Three Huskers Advance to Semifinals in Vegas

Three <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska wrestlers advanced to the semifinals and two more remain in the mix in the consolation bracket after the first day of the 2006 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational in Primm, Nev.  In the team race, the Huskers have 64 team points and are tied for second place with Michigan, which has won the last two Las Vegas Invitationals, and Penn.  Missouri is in first place with 86 points.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Nebraska’s success at the tournament has been driven by their ability to earn bonus-point victories.  Of the Huskers’ 21 wins in the first day of the tournament, 14 were either wins by major decision, technical fall or fall.

 

Nebraska’s three semifinalists, Paul Donahoe (125), Dominick Moyer (141) and Jon May (HWT), led the charge.  Among their 11 combined wins were eight bonus-point triumphs, including three pins.

 

At 125 pounds, the second-seeded Donahoe dominated the field on the way to the semifinals.  He defeated Nick Ramirez of Wyoming by technical fall, 21-4, before beating Mike Rodriguez of Cornell by major decision to clinch his bid to the quarterfinals, 11-3.  Donahoe pinned Mark Moos of Michigan with 21 seconds remaining in the match to advance to the semifinals. 

 

The No. 5 seed at 141 pounds, Moyer won his first match by major decision over Heinrich Barnes of North Idaho, 10-2, then followed up with another major decision victory, defeating Nick Walpole of Indiana, 8-0.  After earning a spot in the quarterfinals with a 9-3 win over Kyle Rushell of Wisconsin, Moyer won his fourth match on the day in a 9-6 victory over 16th-ranked Charles Griffin of Hofstra. 

 

May, who entered the tournament as the No. 4 seed at heavyweight, won his opening round match over Andrew Skinner of WesternState by fall with one second to go in the first period.  In the second round, May pinned Benjamin Reiter of Penn 2:30 into their match.  After that, May defeated Omar Maktabi of Michigan to move into the quarterfinals, 8-3.  May punched his ticket to the semifinals with an 11-3 major decision victory over Wade Sauer of Cal State Fullerton.

 

Along with Nebraska’s three semifinalists, the Huskers also have a pair of wrestlers still alive in the consolation bracket. 

 

In his first career appearance at the Las Vegas Invitational, Rowe was the No. 8 seed at 133 pounds, and won by a 13-5 margin over Garrett Burner of MesaState.  He moved into the quarterfinals with a first-period win by fall over Franky Villaescusa of Embry-Riddle, but lost to second-ranked Matt Valenti of Penn, 9-6. 

 

At 165 pounds, Marc Harwood rebounded from a first-round loss by fall to win by major decision over Rider’s Rob Morrison, 12-3.  Harwood then earned back-to-back, first-period pins in the consolation bracket, defeating Penn’s Shane Bennett 2:47 into the match before needing only 47 seconds to pin Sean Richmond of Pittsburgh.

 

Four NU wrestlers were eliminated in the first day of competition.

 

Levi Wofford won a pair of matches at 184 pounds before falling to No. 2 seed Mike Pucillo of OhioState by major decision.  Wofford was eliminated from the Las Vegas Invitational with a 7-4 loss to Chance Litton of West Virginia.

 

At 149 pounds, Robert Sanders won an 8-6 overtime match over Tyler Parker of Stanford at 149 pounds, but went on to lose in the round of 32 by a 12-4 major decision to top-seeded Tyler Turner of Wisconsin.  In the consolation bracket, Sanders defeated Jason McGee of KentState but lost by major decision to Brandon Doyle of Cal State Bakersfield.  Sanders ended the tournament with a 2-2 record. 

 

At 197 pounds, Craig Brester finished 1-2.  After Brester won his first round match by major decision over Cody Mumma of WesternState, he lost to Dallas Herbst of Wisconsin by fall.  Brester saw his run at the tournament end with a 3-1 loss to Jason Trulson of ArizonaState.

