BROOKINGS, S.D. - The South
Dakota State University wrestling team returns to the mats this
weekend looking to avenge its first loss in nearly a month. SDSU will
face two Western Wrestling Conference opponents in two days. The Jacks
will start Friday in Laramie, Wyo., against the University of Wyoming.
Start time is set for 7 p.m. (MT) at the UniWyo Sports Complex. South
Dakota State will then travel to Colorado Springs, Colo., to face off
against the Air Force Academy Saturday afternoon. That match will begin
at 2 p.m. (MT) in Clune Arena.
The Jackrabbits, 8-5 on the season, went 1-1 in competition last
weekend, winning against Eastern Illinois on Friday, but falling in WWC
competition to Northern Colorado. The Jacks opened the weekend upending
EIU, 25-18, in front of 452 people at Frost Arena. SDSU then followed
by dropping its first conference match of the year to Northern
Colorado, 23-15. The Jackrabbits bring a 1-1 conference mark into this
weekendís two WWC matchups.
Wyoming heads into Fridayís matchup having downed Utah Valley
State, 32-9, last weekend in Orem, Utah. The Cowboys won seven of the
10 bouts and bring a 3-9 record and 2-1 conference mark into their
matchup against the Jacks. Wyoming is led by 149-pounder Carter Downing
and 197-pound Sam Wendland. Both wrestlers recorded technical falls
against the Wolverines. Downing has posted a 29-7 record, while
Wendland has come on during the dual season racking up an 10-1 record.
UWís two conference wins have come against North Dakota State
and Utah Valley State. Its lone loss was a 24-16 setback to Northern
Iowa on Jan. 20.
Air Force comes into Saturday's matchup having taken home fifth-place
honors at the All-Academy Championships last weekend. The Falcons, 3-10
overall and 0-1 in the conference, defeated Portland State, 31-9, Jan.
28 to break a seven match losing streak. The Falcons are led by Bridger
Lord, who is 7-4 in duals, and heavyweight Anthony Stegeman. Stegeman
was the WWC Wrestler of the Week for the week of Jan. 29 and has
compiled an 5-8 dual record.
THIS SERIES: This Friday's
matchup with Wyoming will mark the eighth meeting between the
Jackrabbits and Cowboys.
South Dakota State fell to Wyoming, 26-18, last winter at Frost Arena.
Wyoming leads the overall series 7-0.
Saturday's matchup with Air Force will mark the fourth meeting between
the Jackrabbits and Falcons. South Dakota State defeated Air Force
laster winter, 25-12, to record its first win in the series. Air Force
leads the series 2-1.
SDSU won seven matches to defeat Air Force at Frost Arena during the
2005-06 season. Returning wrestlers victorious for the Jacks were Andy
Everson, Justin Retallic, Jason Stripling, Brad Gregory and Derek
Pirner.
LAST WEEK'S RESULTS:
SDSU 25, Eastern Illinois 18
Redshirt freshman Ryan Meyer upended Billy Gallo by fall as South
Dakota State defeated Eastern Illinois, 25-18, in wrestling action last
Friday night at Frost Arena.
After falling behind early in the match, junior Derek Pirner put the
Jacks on the board defeating Casey Carrino, 5-1, at 141 pounds. With
the win, the Elk Point native is now 5-0 in his last five outings.
Dan Bonte, a redshirt freshman from Garretson, brought the Jacks within
three by upending Tommy Reamer, 4-3. Reamer tied the match at 3-3 with
three seconds remaining, but Bonte used a 3:53 riding time advantage to
secure the victory.
After senior Andy Everson downed Kile O'Toole, 12-2, Meyer pushed the
Jackrabbit lead to 16-9 by downing Gallo in 2 minutes, 25 seconds.
Everson remains undefeated in dual competition with a 4-0 record, while
Meyer collected his 18th victory this winter.
Eastern Illinois took a two-point lead in the match after securing
victories at 174 and 184, but senior Travis Gottschalk gave the Jacks a
22-18 advantage in the match, winning by forfeit at 197. Junior Jason
Stripling secured the SDSU victory by downing Joe Trinka, 9-3, at
heavyweight. In the match, the Minneota, Minn., native recorded two
two-point near falls and riding time to secure South Dakota State's
seventh consecutive victory.
Overall, SDSU posted one pin and one major decision in its match
against the Panthers. Individually, Stripling has gone 6-0 in his last
six matches, while Gottschalk moved to 5-3 at 197 pounds.
Northern Colorado 23, SDSU 15
The South Dakota State University wrestling team won five of the 10
weight classes last Saturday afternoon, but dropped a 23-15 match to
Northern Colorado in Western Wrestling Conference action at Frost Arena.
South Dakota State's Dan Bonte gave the Jacks a 3-0 lead in the match
by defeating Richard Lohr, 7-4, at 149 pounds. With the win, Bonte
moved to 9-4 on the year.
