Tony Black Joins Air Force Wrestling Staff as Volunteer Assistant
USAFA, Colo. - Air Force wrestling head coach Joel Sharratt has announced the addition of Tony Black to the Falcons' coaching staff as a volunteer assistant. Black, a 2003 NCAA All-American, currently serves as the Manager of State Services for USA Wrestling.
"I am very excited that Tony Black will be joining the Falcon wrestling staff this season," said Sharratt. "I have had the opportunity to work with Tony at several camps and clinics and he is an outstanding coach and educator who will help raise the bar in our program."
Black was a four-year starter at the University of Wisconsin from 1999-2003, earning All-America honors in 2003 by finishing fifth at 125 pounds. He served as an undergraduate assistant coach for the Badgers from 2003-05, while working as a volunteer assistant at Wisconsin from 2005-06.
A native of River Falls, Wis., Black was a two-time WIAA state champion (103 pounds in 1998, 112 pounds in 1999) at River Falls High School, while earning USA Wrestling Cadet All-America honors in 1996, placing fourth at 88 pounds.
"Tony will be a contributor in many ways, but will have a special focus early on in developing our lower weights," continued Sharratt. "As an NCAA All-American, Tony knows what it takes to be podium-ready and he is excited to share those winning character traits and skill sets with the men in our program."
Air Force Wrestling Announces Incoming Class of 2014
USAFA, Colo. - Air Force wrestling head coach Joel Sharratt announced today the arrival of the Class of 2014. This year's incoming freshman class features 24 wrestlers, including seven entries from the Academy Prep School. Featured in the group are 10 high school state champions and three NCWA All-Americans.
"The team and staff are excited about this year's class, and the talent and depth it will add to the program," said Sharratt. "Personally, I am proud of the effort the team and coaches gave to attract such a great group of young men to the Academy. These guys offer the Academy tremendous depth in all aspects of our mission and hold great promise as future leaders."
Following is a listing of this year's newcomers, along with a brief summary of their previous athletic accomplishments:
Carter Adams, Coon Rapids, Minn. - Attended the Academy Prep School … four-time state placer in high school … All-American at NCWA Nationals in 2010, finishing third … captured title at 2010 NWCA Southwest Regional … posted a 25-10 overall record at the Prep School.
Dan Barringer, Monument, Colo. - Third-place state finisher in 2009 … state champion in 2010 … compiled a perfect record (45-0) as a senior … academic all-state honoree.
Daniel Baucke, Bartlett, Tenn. - Three-time state champion … three-time state placer … Fargo Cadet All-American.
Jared Broussard, Maurice, La. - State champion in 2009.
Jonsen Crandall, Oakley, Utah - Two-time state champion … two-time state runner-up.
Cody Davis, The Woodlands, Texas - Two-time state champion … placed third in 2008 … fifth-place at 2008 Cadet Greco Nationals.
Brook Gosch, Orwigsburg, Pa. - Eighth place at NHSCA Junior Nationals … state qualifier in 2010.
Evan Gros, Lake Orion, Mich. - Attended the Academy Prep School … three-time state placer in high school … two-time state runner-up.
Devin Hightower, Colorado Springs, Colo. - Attended the Academy Prep School … finished sixth in the state in high school … NWCA Southwest Regional runner-up in 2010.
Jarret Hoeppner, Apple Valley, Minn. - Attended the Academy Prep School … three-time state placer in high school … All-American at NCWA Nationals in 2010, finishing seventh … finished first at 2010 NWCA Southwest Regional … posted a record of 22-9 at the Prep School, including 15 falls.
Colby Kluesner, Denver, Colo. - Placed fifth in state in 2009 … finished third in 2010.
Joshua Kreimier, Fort Collins, Colo. - Attended the Academy Prep School … academic all-state in 2008 … two-time state runner-up in high school … state champion in 2008 … ranked 13th nationally by W.I.N. Magazine in 2008 … Fila Cadet National Greco runner-up … four-time Cadet Asics All-American … All-American at NCWA Nationals in 2010, placing third … finished first at 2010 NWCA Southwest Regional, earning Outstanding Wrestler honors … compiled a 36-8 record at Prep School.
