Mavericks Crown Two National Champions; Claim Second Place Team Honors
March 15, 2008
It was a bittersweet night for the Minnesota State wrestling
squad. They claimed two individual national champions at the NCAA
Division II National Championships at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, but finished in second place in the final team standings.
The Mavericks finished with 108 points, finishing half a point behind
Nebraska-Kearney.
Claiming the individual championships were seniors Jason Rhoten
(Mantorville, Minn.) and Andy Pickar (Brainerd, Minn.), becoming the
first Mavericks to win the title since four-time All-American Matt
Petsinger in 2001. It is also the first time the Mavericks have had two
champions since 1967 when two-time champion Bob Soulek and Bob Wendel.
Rhoten met up with two-time and defending national champion Antonio
Guerra of Findlay who won at 157-pounds in 2007 and at 149-pounds in
2006. Guerra also became his schools wins leader at 123 in his
semifinals match. He came into the match with a record of 35-9.
The two started off the match trying to feel each other out and
finished the first period scoreless. Rhoten chose to start the second
period in the down position and worked himself free to score the first
point of the match, 13-seconds into the period. Rhoten extended his
lead in the period with a takedown at the 4:27 mark. Guerra got on the
board with an escape point to start the third period while adding a
point when Rhoten was penalized for stalling. Rhoten would hold on to
claim the championship, 3-2.
Rhoten ends his careers at MSU as the career wins leader with a record
of 136-23, as a national champion and a four-time All-American. He
finishes his senior campaign with a record of 40-2 with both losses
coming to Division I wrestlers.
Pickar was challenged by first-time All-American Hudson Harrison of
Mercyhurst College. He is a four-time national qualifier. The two also
wrestled to a scoreless first period before Pickar jumped out in front
with an escape point two-seconds into the the second stanza.
Harrison escaped at 5:33 but Pick was quick to add to his lead adding
another takedown two-seconds later which ended scoring in the second
period. Having a bit more of a comfortable lead, Pickar tried to add to
his lead to get to a major decision to help the Mavericks team score.
Pickar secured his riding time before releasing Harrison for the
escape, attempting to go for the major decision to help the team with
bonus points. Pickar would add a late takedown at the 6:57 mark and get
Harrison in nearfall position as time expired not reaching the full two
seconds needed for nearfall points.
In his second attempt in as many years, Pickar ends his Maverick career
as a national champion and three-time All-American. Pickar finishes
with a career record of 73-17 and a season campaign mark of 27-2.
Senior Nick Smith (Yankton, S.D.) matched up against top-ranked Cody
Garcia of Nebraska-Omaha in the first match of the championship round
at 125 pounds. Smith fell behind early as Garcia executed a takedown
27-seconds into the first period. Smith worked his way free to cut the
lead in half at the 1:19 mark but Garcia shot in again for another
takedown at 2:04.
Garcia would start the second period in the down position and shot out
only four-seconds into the second period to extend his lead to 6-1
which would stick for the rest of the period. In the third period Smith
would try to cut into the lead by starting in the neutral position but
it was Garcia that got a hold of Smith’s leg to work a takedown.
Smith would work out a final escape but with riding time Garcia would
hold on to the 8-2 decision. Smith’s season and career comes to an end
for the Mavericks with a 23-6 season record and career record of 109-45