At 165, Ryan Meyer, a redshirt freshman from Parkston, upended Devan
Lewis, 3-2. Lewis took a 2-0 lead into the third period, but Meyer
scored a takedown with 37 seconds remaining and then used a 1:37 riding
time advantage to secure the victory.
After Chris Moran increased the South Dakota State lead by downing
Chase Walker, 3-2, senior Nate Althoff scored a 7-3 decision over Shawn
Vincent at 184 pounds. In the match, Althoff recorded three takedowns
and riding time to defeat Vincent.
Senior Travis Gottschalk closed out the scoring for the Jacks upending
Calen Nicholl, 5-1. The Kimball, Minn., native, scored two takedowns in
the third period to collect his 13th win of the season and push the
Jackrabbit lead to 15-3.
Northern Colorado went on to win the final four weight classes to move
to 5-7 overall and 1-1 in the Western Wrestling Conference.
Individually, Althoff is now 7-3 on the year, while Gottschalk moved to
6-3 at 197 pounds. Meyer improved to 19-9 overall and 2-0 in conference
wrestling with the victory over Lewis.
With the loss, South Dakota State moved to 8-5 on the year and snapped
its seven match win streak.
MEYER PINNING OPPONENTS: By
defeating Eastern Illinois' Billy Gallo by fall in 2 minutes, 25
seconds, redshirt freshman Ryan Meyer posted his sixth pin of the year.
He currently ranks second on the team in pins, trailing only
heavyweight Jason Stripling who has recorded 10. Overall, Meyer, who
has defeated six-straight opponents, is 2-0 in Western Wrestling
Conference action and is tied for the team lead in victories with 19.
Meyer, 8-2 in dual contests, last lost on Jan. 6 against Ohio.
BONTE UNDEFEATED ON WEEKEND:
Redshit freshman Dan Bonte went undefeated in competition this past
weekend upending Tommy Reamer of Eastern Illinois', 4-3, and UNC's
Richard Lohr, 7-4, to move to 7-2 in dual competition. Bonte, who is
1-1 in conference action, is 9-4 overall and has posted two decisions
and one fall in his last three matches.
WESTERN WRESTLING CONFERENCE:
SDSU dropped its first conference dual this past weekend to Northern
Colorado to move to 1-1 overall in conference action. The Jackrabbits
after this weekend will close out the regular season with two
conference matches against Northern Iowa and North Dakota State.
Individually, SDSU has had four wrestlers go undefeated in conference
action. Leading the way for the Jacks are Ryan Meyer and Nate Althoff
who have both gone 2-0 against Utah Valley State and Northern Colorado.
WINNING MARKS: During the dual
season, the Jackrabbits have had five wrestlers record seven or more
wins heading into this weekend. Overall, 16 different Jackrabbits have
wrestled during the dual season. 13 of the 16 wrestlers have posted
winning records this winter.
MATCH FACTS: SDSU has scored a
total of 356 dual team points this season, plus a total of 1,439 match
points. Redshirt freshman Tyler Sorenson leads the Jacks by collecting
46 dual team points, while junior Jason Stripling is second on the team
with 41. In all, South Dakota State has posted 320 takedowns, 75
three-point near falls, 56 pins and 56 reversals as a team during
2006-07.
PIRNER COMING ON STRONG: Derek
Pirner, an Elk Point native, has quietly started picking up steam
heading down the homestretch of the 2006-07 season. Pirner has gone 5-1
in his last six outings with two decisions and two major decisions. The
junior, who is 8-3 in dual action, split went 1-1 this past weekend to
end his four match win streak.
TECHNICAL FALLS GALORE: As a
team, South Dakota State during its seven-match win streak has recorded
seven technical falls. Led by Tyler Sorenson's eight this season, SDSU
has upended a total of 10 different opponents by technical fall.
Individually, Sorenson has upended five opponents by tech fall in his
last six matches.
DUAL DOMINANCE: Overall, the South Dakota State University wrestling
team has produced a combined record of 79-38 during dual competition.
Both Sean Flynn and Justin Retallic remain undefeated in dual
competition. Flynn has recorded a 4-0 record, while Retallic has gone
1-0.
WATERTOWN NATIVE: After being
injured earlier in the year, Watertown native Nate Althoff has bounced
back to record a 7-3 record in dual competition, including a 5-1 record
in his last six outings. With only two duals left in his career after
this weekend, Althoff has collected a total of 70 victories as a
Jackrabbit heading into the two away duals.
FLYNN STILL PERFECT: Sean
Flynn, a freshman from Lansing, Kan., has gone undefeated so far during
the dual season. Flynn, who carries a 10-8 record heading into this
weekend, is 4-0 in duals and is one of three Jackrabbits to remain
undefeated overall in dual competition.