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Talented field ready for RealProWrestling North Regional
November 1, 2006
By Kent Sesker
Several former collegiate national champions and all-american wrestlers will be looking to make their mark at the RealProWrestling North Regional
tournament on Saturday, November 4 at Cornell College in Mount Vernon,
IA. Doors open at 8:30AM with a rules clinic beginning at 9:00 followed
by the quarter-finals at 10:00.
The first of four RPW regionals was held on Saturday, October 28 in San
Jose. The East Regional will be in Philadelphia on November 11 and
South Regional in Tulsa on November 18. All 28 regional champions will
advance to the Super Challenge on January 7 in San Jose for the right
to represent one of the eight teams for the dual meet portion of Season
2, slated to begin in late March.
Go to www.realprowrestling.com to see results and photos of the San Jose event.
NCAA runner-up Luke Eustice (Iowa) will be one of the top contenders at
121lbs. Grant Nakamura (Iowa State), Randy Ruiz (Stanford) and Desmond
Radunz (Minnesota State Moorehead) are also competing. Spenser
Mango withdrew due to a knee injury.
NCAA champion Nate Gallick (Iowa State) was previously seen as the
man to beat at 132lbs. However, Gallick also suffered a knee injury at
the Sunkist Open and will not be wrestling. James Rollins won a
national title at NAIA Dana College in Nebraska and is ready to prove
himself on a new stage. Paul Collum (Iowa Central, Missouri Valley) was
both a NJCAA and NAIA national champion and could end up winning
this weight class. Eddie Gutnik (Wisconsin) and Adam Keisetter
(Nebraska-Kearney) are in the mix as well.
145lbs features former NCAA runner-ups Dylan Long (UNI) and Joe
Johnston (Iowa). Long competed collegiately at 141lbs and Johnston
wrestled at 157. Johnston is now serving as an assistant coach at host
school Cornell College and Long is on Cael Sanderson's staff at Iowa
State. This weight includes Greco-Roman star Mark Rial (UNI),
three-time NAIA Champ Michael Rio (Lindenwood), Danny Song (Merchant
Marine Academy) and Jason Robbins (Arizona State).
Tyrone Woodley (Missouri) highlights a deep class at 163lbs. Reggie
Wright (Oklahoma State), Kevin Stanley (Central Missouri), Cole
Williams (Dubuque), Shamar Bailey (Marantha Bible College), Mike Kelly
(Harper College), Brandon Hatchett (Junior National Champ), Jeff
Paulson (Minnesota State Moorehead) and Tade Kemnitz (UW
Lacrosse) will all be battling for the title. NCAA runner-up Ryan
Churella (Michigan) is nursing an injury and will now be
competing in Philadelphia.
Jacob Volkmann (Minnesota) and two-time NCAA Division II champ Tom
Meester (Augustana) are among the favorites at 185lbs. Zac
Dominguez (Nebraska-Lincoln), Jesse Robbins (3x Junior National Champ),
Dominic Desando (Indiana) and Octavius Bellamy (Chicago
State) will also be in the hunt.
All-Americans Sean Stender (UNI) and Ben Wissel (Purdue)
may wrestle for the title at 211lbs. Israel Silva (TN
Chattanooga) and Malcom Haven (Wyoming) look to prove otherwise.
264lbs shapes up with Greg Wagner (Michigan), Jason Klohs (Minnesota),
NAIA champ Roger Miller (Lindenwood) and Mount Vernon (IA) native
Scott Pospisil. Wagner was an NCAA all-american last season and is
difficult to score on.
Olympic champions Dan Gable and Tom Brands headline the afternoon Fan Fest which will include a technique clinic.