Takedown Report

NCAA Division I Results (2021) – #9

TDR Editor’s Notes ; The Big Show was held this past weekend and as expected there was some great wrestling, som joyful triumphs and agonizing defeats. This usually happens each year at the National Championships and is eagerly anticipated by wrestlers, coaches and tens of thousands of fans who attend in person and millions who watch it on TV and follow it on-line. After last year’s cancellation of all three NCAA divisions’ tournaments this year’s event was anticipated to a higher degree even with only a limited number of fans in the arena. There was the usual groups and families cheering, booing and groaning during the matches yet the sound level was noticeably less than usual with the limited numbers. Yet the cheers and chants were noticeably louder and more united when it came to Shane Griffith winning his championship match. When presented the opportunity to ‘speak’ on the mat and in his TV interview he urged Stanford University to continue the wrestling program. As the crowd correctly chanted “Save Stanford!” It would be the logical, sensible and right thing to do. Keep Wrestling On!
Contact us at the Editor’s office at martinkfleming@gmail.com
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
1 } – Shane Griffith wins NCAA national wrestling title as Stanford plans to ax program
Stanford announced the cuts last summer amid the virus
Shane Griffith appeared to give Stanford University one last hurrah at the NCAA Wrestling Championships on Saturday, defeating Pittsburgh’s Jake Wentzel in the 165-pound bout and making one last state: Keep Stanford Wrestling. Stanford announced that wrestling was going to be cut amid the coronavirus pandemic. Griffith, who wore a black singlet without a name on it, defeated Wentzel. The victory ignited chants of “Keep Stanford Wrestling” at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Mo., according to NJ.com.

“I was actually not planning on wrestling this season given our circumstances at Stanford,” Griffith said after the match, via the San Francisco Chronicle. “It just seemed unfeasible to get where I wanted to be at the time. Then, along the way, I saw the coaches stay motivated — trust the process, almost, it’s kind of cliché. “In the middle of the night one night, I just texted my dad, I said, ‘You know what? We’re not going to question it, we’re going to rip it.’” … rest of story at https://www.foxnews.com/sports/shane-griffith-wins-ncaa-national-wrestling-title-stanford-axe-program?mc_cid=7907c53ef0&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

2 } – AJ Ferrari’s Best Moments From The 2021 NCAA Wrestling Tournament
The legend of AJ Ferrari continues to grow.
The legend and mystique surrounding AJ Ferrari is at an all-time peak right now. The man just won an NCAA title as a true freshman at 197 pounds and between his celebrations and interviews, he has caught the attention of nearly all of the sports world.
With that, I thought I’d compile some of the highlights of the weekend starting with the post-match celebration on ESPN following his NCAA semifinal win. … rest of story at https://pistolsfiringblog.com/aj-ferraris-best-moments-from-the-2021-ncaa-wrestling-tournament/?mc_cid=7907c53ef0&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
And Bulldog Insider feature: Abas, Olivas reflect on their time as Fresno State wrestlers
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE) – This weekend in St. Louis, the Fresno State wrestling team added one more name to its list of all-Americans. Kyle Parco became the 23rd wrestler in program history to reach all-American status, the first since Josh Hokit in 2019. After this weekend, the Fresno State wrestling program will be eliminated for the second time since 2006. “I actually could not believe it. It was hard enough to know that they dropped it that first time,” said former Bulldog wrestler Stephen Abas. “It’s horrible news.”

Abas is one of the best athletes to ever come out of Fresno State. A four-time all-American and a three-time national champion, Abas also brought home a silver medal from the 2004 Olympics in Athens. He helped put Fresno State wrestling on the map. “I enjoyed my time there, and I know that there’s opportunities for other kids to have the same success, if we could just keep the team around,” said Abas.