 

Casey Roberts finished the Las Vegas Invitational 0-2 at 174 pounds, losing by fall to top-ranked Ben Askren of Missouri in the first round before losing to Danny Burk of Northern Illinois in the consolation bracket. 

 

The tournament continues Saturday at 11 a.m. with semifinal and consolation matches, with the championship finals scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

 

2006 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational

Star of the Desert Arena, Primm, Nev.

TEAM SCORING-

1.Missouri - 86.0
2. Michigan - 64
2. Nebraska - 64.0
2. Penn - 64.0
5. Indiana - 59.0
5. Wisconsin - 59.0
7. Pittsburgh - 54.5
8. Cornell - 46.5
9. Cal Davis - 43.0
10. Harvard - 40.5

 

Match Results-

125 Pounds

#9 Paul Donahoe (NU) by tech. fall over Nick Ramirez (Wyoming), 21-4

#9 Paul Donahoe (NU) by major dec. over Mike Rodriguez (Cornell), 11-3

#9 Paul Donahoe (NU) by fall over Mark Moos (Michigan), 6:39

 

133 Pounds

#11 Mike Rowe (NU) by major dec. over Garrett Burner (Mesa St.), 13-5
#11 Mike Rowe (NU) by fall over Franky Villaescusa (Embry-Riddle), 2:22

#2 Matt Valenti (Penn) by dec. over #11 Mike Rowe (NU), 9-6

 

141 Pounds

#7 Dominick Moyer (NU) by major dec. over Heinrich Barnes (North Idaho), 10-2

#7 Dominick Moyer (NU) by major dec. over Nick Walpole (Indiana), 8-0

#7 Dominick Moyer (NU) by dec. over Kyle Rushell (Wisconsin), 9-3

#7 Dominick Moyer (NU) by dec. over #16 Charles Griffin (Hofstra), 5-4

 

149 Pounds

Robert Sanders (NU) by dec. over Tyler Parker (Stanford), 8-6 (SV)

#4 Tyler Turner (Wisconsin) by major dec. over Robert Sanders (NU), 12-4

Robert Sanders (NU) by dec. over Jason McGee (KentState), 8-7

Brandon Doyle (CS-Bakersfield) by major dec. over Robert Sanders (NU), 12-3

 

165 Pounds

Zachary Lee (Western St.) by fall over #20 Marc Harwood (NU), 4:20

#20 Marc Harwood (NU) by major dec. over Rob Morrison (Rider), 12-3

#20 Marc Harwood (NU) by fall over Shane Bennett (Penn), 2:50

#20 Marc Harwood (NU) by fall over Sean Richmond (Pittsburgh), 0:47

 

174 Pounds

#1 Ben Askren (Missouri) by fall over Casey Roberts (NU), 1:35

Danny Burk (Northern Illinois) by major dec. over Casey Roberts (NU), 15-6

 

184 Pounds

Levi Wofford (NU) by dec. over Jake Toavs (DickinsonState), 6-3

Levi Wofford (NU) by dec. over Luke Borneman (Cumberlands), 10-4

#8 Mike Pucillo (OhioState) by major dec. over Levi Wofford (NU), 12-0

Chance Litton (West Virginia) by dec. over Levi Wofford (NU), 7-4

 

197 Pounds

#11 Dallas Herbst (Wisconsin) by fall over Craig Brester (NU), 6:34

Craig Brester (NU) by major dec. over Cody Mumma (Western St.), 12-2

Jason Trulson (ArizonaState) by dec. over Craig Brester (NU), 3-1

 

Heavyweight

#9 Jon May (NU) by fall over Andrew Skinner (Western St.), 2:59

#9 Jon May (NU) by fall over Benjamin Reiter (Penn), 2:30

#9 Jon May (NU) by dec. over Omar Maktabi (Michigan), 8-3

#9 Jon May (NU) by major dec. over Wade Sauer (Cal St.Fullerton), 11-3