Garrett Manley, Holland, Ohio - Fourth place state finisher in 2008.
Blake Mabry, Mesa, Ariz. - Attended the Academy Prep School … state placewinner and state champion in high school … state freestyle champion … runner-up at NWCA Southwest Regional in 2010.
Justin Martinez, Henderson, Nev. - Attended the Academy Prep School … Prep School national champion and two-time Prep School All-American in high school … two-time state runner-up.
Chris Morales, Rio Rancho, N.M. - Third-place state finisher as a sophomore … state champion in junior year … member of New Mexico Dream Team in 2009.
Michael Osborne, Union, Ky. - Finished fourth in state in 2009 … state champion in 2010.
Greg Rinker, Bath, Pa. - State qualifier … two-time NHSCA All-American.
Jared Tonder, Parachute, Colo. - Four-time state placewinner … state champion in 2010.
Jesse Stafford, Loomis, Calif. - Placed fourth in state in 2009 … state runner-up in 2010.
Also joining the Falcons this season are Patrick Conley from Wakefield, R.I., Jared Dorsey from Bonney Lake, Wash., Vance Hawk from Ridgway, Colo., and Tyler Heck from Warner Robins, Ga.
Air Force Wrestling Class of 2014
Name Hometown (High School)
Carter Adams Coon Rapids, Minn. (Coon Rapids HS/AFA Prep)
Dan Barringer Monument, Colo. (Lewis-Palmer HS)
Daniel Baucke Bartlett, Tenn. (Christian Brothers HS)
Jared Broussard Maurice, La. (North Vermilion HS)
Patrick Conley Wakefield, R.I. (South Kingstown HS)
Jonsen Crandall Oakley, Utah (South Summit HS)
Cody Davis The Woodlands, Texas (The Woodlands HS)
Jared Dorsey Bonney Lake, Wash. (Bonney Lake HS)
Brook Gosch Orwigsburg, Pa. (Blue Mountain HS)
Evan Gros Lake Orion, Mich. (International Academy/AFA Prep)
Vance Hawk Ridgway, Colo. (Montrose HS)
Tyler Heck Warner Robins, Ga. (Houston County HS)
Devin Hightower Colorado Springs, Colo. (Widefield HS/AFA Prep)
Jarret Hoeppner Apple Valley, Minn. (Apple Valley HS/AFA Prep)
Colby Kluesner Denver, Colo. (Conifer HS)
Joshua Kreimier Fort Collins, Colo. (Loveland HS/AFA Prep)
Blake Mabry Mesa, Ariz. (Highland HS/AFA Prep)
Garrett Manley Holland, Ohio (Springfield HS)
Justin Martinez Henderson, Nev. (Wyoming Seminary HS [Pa.]/AFA Prep)
Chris Morales Rio Rancho, N.M. (Rio Rancho HS)
Michael Osborne Union, Ky. (Ryle HS)
Greg Rinker Bath, Pa. (Northampton HS)
Jared Tonder Parachute, Colo. (Grand Valley HS)
Jesse Stafford Loomis, Calif. (Del Oro HS)
Air Force's Cole VonOhlen Named WWC Freshman of the Year
LARAMIE, Wyo. - Air Force rookie Cole VonOhlen was honored by the Western Wrestling Conference, as it announced its 2009-10 postseason award winners on Thursday. VonOhlen was the unanimous pick as the Freshman of the Year, while Wyoming's Joe LeBlanc and Northern Iowa's Brad Penrith were named WWC Wrestler of the Year and Coach of the Year, respectively.
The Wrestler of the Year and Freshman of the Year awards were voted on by the league's head coaches this past week, while the Coach of the Year balloting was determined after the NCAA West Regional.
VonOhlen, a native of Jackson, Minn., was the Falcons' standout performer during the 2009-10 season, finishing as the West Regional runner-up at 141 pounds to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. He concluded the season with a 31-9 overall record (.775 winning percentage), including a 13-2 dual mark and 5-1 record in WWC duals.
