Johnson is SMSU's first national qualifier since 2006
March 2, 2008
Mankato, MN -- Tyler Johnson is headed to the NCAA Division II national
tournament after coming back through wrestlebacks at 184 on Sunday to
place third at the North Regional tournament in Mankato. Johnson
is Southwest Minnesota State's
first national qualifier since 2006, when Tim Johns and Joel
Wipperfurth both qualified. Wipperfurth finished sixth at the
national tournament at 197. Johnson is also the first national
qualifier for first-year head coach Jesse Nelson.
Johnson lost his first match of the day to top-seeded and No. 2
nationally ranked Brent Pankoke of Nebraska-Omaha. However,
Johnson fought back, defeating fourth-seed Ben Becker of
MinnesotaState, Mankato, 5-3. He then faced the second seed and
8th-ranked Beau Severtson of Augustana (S.D.) in the wrestleback
semifinals and won a 4-3 decision. In the third-place match,
Johnson was forced to wrestle Pankoke again, who was upset in the
semifinals of the championship bracket. After getting pinned in
his first match against Pankoke, Johnson came up with one of the
biggest upsets of the tournament, winning a 3-2 decision to end the day
and place third at 184.
Luke Giese finished one win away from qualifying at 149, losing a 14-5
major decision to third-seed Monterious Adams of Upper Iowa in the
wrestleback semifinals. Giese lost his opening match to Chad
Kubasch of St. Cloud State by an 8-5 decision, but upset fifth seed
Shane Walton (MSU Moorhead) with a 4-3 decision and defeated Shawn
Sneva (Mary), 5-0.
The national tournament will be held on Mar. 14-15 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
SMSU Individual Results:
133: Ed Reno
lost to John Putman (MSU, Mankato), tech fall, 21-4, 7:00
lost to Rick Schiley (Northern State), fall, 6:29
141: L.J. Franzoni
lost to Jay Sherer (Augustana), tech fall, 17-2, 7:00
lost to Dave Schiley (Northern State), fall, 4:46
149: Luke Giese
lost to Chad Kubasch (St. Cloud State), decision, 8-5