Four Huskers Qualify for Big 12 Finals

Columbia, Mo. - Four Nebraska wrestlers clinched bids into the finals of the 2007 Big 12 Championships in the morning session at the Hearnes Center on Saturday.

Paul Donahoe (125), Dominick Moyer (141), Chris Oliver (157) and Craig Brester (197) clinched bids into the finals with wins in semifinal matches and also qualified for the NCAA Championships. Moyer qualifies for nationals for the third time in his career. Donahoe heads to the NCAAs for the second time in his career, while Oliver and Brester will make their first trip to nationals.

Donahoe moved into the finals at 125 pounds with a 5-3 win over Nick Fanthorpe of Iowa State. Donahoe clinched the match with a takedown with 1:35 remaining in the third period. By avenging his only loss in Big 12 competition, Donahoe moves to the finals to face Sam Hazewinkel of Oklahoma.

Moyer moved into the championship match at 141 pounds with a 3-1 win over Kyle Terry of Oklahoma. Moyer notched an escape and a takedown in the second period to take a 3-0 lead through five minutes of wrestling and held on for the win. Moyer will face Oklahoma State’s Nathan Morgan in the finals.

Oliver clinched a spot in the finals at 157 pounds with a 3-2 win over Michael Chandler of Missouri. Oliver earned an escape with 35 seconds left in the second period to take a 3-2 lead, then rode Chandler for the duration of the third period to clinch the win. Oliver will face Trent Paulson of Iowa State in the finals.

Brester also clinched a spot in the finals at 197 pounds with a 17-2 technical fall victory over Joel Flaggert of Oklahoma. Brester scored a takedown 19 seconds into the match, then added a three-point near fall to take an early 5-0 lead. Brester added a pair of takedowns to build a 9-2 lead after the first period. After riding Flaggert for the duration of the second period, Brester scored a takedown and a pair of three-point nearfalls to earn the technical fall victory. Brester will face Max Askren of Missouri in the final.

While four Huskers are in the finals, Jordan Burroughs (149) and Stephen Dwyer (165) are just one win away from their first career appearances in the NCAA Championships.

At 149 pounds, Jordan Burroughs fell to top-seeded Matt Storniolo of Oklahoma, 7-3. Storniolo took control of the match with a takedown and a three-point nearfall in the closing seconds of the second period.

Earlier in the day, Burroughs defeated B.J. Jackson of Oklahoma State, 3-1. Burroughs took the lead with a takedown with six seconds remaining in the first period. An escape eight seconds into the second period by Jackson cut Burroughs’ lead to one at 2-1, but with 53 seconds remaining in the match, Burroughs earned an escape to clinch the match.

A strong upset bid by Stephen Dwyer of top-ranked Johny Hendricks of Oklahoma State fell just short as Hendricks earned an 8-5 win at 165 pounds. Hendricks had a five-point lead late in the second period when Dwyer scored a reversal and a three-point near fall to cut Hendricks’ lead to 6-5. Hendricks scored a takedown in the third period to clinch the victory.

Stephen Dwyer won in the first round by major decision at 165 pounds over Shane Siebert of Oklahoma, 11-2. After Siebert took an early 2-0 lead with a first-period takedown, Dwyer took control of the match, scoring 11 unanswered points with a second-period reversal, a third-period takedown, and a pair of three-point nearfalls.

At 174 pounds, Marc Harwood fell in the first round to Grant Turner of Iowa State, 3-2. Harwood took a 1-0 lead 36 seconds into the second period with an escape, but Turner tied the match with an escape 20 seconds into the third period, then took the lead with 17 seconds remaining in the match with a takedown.

A comeback bid by Levi Wofford at 184 pounds fell just short as Oklahoma’s Josh Hinton earned a 4-3 victory. After Hinton built an 3-0 lead midway through the second period, Wofford was awarded a pair of penalty points, then scored an escape to tie the match. The one-point awarded to Hinton for his 1:48 advantage in riding time proved to be the difference in the match.

Heavyweight Cameron Browne fell in the first round to Brad Farmer of Oklahoma, 9-5. Farmer scored a pair of takedowns in both the first and second periods to take control of the match.

Harwood, Wofford and Browne will have a chance to advance to the NCAA Championships from the consolation bracket, with matches beginning at 4 p.m. at the Hearnes Center. The finals will be at 7 p.m.

2007 Big 12 Championships Results
125 Pounds
Paul Donahoe (NU) by dec. over Nick Fanthorpe (ISU), 5-3

149 Pounds
Jordan Burroughs (NU) by dec. over B.J. Jackson (OSU), 3-1 Matt Storniolo (OU) by dec. over Jordan Burroughs (NU), 7-3

157 Pounds
Chris Oliver (NU) by dec. over Michael Chandler (MU), 3-2

165 Pounds
Stephen Dwyer (NU) by major dec. over Shane Siebert (OU), 11-2 Johny Hendricks (OSU) by dec. over Stephen Dwyer (NU), 8-5

174 Pounds
Grant Turner (ISU) by dec. over Marc Harwood (NU), 3-2

184 Pounds
Josh Hinton (OU) by dec. over Levi Wofford (NU), 4-3

197 Pounds
Craig Brester (NU) by tech. fall over Joel Flaggert (OU), 17-2; 6:27

Heavyweight
Brad Farmer (OU) by dec. over Cameron Browne (NU), 9-5