He recorded a team-best 12 falls on the year, along with six major decisions and a technical fall. VonOhlen posted six wins over NCAA qualifiers, including a 17-2 technical fall over Cal State Fullerton's Adin Duenas (ranked 11th at the end of the regular season) and a 10-0 decision against Cal State Bakersfield's Elijah Nacita (ranked 13th). Meanwhile, eight of his nine losses came by decision, and all came against NCAA qualifiers (including one to NCAA Division II runner-up Mario Morgan of UNO). His lone major decision loss was a 12-4 victory by All-American Mike Thorn of Minnesota.
VonOhlen began his freshman campaign with an individual title in the Elite Division of the Cowboy Open and placed sixth at the Kaufman-Brand Open after suffering an injury during the meet. He also secured a fifth-place finish at the prestigious Southern Scuffle, while winning the 141-lb. title at the All-Academy Championships, recording three falls in as many matches.
A two-time WWC Wrestler of the Week, VonOhlen became the first Air Force freshman to qualify for the national tournament since 2005, as well as the first Falcon to reach 30 wins in a single season since 2005. He was recently named the 2009-10 DICollegeWrestling.net West Region Freshman of the Year.
LeBlanc, the WWC Freshman of the Year in 2009, earned WWC Wrestler of the Year honors after earning All-America distinction at 184 pounds for the second-straight year. A two-time West Regional champion, LeBlanc placed fourth at the 2010 NCAA Championships and finished his season with a 39-6 overall record. Meanwhile, Penrith was named WWC Coach of the Year for the second time in four years after guiding the Panthers to a second-place finish at the NCAA West Regional.
Four Air Force Falcons Earn All-WWC Accolades
LARAMIE, Wyo. - Four Air Force wrestlers have been named to the 2009-10 Western Wrestling Conference all-conference team, as announced by the league this evening. Individuals earned their spots on the respective teams with their finish at the 2010 NCAA West Regional on March 6 in Brookings, S.D.
Earning second-team all-conference honors for the Falcons were freshman Cole VonOhlen and seniors Tyler French and Stephen Larson. Meanwhile, junior Derek Gillespie was named an All-WWC third-team selection.
VonOhlen, the runner-up at 141 pounds, garnered all-conference honors in his first season with the Falcons. A native of Jackson, Minn., VonOhlen is currently ranked 18th in the nation in his weight class and will be competing at this week's NCAA Championships. He holds a 31-7 record on the season, becoming the first Air Force wrestler since 2005 to total more than 30 wins in a single season.
French, a native of Malta, Mont., earns the second all-conference honors of his career after placing second at 174 pounds at this year's West Regional. French closed out the season with a 23-17 overall record, finishing second on the team in total wins.
Larson placed second at heavyweight to earn the first all-conference accolades of his career. A native of Lakeville, Minn., Larson's only loss at the West Regional came to defending regional champion Christian Brantley of Northern Iowa.
Finally, Gillespie, a native of Chesapeake, Va., also picked up the first all-conference honors of his career, finishing third at 133 pounds. Gillespie posted a 2-1 record at the West Regional meet to earn his best-ever regional placing, ending his season with a 20-11 overall ledger.
West Regional champion Wyoming led the conference with seven all-conference selections, including three first-team honorees, while Northern Iowa earned six All-WWC selections, also with three first-team picks. North Dakota State finished with two first-team honorees, while South Dakota State and Utah Valley each earned one first-team selection. Each WWC school had at least one individual on the all-conference squads.
The Western Wrestling Conference is comprised of seven schools including the Air Force Academy, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, Utah Valley and Wyoming.
