March 20, 2004

Brackets / Results

NCAA Wrestling Championships Central

By R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer


ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Matt Gentry gave Stanford its first-ever champion and Jesse Jantzen became the first Harvard winner since 1938, while Oklahoma State wrapped up its second straight title in the NCAA wrestling championships Saturday night.

The Cowboys won one of three finals, their only less-than-dominating day, but entered the championship round with a 41 1/2-point lead and won by that margin for their 32nd title.

Chris Pendleton beat Ben Askren of Missouri, the only freshman in the finals, 11-4 at 174 pounds.

"A lot of people wanted to see us fall," Pendleton said. "We just had to come out and earn it."

Pendleton wrestled right after top-seeded Tyrone Lewis was upset 5-2 by second-seeded Troy Letters of Lehigh at 165 pounds, and avenged his only loss of the season in the Big 12 championships to Askren.

"It breaks my heart to see a guy like Tyrone not win the national title when he's the best wrestler, hands down, in college wrestling," Pendleton said. "I just had to put it out of my mind and focus on my match."

Iowa was a distant second with 82 points. Lehigh and Ohio State tied for third at 77 1/2, Nebraska was fifth at 74. Ten schools won one individual championship apiece.

Greg Jones of West Virginia (184), Damion Hahn (197) of Minnesota and heavyweight Tommy Rowlands of Ohio State each won their second championship.

Jantzen (38-1), the top seed at 149, is a sociology major and Gentry (41-0) is in pre-medicine. Both put their brains to use on the mat.

Gentry decisioned Jake Percival of Ohio 4-2 in the only finals matchup pairing unbeaten wrestlers. He had already made history before the victory, because Stanford had never before had a finalist, and beat Percival (38-1) for the second time this season.

"My athletics helps my academics and my academics helps my athletics," Gentry said. "It gives me focus, desire and a good work ethic.

"It's quite an honor. Go Cardinal!"

John Harkness, the only other Harvard champion, watched from the third row. Jantzen gave Harkness a nod and a wave after decisioning second-seeded Zack Esposito of Oklahoma 11-4.

"It's incredible and it's a big relief," Jantzen said. "It's been a goal of mine since my freshman year, and if you set your mind to it, you can do it."

Jones (26-0) also finished unbeaten with a 10-5 decision over Ben Heizer of Northern Illinois at 184. Jones won at 174 two years ago but did not place last year at that weight class before moving up.

Oklahoma State also got third-place finishes from Johnny Thompson at 133 and Jake Rosholt at 184, a fifth from Johnny Hendricks at 157 and a seventh from heavyweight Will Gruenwald earlier Saturday to win consecutive championships for the first time since 1989-90.

At 125, top-seeded Jason Powell (26-2) became the first Nebraska champion since 1995 with a technical fall in the second period over fifth-seed Kyle Ott of Illinois. Powell, who finished third last year, ran up a 17-2 lead after Ott got an early takedown.

"It's the best possible way to go out," Powell said. "I have to say it was the very best match I've ever had."

Zach Roberson of Iowa State continued the momentum from a semifinal upset of top seed Travis Lee of Cornell at 133 in the semifinals, beating Josh Moore of Penn State 7-3.

Iowa got a winner at 141, clinching second place, when Cliff Moore decisioned Matt Murray of Nebraska 5-2 in a mostly defensive struggle matching the fifth and seventh seeds. Moore also beat the top seed in the semifinals, ending an unbeaten season for Virginia's Scott Moore.

Moore finished third with a 50-1 record and 34 pins.

Hahn, the defending champion and top seed at 197, decisioned 10th-seeded Ryan Fulsaas of Iowa 6-2. Fulsaas the lowest seed in the finals, has a 58-43-11 career record.

Hahn is the third two-time winner in school history, and one of those he joins is professional wrestler Verne Gagne (1948-49).

In a rematch of the Big Ten championship, Rowlands decisioned Pat Cummins of Penn State 6-2 at heavyweight. Rowlands won in 2002 and finished sixth last year after an injury.


2004 BIG 12 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
125: Jason Powell, Nebraska
133: Zach Roberson, Iowa State
174: Chris Pendleton, Oklahoma State