The first year that Fresno State returned to the wrestling mat was in 2017, and the roster was stacked with valley athletes: Buchanan, Clovis, Clovis North, Selma, Dinuba, Lemoore and Madera Ranchos were all represented. … rest of story and videos at https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/sports/bulldog-insider-feature-abas-olivas-reflect-on-their-time-as-fresno-state-wrestlers/?mc_cid=7490ba8a46&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

3 } – PENN STATE GOES FOUR FOR FOUR IN THE 2021 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS, BUT IOWA BRINGS HOME THE TEAM TITLE
St. Louis, Mo. – There was no dramatic showdown for the team title in the final session of the 2021 NCAA Championships. The Iowa Hawkeyes already clinched it in this morning’s medal round. However, Penn State held a narrow two-point lead over Oklahoma State for control of No. 2 position in the team standings. In tonight’s finals, the Nittany Lions locked it down, earning four individual champions.

In the first match of the night Penn State’s Roman Bravo-Young defeated Oklahoma State’s Daton Fix, 4-2, in sudden victory in the 133 pound finals, which ended the Cowboy’s hopes of overtaking PSU for second place. Bravo-Young rode Fix for the entirety of the second period. However, he was dinged two stalling points in the third period, resulting in overtime. Bravo-Young kept his composure and iced the match, converting on a low-level reattack. In the very next bout, Penn State’s Nick Lee downed Iowa’s Jaydin Eierman in the 141 pound finals. This match also came down to sudden victory, where Lee was able to score the winning takedown, avenging a 6-5 loss he took to Eierman in the Big Ten finals two weeks ago.

Penn State’s next champion came at 174 pounds, where freshman Carter Starocci pulled perhaps the biggest upset of the night, with a 3-1 sudden victory over Iowa’s Michael Kemerer. Starocci previously fell to Kemerer in the Big Ten finals, 7-2. He credited the Penn State coaching staff for helping him make the necessary adjustments to reverse the result this time around. “I learn every second of the day. I learned through that match on many things that I can get better on and do better. I learn all the time, so yeah for sure I learned a lot. Me and my coaches, we went through some things that I could have fixed and that I could improve on, so that’s what we did. Even during that match, I mean I won, but I can still be better,” Starocci said. … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/March/20/NCAA-finals-wrap?mc_cid=7907c53ef0&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

4 } – SESSION VII NOTES: LEE WINS THIRD TITLE WITH TWO BAD ACLS, GRIFFITH’S TITLE SHEDS MORE LIGHT ON #KEEPSTANFORDWRESTLING; SANDERSON PRAISES RTC SYSTEM
For Iowa three-time champion Spencer Lee, it’s no ACLs, no problem
Most wrestling fans knew by now that Spencer Lee is a rare kind of wrestler. But few knew before Saturday night’s ESPN broadcast that he has been defying modern medicine while earning his third national championship. In a live interview with ESPN’s Quint Kessenich, Lee revealed some rather startling medical news. “I’m battling a lot of things,” Lee said. “Eight days ago, I tore an ACL in my other knee. I’m wrestling with no ACLs. Whatever, man. I didn’t want to tell anyone, because F-excuses. Excuses are for wusses. “That was a tough turn for me. I could barely wrestle. I could barely shoot. I can’t sprawl. But I believed in my coaching staff and everyone believed in me. Here I am.”

Stanford update – Griffith wins title, Abas takes seventh, team in 17th, with tons of attention to #KeepStanfordWrestling
We don’t think that the good folks at #KeepStanfordWrestling and those looking to save 11 programs dropped by the school could have scripted anything better than tonight’s NCAA wrestling finals. … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/March/21/Session-VII-notes?mc_cid=7907c53ef0&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

5 } – Penn State steals show in NCAA finals, Iowa claims 24th team title
Results:Brackets
ST. LOUIS — While Iowa finished on top of the team standings at the 2021 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, it was Penn State that stole the show Saturday night at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis. The Nittany Lions went a perfect 4-for-4 in the finals. Winning national titles for Penn State were Roman Bravo-Young (133), Nick Lee (141), Carter Starocci (174) and Aaron Brooks (184). “Our guys just did a really nice job,” said Penn State head wrestling coach Cael Sanderson. “I think they just believed and they found a way. I think we had three overtimes and a tight match there at 84. It’s just great to see the toughness out of the guys. I think that’s where that belief really kicks in.”

