2008-09 College Results
Gophers Hold Off Wildcats, Win 18-16
February 7, 2009
The eighth-ranked Golden Gopher wrestling team salvaged a weekend split
Sunday afternoon by downing the No. 16 Northwestern Wildcats 18-16 at
the Sports Pavilion. Major decisions from Ben Berhow, Jayson Ness and
Scott Glasser helped Minnesota avenge a Big Ten loss to Michigan on
Friday and improved to 4-1 in the conference.
The victory was Minnesota’s ninth straight dual meet win over the
Wildcats – the Gophers have not lost to Northwestern head-to-head since
1996.
Glasser got things started on the right foot for the Gophers. He
handily defeated Kyle Bertin by a 12-3 major decision in the 165-pound
match, improving his season mark to 19-11 and putting the Gophers up
4-0.
Back-to-back losses at 174 and 184 pounds put Minnesota back in a hole,
however. Redshirt freshman Kaleb Young and Northwestern’s Robert
Kellogg went to a sudden-victory overtime period tied 3-3 in the
174-pound bout, but a Kellogg takedown just 38 seconds into the frame
gave the Wildcats a victory in the match by a 5-3 decision.
Fellow redshirt freshman Sonny Yohn had a tall order at 184, as he
matched up against top-ranked and undefeated Jake Herbert. Yohn held
his own during the first period, trailing just 4-1 after three minutes,
but the 2007 NCAA champion soon took over and cruised to a 16-5 major
decision. Herbert improved to 23-0 on the season and has not lost since
the 2006 NCAA title match.
Trailing 7-4 in the meet, Minnesota needed clutch performances by upper
weight wrestlers Gordon Bierschenk (197) and No. 19 Berhow
(heavyweight). Bierschenk delivered in a thrilling way against
Northwestern’s Jake Schoen, using a late second period takedown to grab
a 3-2 lead and then holding on during the final frame to claim the
victory. Berhow made short work of Paul Rands in the heavyweight match,
scoring six takedowns and a nearfall en route to a 16-5 major decision
win.
Minnesota led 11-7 at the meet’s halfway point.
The meet’s marquee match-up came at 125 pounds between the Gophers’ No.
7 Zach Sanders and No. 3 Brandon Precin. The pair, which entered the
match with a combined 43-2 record on the season, battled through an
epic match. An early nearfall propelled Precin to a big 6-0 lead early
in the third period. Sanders, however, managed to tie the match at
seven apiece with a last-second three-point nearfall. Precin
desperately avoided the pin in the waning seconds of the match to win
8-7 on the strength of the bonus riding time point.
No. 4 Ness continued his winning ways by sound defeating Eric Metzler
by a 12-4 major decision at 133 pounds. Eighth-ranked Mike Thorn also
notched a very business-like 5-1 decision over his ranked opponent, No.
16 Keith Sulzer. The light weight victories staked Minnesota to an
18-10 lead.
Needing only to avoid major bonus points in the final two matches to
gain the team victory, the Gophers held on despite losses by Joe
Grygelko (4-3 to Andrew Nahdir at 149 pounds) and No. 17 Tyler
Safratowich (10-3 to #14 Jason Welch at 157).
The victory improved Minnesota’s record to 14-5 overall. The Gophers
travel to Madison Friday to take on No. 17 Wisconsin and then head down
to Iowa to tackle the top-ranked and defending national champion
Hawkeyes Sunday. Sunday’s meet will be broadcast live on the Big Ten
Network beginning at 2 p.m.
