Wrestling places 11th at NCAA tournament

Close losses disappointed the Tigers.

By Nick Forrester
April 1, 2008

Maneater File Photo

Sophomore Nick Marable picks up Northern Iowa junior Moza Fay during their consolation match in the 165-pound bracket at the NCAA Championship on March 22 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis. Marable, junior Raymond Jordan and sophomore Max Askren were named All-Americans at the tournament.

ST. LOUIS — The Missouri wrestling team finished out the season placing 11th in the NCAA tournament at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

Senior Tyler McCormick opened up the first round of the tournament with a win over California State-Fullerton junior Tyler Dillashaw. McCormick then lost to Illinois’ No. 2 seed, sophomore James Kennedy, by a score of 6-1. McCormick was also the first Missouri wrestler to see his tournament run end, after losing 11-6 to Maryland sophomore Steve Bell.

“It’s been a tough season for Tyler,” MU coach Brian Smith said. “He’s only had about 15 matches all season. I couldn’t be more proud of a kid though. He’s an unbelievable kid. He went out fighting, and that’s all you can ask for.”

After losing the only match for Missouri in the first round of the tournament, senior Josh Wagner rebounded in the second round by pinning Northern Iowa freshman Nick Pickerell in 2:04, and then ending the round by pinning North Dakota State sophomore Ryan Adams in 2:00. On Friday morning, after a 2-1 win over Iowa State sophomore Mitch Mueller, Wagner was pinned by Central Michigan senior Brandon Carter in 3:41, ending his MU career.

Sophomore Mark Ellis started off the tournament with a win, defeating Illinois junior John Wise 5-4. After losing in his next match, Ellis was able to rebound by winning the next two matches. Ellis’ season ended when Wisconsin junior Kyle Massey defeated him 3-2.

Junior Michael Chandler started the tournament with a 2-0 record, including an upset over No. 7 ranked sophomore Cyler Sanderson of Iowa State. After losing in the quarterfinals, Indiana senior Brandon Becker ended Chandler’s season with an 8-2 victory.

Sophomore Max Askren finished the tournament in seventh place, after defeating Iowa State senior Craig Bertolino 11-9 in overtime of his final match. During that match, Bertolino took a desperation shot at the end of regulation. At first, the officials signaled that Bertolino did not take Askren down. After some discussion between Iowa State coach Cael Sanderson and the officials, they decided that it was a takedown, sending the match to overtime, where Askren was able to win it.

“They seem to let Cael run around like a dog without a leash,” Askren said of Sanderson, an Olympic gold medalist who went 159-0 in his college career from 1999 to 2002. “They don’t care what he does, they don’t give him warnings. There were a couple of things that I didn’t like. But I won, game over.”

After defeating Iowa sophomore Phillip Keddy 6-4 in overtime, junior Raymond Jordan finished in fifth place. Jordan wrestled in the semi-finals the previous night, losing to eventual national champion, sophomore Mike Pucillo of Ohio State 2-1 in overtime.

“It was tough to get yourself back up,” Jordan said. “That was a mentally and emotionally draining match, and it took a lot out of me.”

Sophomore Nicholas Marable defeated Cornell freshman Mack Lewnes in their bout for third place, by a score of 3-2. Marable also wrestled in the semi-finals the previous night, losing 4-2 to eventual national champion, senior Mark Perry of Iowa. “We lost heartbreakers in the semi-finals,” Smith said. “Those kids wrestled their hearts out. This is what you put your whole season into, and when you lose heartbreakers, it’s hard.”

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Wrestling places 11th at NCAA tournament

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