Central Oklahoma Rides Momentum To D-II National Title
Bronchos end Nebraska-Omaha's three-year reign
March 10, 2007
By Michael J. Carnes
Special to CSTV
Riding the wave of a solid first day, Central Oklahoma put five wrestlers in the championship round and rode away with the NCAA Div. II national title Saturday at the Nebraska-Kearney Health and
Central Oklahoma, which won back-to-back titles in 2002 and 2003, won their seventh NCAA Div. II title and ended Nebraska-Omaha's three-year reign as champions with a very impressive effort, as eight of their 10 qualifiers came home with All-American honors.
The Bronchos got off to a fast start in the first day of the tournament Friday, winning nine of 10 matches in the opening round and coming away with some key first-round upsets. They sent seven of those nine into Saturday morning's semifinals and all but locked up the title when five of those seven moved on to the championship.
"You've got to give the credit to our kids," coach David James said before being named NCAA Div. II Coach of the Year. "Our 125-pounder got us started and battled hard and won a great one, and it just all carried over from there. Even our kids in the wrestlebacks all wrestled well and we needed it because it seemed every time I turned around,
Host Nebraska-Kearney, which entered the tournament with the No. 1 ranking and was hoping to upgrade from last year's runner-up finish to cross-state rival Nebraska-Omaha, had to settle for the bridesmaid honor for the third time in five years, an honor coach Marc Bauer was hoping to leave for somebody else this time around.
"We need to get that monkey off our back, doggone it," he said. "Our kids wrestled well here, and it was just that
The Bronchos got their title run started with a couple of kids who, going into the tournament, weren't expected to be wrestling for a national title. The 1-2 punch of Tyler Zukeman (125) and Jared Henning (133) followed up Friday's performance by starting a run of four straight semifinal wins to get the ball rolling Saturday.
Zukeman came through with a dominating major decision in his semifinal match, and Henning followed with his third win over a ranked opponent, beating four-time All-American Andy Uhl of
Not bad for a couple of guys who finished fourth in their region two weeks ago, James said.
"The win at 125 really got us going, but both those guys placed fourth in or region, so to come in here and end up getting into the finals is really a good job for them," he said.
"I felt pretty good about the way we finished," Nebraska-Omaha coach Mike Denney said. "We wrestled well in the semis and the finals and this group has accomplished a lot. It's been a really good run for us."
Nebraska-Kearney senior Trevor Charbonneau got the home crowd fired up in the opening match of the finals at 125 pounds. He took down
"I just wanted to get my shots going and stay in his face and try and slow him down," Charbonneau said.
"The first thing I was thinking (at the end) was that I was going to be one of those guys that gives it up the last 20 seconds, but I just kept wrestling through it and somehow got my knees under me and my hips up and came out on top. It's something I've been working my whole life for. It's just an awesome feeling right now."
Kutztown junior Joe Kemmerer escaped the hold of
Kemmerer and Henning were on their feet for the first five minutes with no score, and Kemmerer said it has been a strategy that all four opponents used against him.
"A lot of people have been taking neutral on me (at the start of a period) and it was kind of a surprise, but I don't mind," he said. "I just wanted to keep the pressure on and see if I could get a takedown on him, and that's been my style as long as I can remember."
Kemmerer allowed just two points through the entire tournament, scoring half of his points in his first-round match and just 12 in the final three matches en route to his first national title.
Bronchos junior Kyle Evans capped a perfect 38-0 season with a dominating 7-1 win over Steven Fittery of Shippensburg. Evans, who lost in the finals last year, used the motivation of that stinging defeat to propel him to a dominating performance at 141 pounds in this year's tournament.
"Being so close to winning last year left a bad taste in my mouth and I used it to motivate me and stay hungry," he said. "Going unbeaten is just the cherry on top. I wanted to win it and I did, and going undefeated is just extra."
Nebraska-Omaha's second-ranked sophomore Todd Meneely got an early takedown and made that stand up in a physical match, defeating Carson-Newman's Mike Rogers 3-2 to win the 149-pound championship.
It was the end of what has been a long journey for Meneely, who originally wrestled at the
"He's one of the best guys I've wrestled from on top and didn't want to stay on bottom and let him turn me, but I figured I wouldn't get called for stalling if I kept trying to work out," Meneely said of Rogers. "I got that high crotch on him early and was able to get that early takedown and knew if I got the chance I'd wear him out.
"This is the hardest thing I've ever done," he added. "For being out of the sport a couple of years, I was really nervous and had to remind myself what I've been through to get to this point. Now it feels good. It's been a long road and to come back and get my life back together and to come back and win took a lot of prayer and willpower and it feels good."
Guerra wins second title
Findlay senior Antonio Guerra had to work a little longer to get his second national title, escaping Central Oklahoma's Jason Leavitt late in the first 30-second overtime rideout and then riding his opponent in the second extra ride period to add the 157-pound title to the 149-pound crown he won last year.
"I knew he had a stalling call on him so I'd have an advantage to get away and was able to use that," he said. "Right before we went out of bounds (in the second rideout) I thought he might get away but after that I knew I was going to get it. Winning last year was a big help for me and I'm happy to finish on top again."
It was hard to tell who was most surprised with the abrupt ending to the 165-pound final between top-ranked Andy Pikar of Minnesota State-Mankato and
The two wrestlers were involved in a wild scramble during the final minute of the first period when Hunter shot a double-leg takedown in on the Maverick junior and suddenly found himself on top of Pickar. He quickly scooped the head and got a fast pin to claim the Eagles' second national championship in school history.
