Indiana University
Big Ten Championships (March 6-7)
Escobedo Wins Back-to-Back-to-Back Big Ten Championships
3/6/2010 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Nate Everhart, Paul Young and Matt Powless will be joining Escobedo in Omaha, Neb., from March 18-20 for the NCAA Championships, each picking up automatic bids to the national tournament.
With a fifth-place finish at 157-lbs., Kurt Kinser did not receive an automatic bid as the conference only had four for that weight class. Kinser's 26-7 overall record, top-10 ranking and first-period pin in the fifth-place bout give him a very solid shot at getting one of the six at-large bids at 157 pounds though. At-large selections will be announced in the middle of the week.
Complete Results and Final Team Standings 
After a scoreless first period Escobedo elected to start the second period in the bottom position. McDonough was able to ride him for 1:13 before a beautifully executed gramby roll by Escobedo put him ahead 1-0.
The third period started with McDonough down and Escobedo erasing the Hawkeye's riding time advantage prior to McDonough escaping for the 1-1 tie.
Escobedo notched the first takedown of the match before allowing McDonough to free himself once again to make the score 3-2 with 30 seconds remaining. The Griffith, Ind., native then wasted little time posting another takedown to jump ahead 5-2.
A slight hesitation by Escobedo on the edge of the mat resulted in a reversal for McDonough with 13 ticks left. Once the action spilled out of bounds and the two grapplers reset in the center circle, McDonough chose the optional start and immediately kicked out Escobedo in hopes of getting the match-tying takedown. Escobedo would not be denied, however, and held on for the 6-4 decision.
Everhart was also a finalist, finishing as the runner-up at heavyweight. He ran his record to 35-0 with three straight victories before finally falling in the championship match, 9-6, to Iowa's Daniel Erekson.
Young's NCAA ticket came via a 3-2 decision over Minnesota's Cody Yohn in the fifth-place bout. It marks his second trip to the national tournament.
Powless, competing in a stacked 197-lbs. weight class that earned seven automatic bids, made his reservations to Omaha by placing seventh with a 7-0 blanking of Ohio State's Cody Magrum on Sunday.
Kinser made one last addition to his at-large resume in his fifth-place contest at 157 pounds, nailing his patented headlock and pinning David Johnson of Michigan in just over 90 seconds (1:31).
CHAMPIONSHIPS FINALS
125 lbs.- Angel Escobedo (IU) dec. over Matt McDonough (IOWA), 6-4
285 lbs.- Daniel Erekson (IOWA) dec. over Nate Everhart (IU), 9-6
CONSOLATION SEMIFINALS
157 lbs.- Anthony Jones (MSU) dec. over Kurt Kinser (IU), 5-3 SV
165 lbs.- Ryan Morningstar (IOWA) dec. over Paul Young (IU), 4-3
FIFTH-PLACE MATCH
157 lbs.- Kurt Kinser (IU) pins David Johnson (MICH), 1:31
165 lbs.- Paul Young (IU) dec. over Cody Yohn (MINN), 3-2
SEVENTH-PLACE MATCH
197 lbs.- Matt Powless (IU) dec. over Cody Magrum (OSU), 6-0
DAY ONE RECAP
Angel Escobedo and Nate Everhart kept their dream seasons going Friday at the Big Ten Championships, each advancing to the finals of their respective weight classes and running their undefeated records to 32-0 and 35-0, respectively.
As a team, the Hoosiers are in eighth place heading into the final session, just 3.5 points back from Michigan State in the seventh slot and 11 points shy of the top-five.
Three additional Hoosiers are just one win away from punching their tickets to the NCAA Championships by clinching an automatic bid. Kurt Kinser, Paul Young and Matt Powless will join Escobedo and Everhart in Omaha, Neb., from March 18-20 for the national tournament if they notch one more victory.
Escobedo followed an opening-round bye pinning Sean Boyle in front of his home Michigan crowd at the 2:40 mark. The two-time reigning conference champion then notched a 13-1 major decision over Penn State's Brad Pataky to advance to the finals.
