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Monday, 30 January 2012 22:56 |
Wrestling’s Zach Strickland and Jesse Johnson earned their first collegiate championships Saturday, at Appalachian State University’s second annual Appalachian Open in the Varsity Gym.
By the end of the day, the Mountaineers had a total of eight wrestlers finish in the top four of their weight classes.
Strickland advanced to the finals of the 165-pound weight class by defeating top seeded John Lampe 7-4. In the title match Strickland, held his own against The Citadel’s Kenneth Radford. After the first three rounds, the score was tied at 3-3.
In overtime, the first sudden victory minute was scoreless. Then Strickland started the first tiebreaker round with an escape and a takedown, giving him a 6-3 lead. Radford responded with an escape and takedown of his own and forced a second tiebreaker round.
Ultimately, Strickland got the title, clinching an 8-6 victory with a takedown in the second tiebreaker. With the win, Strickland managed to avenge his previous 5-3 loss to Radford in November.
“That is what practice is like,” Strickland said as he reflected upon his title-winning match. “Coach sticks it in our heads and tells us that we need to keep moving offensively. It has become a habit.”
Johnson also won his 184-pound title with spectacular style. In both his quarterfinal and semifinal matches, Johnson was down by a significant number of points, but he managed to force pins in both matches and earn a spot in the finals.
In the title bout, Johnson started off well with an early 5-0 lead, but Spartanburg Methodist’s Mateo Rojas narrowed the deficit to 5-3. Johnson responded with six straight points, and eventually went on to win by a score of 16-8.
“I was just focused on going out there and getting an early lead,” Johnson said. “After I got the lead, I knew I had to keep up my intensity.”
Senior Weston Haney was a finalist at 125 pounds but was defeated 12-7 by Virginia Tech’s Ty Mitch.
In the 133-pound championship, Appalachian’s Joe Morrison was bested by Virginia Tech’s Jarrod Garnett 11-5.
Colin Hedash was also a finalist for the Mountaineers, but he fell to Virginia’s Stephen Doty in the 174-pound final, by a score of 12-1.
Chris Johnson and Riley Keen finished in third for their weight classes and Brock Durfee placed fourth at 285 pounds.
Open tournaments like the Appalachian Open allow Coach JohnMark Bentley the opportunity to enter non-starting wrestlers so they can gain some competition experience during the spring semester.
“I saw good improvement from our guys today and it was good for them to have the opportunity to compete in front of a home crowd,” Coach Bentley said.
The Appalachian State wrestling team will travel to Chattanooga Sunday to take on the undefeated Mocs in a critical regular season dual match.
Story: CHASE ERICKSON, Intern Sports Reporter |