Iowa’s Spencer Lee, who was wrestling with a torn ACL, claimed his third NCAA title at 125 pounds with a 7-0 victory over Arizona State’s Brandon Courtney. Courtney, the No. 3 seed, battled Lee tough early as the match was scoreless heading into the second period. Lee began to pull away in the second period, getting an escape, takedown and point off a third caution to lead 4-0 after two periods. He would add a takedown and riding time point in the final period to win by seven. Lee, a 2020 Dan Hodge Trophy winner, became Iowa’s seventh three-time NCAA champion. … rest of story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/24450?mc_cid=7907c53ef0&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

6 } – Takeaways: Carr takes home first NCAA title 40 years after his dad’s first
Forty years after his father Nate won his first of three NCAA Championships, David Carr has won his first after defeating Rider’s Jesse Dellavecchia 4-0 in the finals Saturday in the 2021 NCAA Championships at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis. Carr’s 4-0 win over Dellavecchia in the NCAA Championship match at 157 pounds capped off a dominant week and a dominant season by the redshirt sophomore. One of the things Carr said got him through the tournament was his faith. “I just want to say all glory to God, and without Him, I couldn’t do it,” Carr said. “Like I’ve been saying, I walk by faith, not by sight. Jesus got me through this whole tournament, and I put my faith in him.” He and redshirt senior Gannon Gremmel led Iowa State to its best finish at the NCAA Championships in the last four championships.

Carr’s first title win comes 40 years after his dad’s first

With his family, including his dad, in attendance, Carr accomplished what he previously said was a childhood dream of his: winning an NCAA title. He did it in a unique setting with limited fan attendance due to COVID-19 protocols, which Carr said had its advantages in spite of the lack of a large boost from fans cheering. “I liked it because I can hear my coaches clearly,” Carr said. One of the coaches he could hear was Assistant Coach Brent Metcalf, who tackled Carr after Carr did a cartwheel in celebration of winning the title.

“Metcalf has been with me this whole season, and he’s been telling me the right stuff; he’s telling me to trust my process,” Carr said. “These coaches are amazing, and so without having that many fans, I can hear them clearly. When they’re telling me to push, I push.” Carr said he told his dad when he wanted to commit to Iowa State, he wanted to bring the program back to fruition and break all of his goals while he was at it. … rest of story at https://www.iowastatedaily.com/sports/iowa-state-cyclones-david-carr-wrestling-kevin-dresser-brent-metcalf-2021-ncaa-championships-gannon-gremmel-ian-parker-sam-colbray-marcus-coleman-kysen-terukina-jarrett-degen-zach-redding-2021-ncaa-championships-nate-carr/article_9ae4a3aa-8a56-11eb-8170-b7ed37059b39.html?mc_cid=7490ba8a46&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

7 } – Shane Griffith uses NCAA championship to highlight ‘Keep Stanford wrestling’ efforts
When the COVID-19 pandemic upended the college sports world and threw athletic department budgets into tailspins, some sports were on the receiving end of cuts.  In some cases, Division I schools went so far as to eliminate programs. The Stanford Cardinal announced over the summer it would cut 11 teams, including the wrestling squad, at the end of the 2020-21 academic year.

That didn’t stop Shane Griffith from reaching the top of his weight class. Griffith won the 165-pound national championship over the weekend by defeating Jake Wentzel of Pittsburgh — he was also named Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament — and did so while wearing a black singlet. Griffith and his teammates wore the alternate attire, sans the school logo, to signal their displeasure with the university’s decision to drop the program after this season. 