2010 WWC All-Conference Team
125 - First Team: Michael Martinez (Wyoming); Second Team: Ben Kjar (UVU); Third Team: Tony Mustari (UNC)
133 - First Team: Flint Ray (Utah Valley); Second Team: Cory VomBaur (Wyoming); Third Team: Derek Gillespie (Air Force)
141 - First Team: Ryan Adams (NDSU); Second Team: Cole VonOhlen (Air Force); Third Team: Kenny Hashimoto (UNC)
149 - First Team: Trent Washington (UNI); Second Team: Andrey Patselov (NDSU); Third Team: Justin Morrill (UVU)
157 - First Team: Vince Salminen (NDSU); Second Team: Tyson Reiner (UNI); Third Team: Jimmy Belleville (Wyoming)
165 - First Team: Shane Onufer (Wyoming); Second Team: David Bonin (UNI); Third Team: Jeb Clark (UVU)
174 - First Team: Jarion Beets (UNI); Second Team: Tyler French (Air Force); Third Team: Brad Darrington (UVU)
184 - First Team: Joe LeBlanc (Wyoming); Second Team: Andy O'Loughlin (UNI); Third Team: David Michaud (SDSU)
197 - First Team: Tyler Sorenson (SDSU); Second Team: Drew Ross (NDSU); Third Team: Alfonso Hernandez (Wyoming)
285 - First Team: Christian Brantley (UNI); Second Team: Stephen Larson (Air Force); Third Team: L.J. Helbig (Wyoming)
Air Force Places Fifth at NCAA West Regional
BROOKINGS, S.D. - Led by a trio of second-place finishers, the Air Force wrestling team placed fifth Saturday at the 2010 NCAA West Regional. The Falcons scored 37.5 points to finish ahead of host South Dakota State and Northern Colorado.
Wyoming captured its first regional championship, scoring 75.0 points to finish just 0.5 ahead of second-place Northern Iowa, which has won the last 24 West Regional titles. North Dakota State took third place with 44.5 points, while Utah Valley, in its first regional competition, placed fourth with 43.5 points.
Freshman Cole VonOhlen (Jackson, Minn.), ranked 19th in the nation, placed second at 141 pounds. Entering as the top seed, VonOhlen scored an 8-2 decision over Utah Valley's Wyatt Ray in the opening round to move on to the semifinals. With a 9-0 major decision over SDSU's Dustin Walraven, the fourth seed, VonOhlen earned a trip to the championship bout against NDSU's Ryan Adams. The two wrestlers met for the third time this season, and for the third time this season, the match was decided by a single point. This time, the advantage went to Adams, who grabbed a 5-4 victory to win the regional title.
At 174 pounds, senior Tyler French (Malta, Mont.), the 2008 regional champion, entered as the fourth seed. After earning a 9-1 major decision over Northern Colorado's Brandon Kammerzell, French moved on to a semifinal match-up with top-seed Brock Smith from Wyoming. French scored a 5-2 decision over Smith to advance to the title match for the second time in his career. Unfortunately, he was unable to come away with the victory against Northern Iowa's Jarion Beets, dropping a 17-6 major decision to finish second.
Also earning a second-place finish for the Falcons was senior heavyweight Stephen Larson (Lakeville, Minn.). Larson, seeded third in the tournament, opened the day with a 7-2 decision over NDSU's Joe Arthur, before winning a 5-2 decision over second-seed Justin Tuell of Northern Colorado. In the title match, Larson faced off against defending regional champion Christian Brantley, but came up short of an NCAA bid, dropping a 10-6 decision.
Meanwhile, junior Derek Gillespie (Chesapeake, Va.) claimed third place at 133 pounds for the second-straight season. After a tough 13-12 loss to fourth-seed Ryan Jauch of Northern Iowa in the opening round, the unseeded Gillespie posted a pair of victories in the consolation bracket. First, Gillespie registered an 8-5 decision over Northern Colorado's Brett Bahe, seeded second. In the third-place match, Gillespie had a rematch with Jauch, this time earning an 8-3 victory.
Also earning points for the Falcons on Saturday was freshman Clayton Gable (Dallastown, Pa.), who placed fourth at 165 pounds.
The West Regional was awarded fourteen automatic bids to the NCAA Championships, based on finish in the tournament. The winners at 133, 149, 157, 165, 184, 197 and 285 all received automatic bids, along with the top two finishers at 125 and 174 pounds, as well as the top three placewinners at 141 pounds.
With his second-place finish at 141 pounds, VonOhlen, who carries a 31-7 record on the season, was guaranteed a spot in the national tournament. French, the runner-up at 174 pounds, competed in a true second-place match to earn an automatic bid. Going up against Utah Valley Brad Darrington, French lost a tough battle, dropping a 3-1 sudden victory decision.
