Wrestling

DIVISION III NATIONAL DUALS
Preliminaries: No. 4 Delaware Valley College 32, St. Olaf College 12
Quarterfinals: No. 4 Delaware Valley College 29, No. 5 Luther College 9

CEDAR FALLS (IA) - Delaware Valley College, ranked fourth in Division III, advanced to the semifinals of the 2008 National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Cliff Keen Division III National Duals with impressive victories over St. Olaf College (MN), 32-12, and No. 5 Luther College (IA), 29-9, on Saturday.

The Aggies are now 6-2 in dual meets and will next meet top-ranked Wartburg College (IA) in Sunday's 11:00 a.m. (CST) semifinals. The winner will advance to the National Duals championship (3:00 p.m.) against the winner of the No. 2 Augsburg College (MN) and No. 3 University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse battle. The loser will drop into the 1:00 p.m. third-place match.

Delaware Valley and Wartburg met last weekend at the North/South Duals with the Aggies, minus two starters dropping a 41-6 decision. Wartburg has not given up a point at the National Duals with a 52-0 victory over unranked University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and a 47-0 triumph over unranked Olivet College.

Delaware Valley opened the duals by winning six of 10 weight classes, en route to its 32-12 victory over St. Olaf. Nationally-ranked wrestlers Jesse Harrington (seventh at 149) and Kyle Bilquist (second at heavyweight) pinned their opponents while fellow nationally-ranked wrestler Mike Wilcox (second at 184) won by technical fall. Joe West, ranked ninth at 197, won by decision while Chris Sheetz (125) and Brandon Clemmer (133) received forfeit victories.

That win put the Aggies into the quarterfinals against Luther, just days after the two flip-flopped positions in the national poll. Delaware Valley showed why it moved up as it won eight of 10 weight classes, including wins over a pair of nationally-ranked wrestlers.

Sheetz and Clemmer opened with decisions for a 6-0 lead. Dan Hall, ranked second nationally at 141 pounds, hit the mat for the first time at the duals and posted an impressive 9-5 decision over fifth-ranked Travis Grawin. Harrington followed a 6-4 victory over 10th-ranked Jason Pyle and Ryan Herwig dropped Dustin Balsley in just 51 seconds of their 157-pound match for an 18-0 Aggie lead.

Greg Miele won by decision at 165 before a controversial disqualification at 174 gave Luther its first points of the match. Delaware Valley was also deducted a team point for a 20-6 score. However, Wilcox followed with a 3-0 decision over Nic Barclay to seal the match at 23-6.

West dropped a 6-0 decision to top-ranked Alec Bonander at 197, but Bilquist ended the match on a high note by pinning Allyn Plattner with 37 seconds left in the first period (2:23).


PRELIMININARIES: DELAWARE VALLEY COLLEGE 32, ST. OLAF COLLEGE 12
125 - Chris Sheetz (DVC) by forfeit (6-0 DVC)
133 - Brand Clemmer (DVC) by forfeit (12-0 DVC)
141 - Dan Rysavy (STO) by decision over Eric McCann, 6-3 (6-3 DVC)
149 - Jesse Harrington (DVC) by fall over Landon Peppel, 6:04 (18-3 DVC)
157 - Josef Waples (STO) by decision over Jake Phillips, 6-2 (18-6 DVC)
165 - Tom Kopietz (STO) by decision over Greg Miele, 3-2 (18-9 DVC)
174 - Justin Bain (STO) by decision over Brian Boudro, 5-2 (18-12 DVC)
184 - Mike Wilcox (DVC) by technical fall over Josh Ban, 15-0 (23-12 DVC)
197 - Joe West (DVC) by decision over George Jimenez, 6-0 (26-12 DVC)
285 - Kyle Bilquist (DVC) by fall over Justin Luthey, 1:54 (32-12 DVC)

QUARTERFINALS: DELAWARE VALLEY COLLEGE 29, LUTHER COLLEGE 9
125 - Chris Sheetz (DVC) won by decision over Lee Meirick, 5-3 (3-0 DVC)
133 - Brandon Clemmer (DVC) by decision over Kevin Bokoski, 6-2 (6-0 DVC)
141 - Dan Hall (DVC) by decision over Travis Grawin, 9-5 (9-0 DVC)
149 - Jesse Harrington (DVC) by decision over Jason Pyle, 6-4 (12-0 DVC)
157 - Ryan Herwig (DVC) by fall over Dustin Balsley, 0:51 (18-0 DVC)
165 - Greg Miele (DVC) by decision over Lance Serbousek, 5-2 (21-0 DVC)
174 - A.J. Gregg (L) by disqualification over Brian Boudro (20-6 DVC)
184 - Mike Wilcox (DVC) by decision over Nic Barclay, 3-0 (23-6 DVC)
197 - Alec Bonander (L) by decision over Joe West, 6-0 (23-9 DVC)
285 - Kyle Bilquist (DVC) by fall over Allyn Plattner, 2:23 (29-9 DVC)
- DVC deducted a team point at 174 -