Just some more motivation to go along with it,” Griffith said Saturday. “I was actually not planning on wrestling this season, given our circumstances at Stanford,” the redshirt sophomore continued. “It just seemed unfeasible to get where I wanted to be in time. Then along the way I was talking to coaches, staying motivated, trusting the process almost, kind of cliché. “In the middle of the night one night I just texted my dad. I said, ‘You know what, we’re not gonna question it. We’re gonna rip it and we’re gonna win NCAAs this year.’ And he said, ‘All right, buddy, I’m going with you.'” … rest of story at https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2021/03/22/shane-griffith-ncaa-title-keep-stanford-wrestling/4799900001/?mc_cid=7490ba8a46&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

8 } – Shane Griffith title caps defiant NCAA Tournament for wrestling
Led by newly minted NCAA National Champion redshirt sophomore Shane Griffith, the embattled Stanford wrestling program shone in an improbable run of success at the NCAA Tournament in St. Louis this weekend. The team, one of eleven cut back in July, scrambled its way to a 17th place overall finish and a triumphant finale to what was probably its last season as a varsity program — a season defined more by struggle off the mat than on it.

Wearing all-black uniforms stripped of Stanford insignia as a protest of the athletic department, individual wrestlers topped highly touted opponents from Rust Belt wrestling powerhouses. Pac-12 champion Jaden Abas, a redshirt freshman and the team’s newest All American, lost his first match but worked his way back up over four rounds to a 7th place finish in the 149-pound weight class by a 5-3 decision over Appalachian State’s Jonathan Millner. … rest of story at https://www.stanforddaily.com/2021/03/21/shane-griffith-title-caps-defiant-ncaa-tournament/?mc_cid=7490ba8a46&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

And Stanford cut its wrestling team. Its wrestler just won the title, dressed all in black
A Stanford wrestler won the national championship in what could be the school’s last-ever match. Eighth-seeded 165-pounder Shane Griffith, dressed in a black singlet with no Stanford logo, won 6-2 over No. 3 Jake Wentzel of Pittsburgh on Saturday in St. Louis. “It’s funny, I was talking to my dad about this earlier today. I was actually not planning on wrestling this season given our circumstances at Stanford,” Griffith said after the match. “It just seemed unfeasible to get where I wanted to be in time. Then along the way I was talking to coaches, staying motivated, trusting the process almost, kinda cliche.

“But in the middle of the night one night I texted my dad, ‘We’re not gonna question it. We’re gonna rip it. We’re gonna win NCAAs this year.’ And he said, ‘Alright, buddy. I’m going with you.'” Stanford announced in July that wrestling and 10 other sports would be dropped to save money. Wrestling alumni organized a fundraiser in an attempt to endow the program, and as of Saturday they had raised $12.5 million. … rest of story at https://www.sfgate.com/collegesports/article/Stanford-cut-its-wrestling-team-shane-griffith-16042126.php?mc_cid=7490ba8a46&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

9} – Millner becomes eighth All-American wrestler in App history at NCAA Championships
ST. LOUIS — Appalachian State wrestling added a new All-American to its history books on Saturday, March 20, when redshirt junior Jonathan Millner secured eighth place in the 149-pound weight class at the NCAA Division I Championships in St. Louis. Millner was part of a record-setting seven wrestlers from App to attend, alongside Codi Russell (125), Sean Carter (133), Anthony Brito (141), Cody Bond (157), Will Formato (165) and Thomas Flitz (174). Formato and Flitz each received at-large bids to make it to the championships, while the other five Mountaineers were Southern Conference Champions in their weight class for automatic bids.

Russell, Carter and Millner were the only three to make it past the first day of the competition, with no other Mountaineers securing a win in their two matches each. Millner secured two day-one wins, while Carter and Russell both went 1-1. Carter lost to eventual national champion Roman Bravo-Young of Penn State. On day two, Carter and Russell were stopped, but Millner kept going through the tournament. Millner lost in the third round of the tournament to Austin O’Connor of University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, but made up for it with a win over Duke’s Josh Finesilver in the “Wrestlebacks” bracket, allowing those who have already lost to compete for up to a third-placed finish. … rest of story at https://www.wataugademocrat.com/sports/millner-becomes-eighth-all-american-wrestler-in-app-history-at-ncaa-championships/article_c3e13580-415a-5e26-a872-08a9adf660c3.html?mc_cid=7490ba8a46&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

10 } – Mason Kauffman Wins NCAA’s Elite 90 Award
NIU wrestler becomes first Huskie to win prestigious honor
ST. LOUIS – Northern Illinois University’s Mason Kauffman was rewarded for his work on the mat and in the classroom as the NCAA qualifier at 174 was named the recipient of the Elite 90 award for the 2021 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship on Saturday.
 