Next up for VonOhlen is a trip to the NCAA Championships, being held March 18-20, in Omaha, Neb.
Air Force Drops Regular Season Finale to Northern Iowa
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - In its final dual meet of the season, the Air Force wrestling team fell to Western Wrestling Conference rival Northern Iowa Sunday afternoon at UNI's West Gym. With the loss, the Falcons end the year with a 6-11 overall record and 1-5 mark in the WWC, while the Panthers move to 10-12 overall and 4-2 in the league.
Sunday's action started with the 141-pound match, where the Falcons' Cole VonOhlen (Fr., Jackson, Minn.) faced off against the Panthers' Charlie Ettelson. VonOhlen led 6-0 before Ettelson scored a third-period escape and takedown. However, VonOhlen scored a reversal with less than 30 seconds remaining and, with an extra point for riding time, earned the 9-3 decision. VonOhlen's win was his 29th of the season, while he finished his rookie campaign with a 13-2 dual ledger.
Air Force's early 3-0 lead would prove to be its only advantage of the dual, as Northern Iowa won decisions in the next three weight classes before earning a fall at 174 pounds to take a 15-3 lead. Senior James Ciccone (Mentor, Ohio) stopped the Panthers' run with a strong performance at 184 pounds. Ciccone pinned Scott Hazen just 41 seconds into his match for his fourth fall of the season and the fastest of his career.
While Ciccone's win brought the Falcons back within six points in the team scoring, Northern Iowa halted any chances of an Air Force comeback, winning the next three weight classes by decision, including a sudden victory win at heavyweight.
With the team result already determined, junior Derek Gillespie (Chesapeake, Va.) came out strong at 133 pounds, the final match of the dual meet. Gillespie held an 8-4 lead over Joey Lazor before earning the fall at the 4:36 mark. It was Gillespie fifth fall of the season and 18th win of the season.
Air Force will now focus its attentions on the NCAA West Regional, which is being held March 6 in Brookings, S.D. The regional, which acts as a qualifying tournament for the NCAA Championship, also doubles as the Western Wrestling Conference Championships.
Northern Iowa 24, Air Force 15
141 Cole VonOhlen (AF) dec. Charlie Ettelson, 9-3
149 Brett Robbins (UNI) dec. Gabe Martinez, 13-6
157 Tyson Reiner (UNI) dec. Alec Williams, 8-3
165 David Bonin (UNI) dec. Joseph Stafford, 9-4
174 Jarion Beets (UNI) fall Tyler French, 4:55
184 James Ciccone (AF) fall Scott Hazen, 0:41
197 Dustin Bauman (UNI) dec. Neil Delaney, 3-2
HWT Christian Brantley (UNI) dec., Stephen Larson, 3-1 (SV)
125 Caleb Flores (UNI) dec. Andrew Zwirlein, 6-1
133 Derek Gillespie (AF) fall Joey Lazor, 4:36
Air Force Falls to WWC Rival Wyoming
USAFA, Colo. - Despite getting out to a strong start in its home season finale, the Air Force wrestling team dropped a 22-13 decision to Western Wrestling Conference rival Wyoming Thursday evening in Clune Arena. The Falcons fall to 6-10 overall and 1-4 in the WWC, while the Cowboys conclude their dual slate with a 12-3 overall record and perfect 6-0 conference ledger.
The dual started at 133 pounds, where Wyoming was able to come up with a 2-0 decision to take the early lead in the match. Air Force took the team lead in the next bout, as freshman 141-pounder Cole VonOhlen (Jackson, Minn.) rolled to a 9-1 major decision over Chase Smith. VonOhlen allowed just one escape and scored a pair of takedowns and a reversal, while amassing nearly five minutes of riding time. With the win, VonOhlen improves to 28-6 on the year and 12-2 in dual action.
At 149 pounds, Gabe Martinez (Fr., Colorado Springs, Colo.) trailed Cole Dallaserra, 3-1, in the third period before recording a takedown and three-point near fall. Although Dallaserra had nearly four minutes of riding time and scored an escape before the end of the match, the high-scoring move by Martinez was enough to grant him the 6-5 decision.