Everhart took out three opponents en route to his championship match appearance. He opened with a 10-1 major decision over Martin Smith (Illinois) and followed with a 6-0 blanking of Alan O'Donnell (Michigan State). In the semifinals, Everhart continued to show why he is one of, if not the, most improved wrestler in the country. Everhart lost to Minnesota's Ben Berhow three times during the 2008-09 season, but is 2-0 this year after his 8-4 decision Saturday evening.
Kinser and Powless need to win their first match on Sunday to nab an automatic bid while Young can win either his first or second bout to snag the free pass to nationals.
The two former Bloomington South Panthers are each in the consolation semifinals and in contention for third place finishes. Powless, meanwhile, is slotted in the seventh-place bout versus Ohio State's Cody Magrum.
Kinser rebounded from on opening-round defeat with back-to-back wins in the wrestleback. He posted a 3-1 decision over Sean Nemec (Ohio State) and majored Wisconsin's Greg Burke, 18-5.
Young also tallied a decision and a major decision during the second session. His W's came over Aaron Hynes of Michigan (13-4 score) and Illinois' Conrad Polz (5-2).
Powless reached the seventh-place bout by splitting his four matches on Friday. His wins came against Penn State's Clay Steadman (7-1) and John Schoen of Northwestern (4-2).
SESSION TWO RESULTS
CONSOLATION FIRST ROUND
133 lbs.- Eric Metzler (NU) dec. over Matt Ortega (IU), 8-7
141 lbs.- Juan Archuleta (PU) maj. dec. over Geno Capezio (IU), 17-6
149 lbs.- David Cheza (MSU) maj. dec. over Matt Coughlin (IU), 8-0
157 lbs.- Kurt Kinser (IU) dec. over Sean Nemec (OSU), 3-1
165 lbs.- Paul Young (IU) maj. dec. over Aaron Hynes (MICH), 13-4
174 lbs.- Luke Manuel (PU) dec. over Nick Avery (IU), 8-2
184 lbs.- Travis Rutt (WIS) pins Eric Cameron (IU), 1:44
197 lbs.- Matt Powless (IU) dec. over John Schoen (NU), 4-2
CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS
125 lbs.- Angel Escobedo (IU) maj. dec. over Brad Pataky (PSU), 13-1
285 lbs.- Nate Everhart (IU) dec. over Ben Berhow (MINN), 8-4
CONSOLATION QUARTERFINALS
157 lbs.- Kurt Kinser (IU) maj. dec. over Greg Burke (WIS), 18-5
165 lbs.- Paul Young (IU) dec. over Conrad Polz (ILL), 5-2
197 lbs.- Logan Brown (PU) dec. over Matt Powless (IU), 8-2
SESSION ONE RESULTS
FIRST ROUND MATCHES
133 lbs.- Zac Stevens (MICH) dec. over Matt Ortega (IU), 8-4
141 lbs.- Adam Lynch (PSU) maj. dec. over Geno Capezio (IU), 17-3
149 lbs.- Kyle Ruschell (WIS) maj. dec. over Matt Coughlin (IU), 12-0
157 lbs.- Anthony Jones (MSU) dec. over Kurt Kinser (IU), 3-1 SV
174 lbs.- Jay Borschel (IOWA) pins Nick Avery (IU), 3:53
184 lbs.- Kaleb Young (MINN) dec. over Eric Cameron (IU), 4-1
197 lbs.- Matt Powless (IU) dec. over Clay Steadman (PSU), 7-1
285 lbs.- Nate Everhart (IU) maj. dec. over Marty Smith (ILL), 10-1
CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTERFINALS
125 lbs.- Angel Escobedo (IU) pins Sean Boyle (MICH), 2:40
165 lbs.- Dan Vallimont (PSU) dec. over Paul Young (IU), 8-2
197 lbs.- Anthony Biondo (MICH) dec. over Matt Powless (IU), 8-1
285 lbs.- Nate Everhart (IU) dec. over Alan O'Donnell (MSU), 6-0
Players Mentioned