“It’s a statement on him personifying the kind of student-athlete we want and we preach about being here at NIU,” NIU head coach Ryan Ludwig said. “These guys work their tails off to be great wrestlers, but in order to become a great wrestler, you need to be a great student, a great person first. “We couldn’t be prouder of him representing us and bringing home an Elite 90 award to NIU. It’s just a tremendous honor for the University.”
 
Kauffman, who carries a 4.0 grade point average while pursuing his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology, was presented with the award prior to the start of the final round of the 2021 NCAA Wrestling Championship at Enterprise Center. He is the first Huskie in any sport to receive this prestigious award from the NCAA, which is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA Championships. A native of Stratford, Wis., Kauffman earned an at-large bid to the NCAAs at 174 pounds … rest of story at https://niuhuskies.com/news/2021/3/20/wrestling-mason-kauffman-wins-ncaas-elite-90-award.aspx?mc_cid=7490ba8a46&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

11 } – Could the Bills invite NCAA heavyweight wrestling champ Gable Steveson for a tryout?
Watching Minnesota junior Gable Steveson run roughshod over the heavyweight field at the NCAA Wrestling Championships this weekend has to have the wheels turning inside the head of Bills coach Sean McDermott. Could he one day be a Bills’ defensive lineman? There is almost no chance that McDermott hasn’t thought about it already. Just like there’s no chance the coach hasn’t already watched and dissected Steveson’s 8-4 decision over Michigan’s Mason Parris for the title on Saturday night in St. Louis.

McDermott loves wrestling almost as much as football, which is not hard to understand since he was always a better wrestler than a football player. At La Salle High School, he won two straight National Prep titles while going undefeated his final two seasons and giving up just takedown along the way. Since coming to Buffalo, he has had Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs speak to the team and in 2019 spent some time with coach Cael Sanderson and the Penn State wrestling program just before they traveled to nationals and won another championship.

McDermott has envisioned converting college wrestlers into Buffalo Bills. He even spoke about during the NFL Meetings two years ago in Phoenix. “We look for that,” McDermott said. “I mean, at the [NFL Scouting] Combine, we would ask the players what other sports they played, so that’s one of the sports we look for. When you’re talking about leverage, hips, handfighting, balance — to me every football player, particularly interior linemen, should come up with a wrestling background. … rest of story at https://www.si.com/nfl/bills/news/could-the-bills-invite-ncaa-heavyweight-wrestling-champ-gable-steveson-for-a-tryout?mc_cid=7490ba8a46&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

12 } – Iowa reclaims NCAA wrestling crown, Spencer Lee overcomes ACL tear to win 3rd title | The Gazette
Iowa has returned to the top of college wrestling. The Hawkeyes’ accomplishment will deliver some satisfaction to supporters who have craved this moment for a long time. … rest of story at https://www.thegazette.com/subject/sports/iowa-reclaims-ncaa-wrestling-crown-20210320?mc_cid=7907c53ef0&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

And Alex Marinelli, Jaydin Eierman announce return to Iowa wrestling for 2021-22
The Iowa Hawkeyes finished with a team national title in 2021 but came away just one for three in individual national championships on Saturday night. However, they received some more good news on Sunday. Four time All-American and 141 pound runner up Jaydin Eierman and three time All-American and 165 pounder Alex Marinelli both announced their intentions to return to the team next season. Under normal circumstances, both wrestlers entered 2020-21 as their final seasons, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, athletes across all sports were granted a free year. With one year left for both, the Hawkeyes get a major boost to their lineup for next season. … rest of story at https://247sports.com/Article/Alex-Marinelli-Jaydin-Eierman-announce-return-Iowa-Hawkeyes-wrestling-2021-22-lineup-national-championship-NCAA-Tournament-162832361/?mc_cid=7490ba8a46&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

March 23, 2021 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment