Top-ranked Missouri edges
Minnesota at Southern Scuffle
December 30, 2006
All four Golden Gopher wrestlers who entered the Southern
Scuffle as No. 1 seeds claimed individual titles and remained
undefeated on the season, but Minnesota
was narrowly edged by top-ranked Missouri, 179.5-176, for the team
title.
Capturing individual titles for the Gophers were Manuel Rivera (141),
Dustin Schlatter (149), Roger Kish (184) and Cole Konrad (Hwt). Konrad
won his fourth consecutive title at the Southern Scuffle in the
heavyweight division. Top-ranked nationally in his weight class, Konrad
cruised through the tournament, grabbing three straight pins and a
major decision. He then went on to claim the 6-2 victory over North
Carolina’s Spencer Nadolsky to become the first wrestler in tournament
history to win four titles.
As the championship round unfolded, it looked as though the senior from
Freedom, Wis., may get a chance to be the hero as he has been so many
times in his career with a victory in the final match of the night.
However, he never got that chance, as a pin by Missouri’s Max Askren in
the 197-pound final sealed the title for the Tigers, putting them ahead
by 7.5 points. The maximum points Konrad could have gotten with a pin
in the final was six points.
Kish’s title at 184 pounds gave the Gophers reason to hope. Kish
claimed his second consecutive Southern Scuffle title with a win by way
of medical forfeit over No. 6 Raymond Jordan of Missouri. The victory
brought Minnesota within 1.5 points of the lead before Askren’s pin in
the 197-pound final. Kish finished the tournament with a 5-0 record,
including two pins and a tech fall.
Rivera claimed the 141-pound title with a 6-0 record. He collected
bonus points in each of his first five matches, including two pins and
three major decisions. Rivera defeated Alex Krom of Maryland, 7-6, in
the championship match.
Top-ranked Dustin Schlatter extended his winning streak to 47
consecutive matches as he also defended his Southern Scuffle title from
a year ago. He defeated No. 6 Jordan Leen of Cornell, 7-1, in the
finals.
Also placing for Minnesota were Jayon Ness (125), Gabriel Dretsch
(174), Jeremy Larson (165) and Tyler Safratowich (157). Ness took home
third place with a 6-1 record, posting three pins and a tech fall in
the tournament. His only loss came to No. 2 Troy Nickerson of Cornell
in the semifinals. Dretsch won his first four matches of the tournament
and ended up placing fourth with a 5-2 record. After a third round loss
to No. 13 Keegan Mueller on Friday, Larson fought his way through
wrestle-backs and defeated No. 17 Jason Kiessling of Maryland, 5-2, in
the seventh-place match. Safratowich pinned three opponents on his way
to eighth place in the tournament.
The Gophers will return home to host Arizona State on Tuesday, Jan. 2
at 7 p.m., in a dual meet at the Sports Pavilion. It will be their
final tune-up before the National Duals in Cedar Falls, Iowa on Jan.
13-14.
Final Team Standings
1. Missouri (179.5)
2. Minnesota (176)
3. Cornell (134.5)
4. Edinboro (129.5)
5. Navy (92.5)
Minnesota’s Individual Placewinners
1st: Manuel Rivera (141)
1st: Dustin Schlatter (149)
1st: Roger Kish (184)
1st: Cole Konrad (Hwt)
3rd: Jayson Ness (125)
4th: Gabriel Dretsch (174)
7th: Jeremy Larson (165)
8th: Tyler Safratowich (157)