an early takedown to Kris Klepacz of Findlay, eventually falling 6-3 to finish the season 31-12.
The final returning All-American on the team, senior Josh Janousek (Greenbush, Minn.) also fell by a score of 5-4 to John Goral of Wisconsin-Parkside in the opening round, giving up an early takedown with near fall points. In the first round of consolations, Janousek wasted no time getting back on track. He secured a takedown just 40 seconds into the match and immediatley locked up a cradle and used it to pin Justin Mautz of Mercyhurst in just 1:19. In the next round of wrestlebacks, he faced returning All-American Kevin Lochner from Central Oklahoma. The two wrestled to a scoreless first period and Janousek rode Lochner the entire second period, taking two minutes of riding time into the final stanza. Janousek gained a reversal with 1:23 left in the period and racked up more riding time en route to a 3-0 win and ensuring All-American status for the second time in as many seasons.
Senior Mike Engelmann (Spencer, Iowa) began his third national tournament in fine fashion, earning his 20th fall of the season in 4:47 over Derek Thompson of Colorado Mines. In the quarterfinals, he fell to the Midwest Region champion Josh Leadingfox 3-2. The two traded escapes in the second and third period but Leadingfox secured a late takedown to give the match its final score. He needed just 48 seconds in the wrestleback round to dispatch of Heath Soderstrom of Adams State, locking up All-American honors in his third and final appearance at the national tournament.
The meet continues Saturday at 10:00 a.m. with the championship semifinals and consolation rounds. Finals are slated for 7:15 p.m. at the Sapp Fieldhouse.