Indiana University
NCAA Championship
Four Hoosiers Advance in NCAA Championships
3/21/2008 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
March 21, 2008
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Four Hoosiers remain in contention at the 2008 NCAA Wrestling Championships after the first day has concluded, including No. 1 seeded Angel Escobedo who advanced to the championship bracket quarterfinals. No. 4 seed Brandon Becker, Kurt Kinser and Nate Everhart will also continue to compete in St. Louis on Friday morning.
Session three is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. eastern time (10 a.m. central).
No. 1 Angel Escobedo
First round- Escobedo dec. over Anthony Robles (Arizona State), 4-2
Second round- Escobedo dec. over Eric Hoffman (NDSU), 6-3
Escobedo began his day with a challenging first round bout versus Arizona State's Anthony Robles. The Sun Devil struck first with a takedown in the opening minute. The two combatants began the second period with a 2-1 score following an Escobedo escape with 40 seconds left in the first period. The nation's top-ranked 125-lb. wrestler narrowly missed several takedowns in the period before finally getting around Robles to take a 3-2 lead with just six seconds remaining in the second stanza. Escobedo then sealed the deal by riding out Robles for the entire third period, picking up a riding time bonus point and the 4-2 victory.
His second round contest with North Dakota State's Eric Hoffman came a bit easier. Escobedo jumped ahead 5-0 with a pair of takedowns and an escape. He held a 5-1 lead heading into the final period as Hoffman chose neutral. A meaningless takedown for Hoffman with seven seconds left combined with the Escobedo riding time point created a 6-3 final.
Escobedo improves to 31-1 on the season and will face Northwestern's No. 8 Brandon Precin in the quarterfinals. In their two match-ups earlier this season, the Cream and Crimson grappler came out on top in both, 10-3 (at Midlands) and 3-1 (dual match).
Kurt Kinser
Pigtail match- Kinser dec. over Matt Cathell (Deleware St.), 6-3
First round- Kinser pins Don Fisch (Rider), 1:32
Second round- No. 1 Brent Metcalf (Iowa) dec. over Kinser, 10-5
Kinser was the first Hoosier to hit the mats on Thursday after drawing a "pig-tail" match in the 149-lb. bracket. The match was filled with exciting action, including a Kinser takedown just before the horn sounded in period one and a two-point near fall for Cathell in the second period to knot the score at 2-2 beginning the final frame. Kinser recorded a takedown early in the period, but could not hold his foe down for long as he escaped shortly thereafter to narrow the score to a 4-3 IU lead. Kinser responded immediately, however, picking up another takedown at the 1:11 mark and riding him out the rest of the way for a 6-3 win.
Despite having already logged seven minutes worth of wrestling due to the pig-tail match, Kinser crushed a "fresh" Don Fisch of Rider in the championship bracket first round. The Bloomington South High School product executed his go-to headlock right away and stuck Fisch in 1:32 to advance to the second round. It marked his 18th pin of the season, moving him within one fall shy of tying the Indiana school record for most pins in a season.
Kinser's second round bout did not go his way, dropping a 5-10 decision to the No. 1 seeded Brent Metcalf of Iowa. Next up for Kinser is a Friday morning showdown with Trevor Chinn of Lehigh.
No. 4 Brandon Becker
First round- Becker dec. over Zac Fryling (West Virginia), 1-0
Second round- Johny Bonilla-Bowman (Hofstra), 5-3
Two-time All-American Brandon Becker survived an opening round scare from Zac Fryling (West Virginia). The lone point scored in the 1-0 final score was a Becker escape in the second period. Trailing by the 1-0 tally heading into the final period, Fryling chose to start in the neutral position in hopes of recording the match-winning takedown. Becker would have none of that, however, holding on for the victory.
Points were at a premium in Becker's second round match as well versus Johny Bonilla-Bowman (Hofstra) as Becker held a slim 1-0 lead after two periods. The two combatants began the third period in the neutral position which resulted in a quick takedown for Bonilla-Bowman. Becker was able to immediately escape though, evening the score at 2-2 with 90 seconds remaining. Another Bonilla-Bowman takedown sealed the deal in the end, however, as Becker fell 5-3.
NATE EVERHART
First round- Everhart dec. over Eddie Bordas (Rider), 3-1
Second round- No. 4 Matt Fields dec. over Everhart, 4-1
Everhart's debut match at the NCAA Championships was one to remember for the Tinley Park, Illinois native. He halted a 1-1 stalemate by seizing a takedown with only four seconds left in regulation for the 3-1 victory over Rider's Eddie Bordas.
No. 4 seeded Matt Fields of Iowa awaited Everhart in the second round of the championship bracket. Indiana's heavyweight did not shy away from the challenge of a top-five opponent, tallying a second period escape for a 1-0 lead entering the final frame. Fields chose the down position and escaped quickly for a 1-1 tie. Neither man could grab an advantage over the other for the next minute and a half until Fields managed to notch a takedown at the 0:26 mark. With an additional bonus point for riding time, Fields came away with the 4-1 win.
Everhart's next adversary is scheduled to be Justin Dobies of North Carolina.
No. 12 Andrae Hernandez
First round- Cory Fish (Boise State) dec. over Hernandez, 4-3
1st Rd. WB- Steve Bell (Maryland) dec. over Hernandez, 8-5
Matt Coughlin
First round- No. 11 Kurt Gross (Kent State) dec. over Coughlin, 6-3
1st Rd. WB- Andre Rendos (Bucknell) dec. over Coughlin, 3-1
Trevor Perry
First round- No. 6 Alton Lucas (Hofstra) dec. over Perry, 8-4
1st Rd. WB- Aaron Kelly (Liberty) dec. over Perry, 8-4
Joe Fagiano
First round- No. 5 Maxwell Askren (Missouri) dec. over Fagiano, 15-5
1st Rd. WB- No. 12 Joseph Rovelli (Hofstra) dec. over Fagiano 6-4
Players Mentioned