"I got in on a double and he tried to high-center me, and when I was rolling through I was kind of surprised to see his head," Hunter said. "I'm on cloud nine right now. We've had a great tournament and finished in the top five when a lot of people counted us out, and we've just been getting better as a team and this is going to help a lot."
Nebraska-Omaha senior J.D. Naig, who was named the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler, capped an outstanding career with a dominating performance in a rematch of last year's title match against
Naig attacked Jackson early and never let up, becoming a four-time All-American and three-time national champion (he finished third as a freshman) to help secure a third-place finish for the Mavericks.
"It's a real emotional feeling right now," he said after capping his career. "I wanted to make sure and stay away from his throws and I just wanted to work to my strengths and stay away from that. I just wanted to stay on his legs and work hard on it."
Deaguero blooms late to win gold
"Coming into the second semester I knew I'd be a late bloomer, and if I could get it together by nationals I'd have a really good shot at it," he said. "I knew (Boehm) had a fireman's and a headlock and he had the courage to use it, so I just wanted to keep attacking without overextending."
Upper Iowa senior Ryan Phillips followed Deaguero's relentless attack in the 197-pound finals, leaving no opportunity for upstart Chadron State sophomore Josh Majerus to get on track and posting a 12-0 major decision to finish a four-match run where he did not allow a single offensive point.
"I kept working and wanted to come out and dominate," he said. "I have to go out and expect to win, and I don't know what his mindset was but my mindset was that this was my last time and I'm going to go out and do it and it paid off."
The night ended the same way it began, with a matchup between the tournament's top two teams. The ending was also similar, as top-ranked heavyweight Tervel Dlagnev erased the frustration of last year's runner-up finish with an exciting first-period pin of
"I knew he had a heavy right hand that he liked to use and coach (Bauer) and I had been working on a new move, and it worked better than I thought," he said.
The two-day attendance of 8,685 fans was a new NCAA Div. II national tournament record, according to tournament officials.
NCAA Div. II National Championships
At Nebraska-Kearney Health and
Final Team Standings
Central Oklahoma 124.5, Nebraska-Kearney 108.5, Nebraska-Omaha 67.5, Minnesota State-Mankato 63, Adams State 58.5, Chadron State 58, Pittsburgh-Johnstown 56.5, Upper Iowa 51.5, Augustana 48.5, Western State 46.5, Indianapolis 44.5, Findlay 40.5, Shippensburg 33, Fort Hays State 31.5, Mercyhurst 23, Kutztown 21.5, Carson-Newman College 21, Minnesota State-Moorhead 20.5, Ashland 20, Wisconsin-Parkside 19, West Liberty State 16, Truman State 11.5, Belmont Abbey 11, North Carolina-Pembroke 9, Newberry College 3.5, Gannon University 2.5, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville 1.5, Central Missouri State 0.5, Limestone College 0.5, New Mexico Highlands 0.5, Norhtern State University 0.5, Colorado School of Mines 0, St. Cloud State 0, San Francisco State 0.
Championship Results
125: Trevor Charonneau, Nebraska-Kearney dec. Tyler Zukerman,
133: Joe Kemmerer, Kutztown dec. Jared Henning,
141: Kyle Evans,
149: Todd Meneely, Nebraska-Omaha dec. Mike Rogers, Carson-Newman, 3-2
157: Antonio Guerra,
165: Brett Hunter, Chadron State pinned Andy
174: J.D. Naig, Nebraska-Omaha maj. dec. Michael Jackson,
184: Jared Deaguero,
197: Ryan Phillips, Upper Iowa maj. dec. Josh Majerus,
285: Tervel Dlagnev, Nebraska-Kearney pinned Josh Leadingfox,
125: Arsenia Barksdale,
133: Brett Allgood, Nebraska-Kearney tech. fall Shane Perkey,
141: John Gamble, Upper Iowa dec. Doug Surra,
149: Jason Rhoten, Minnesota State-Mankato dec.
157: Joe Ellenberger, Nebraska-Kearney vs. Austin Scarset, Augustana, 14-6
165: Nathan Baker, Minnesota State-Moorhead dec. Eric Lakia,
174: Cody Henriksen, Augustana pinned Larry Wilbanks,
184: Jared Hess,
197: Nate Buys, Augustana maj. dec. Michael Fowler, Pittsburgh-Johnstown, 8-0
285: Andrew Ubben,
125: Chris Neidermeier,
133: Brandon Reasy, Pittsburgh-Johnstown dec. Andy Uhl,
141: Jeff Rutledge, Nebraska-Kearney dec. Joseph Deaguero,
149: Mark Pfeifer,
157: Bradley Becker, Wisconsin-Parkside pinned Andrew Lamancusa, Mercyhurst, 2:39
165: Blake Peterson,
174: Eli Garshnick, Pittsburgh-Johnstown pinned Matt Weingart,
184: Matt Farrell, Nebraska-Kearney def. Mark Murphy, Shippensburg, injury default
197: Heath Jolley, Central Oklahoma dec. Casey Woodall,
285: Brady Wilson, Minnesota State-Mankato maj. dec. Jason Groller, Shippensburg, 9-1
125: Chris Trampe, Augustana maj. dec. Tyler Mumbulo,
133: Marques Bravo,
141: J.J. Zanetta, Mercyhurst def.
149: Charlie Pingleton,
157: Brandon Girtz, Minnesota State-Mankato vs. Kyle Trout, Minnesota State-Moorhead, 10-8
165: Evan Copeland,
174: Zach Schafer, Mercyhurst dec. Justin Ferguson,
184: Travis Krinkie, Minnesota State-Mankato dec. Charlie Pipher,
197: Derek Brunson, North Carolina-Pembroke dec. Kelsey Empting, Nebraska-Kearney, 8-2
285: Jose Navarro,
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