The Falcons reached their largest lead of the match after the 157-pound bout, as Alec Williams (So., Fultondale, Ala.) picked up a 16-11 decision over Jimmy Belleville. Williams put together a strong opening period, rolling to an 8-2 advantage with a pair of takedowns and a three-point near fall. The final two periods were a back-and-forth battle, ending with a takedown by Belleville just as time expired, but Williams was still able to come out on top.
Air Force's advantage was short-lived as Wyoming won five of the last six bouts. The Cowboys' ninth-ranked Shane Onufer picked up a major decision at 165 pounds, while No. 9 Joe LeBlanc won by fall in the 184-pound bout. Sandwiched in between was a hard-fought match between the Falcons' Tyler French (Sr., Malta, Mont.) and the Cowboys' Brock Smith. Smith held a 2-1 lead and had the advantage as the bout neared an end, but French scored an escape with just one second remaining to force overtime. However, Smith scored a takedown, the first of the match, 11 seconds into the extra period to earn the 4-2 sudden victory decision.
After another win by Wyoming at 197 pounds, Air Force senior heavyweight Stephen Larson (Lakeville, Minn.) took the mat versus L.J. Helbig. Following a scoreless opening period, Larson notched a pair of takedowns and an escape over the final two periods to take the 5-3 victory, earning a win in the final home meet of his career.
Wyoming scored the final decision of the meet, a 6-2 win by 12th-ranked Michael Martinez at 125 pounds, to take a 22-13 dual victory, capturing its first outright regular-season conference title.
The Falcons will close out their dual slate on Sunday, Feb. 21, when they visit conference rival Northern Iowa. The match is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. (CT).
Wyoming 22, Air Force 13
133 Cory VomBaur (UW) dec. Derek Gillespie, 2-0
141 Cole VonOhlen (AF) maj. dec. Chase Smith, 9-1
149 Gabe Martinez (AF) dec. Cole Dallaserra, 6-5
157 Alec Williams (AF) dec. Jimmy Belleville, 16-11
165 No. 9 Shane Onufer (UW) maj. dec. Clayton Gable, 12-4
174 Brock Smith (UW) dec. Tyler French, 4-2 (SV)
184 No. 9 Joe LeBlanc (UW) fall Josh Mohr, 4:18
197 Alfonso Hernandez (UW) dec. Neil Delaney, 3-1
HWT Stephen Larson (AF) dec. L.J. Helbig, 5-3
125 No. 12 Michael Martinez (UW) dec. Andrew Zwirlein, 6-2
Air Force Defeats Cal State Fullerton, 22-19
USAFA, Colo. - Despite both teams winning five bouts each, the Air Force wrestling team was able to earn a 22-19 victory over Cal State Fullerton Sunday afternoon at Clune Arena. The win moves the Falcons to 6-9 overall on the season, while the Titans fall to 2-9-1 on the year.
Cal State Fullerton jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the team scoring with a technical fall at 125 pounds, while Air Force junior Derek Gillespie (Chesapeake, Va.) put the Falcons on the board at 133 pounds with a 16-3 major decision over Aaron Navarrete.
Freshman Cole VonOhlen (Jackson, Minn.), ranked 15th in the nation at 141 pounds, gave Air Force its first lead of the match, after rolling to a 17-2 technical fall over Adin Duenas. Though Duenas scored the first takedown of the bout, VonOhlen grabbed a 6-2 lead after one period and was up 11-2 at the end of the second period. After scoring a reversal to open the final period, VonOhlen was awarded a four-point near fall with just six seconds left on the clock to stop the match.
The Falcons' lead was short-lived, as the Titans earned back-to-back decisions at 149 and 157 pounds. Air Force regained the advantage after a strong performance from Joseph Stafford (Jr., Loomis, Calif.) at 165 pounds. Stafford held a 10-2 second period advantage before pinning Clayton Schuelke with just 25 seconds remaining in the period.
The fall by Stafford gave Air Force a 15-11 lead in the team scoring, but Cal State Fullerton responded with a pin of their own in the 174-pound match-up to take a two-point lead. Senior James Ciccone (Mentor, Ohio) took the mat for the Falcons at 184 pounds and recorded his second major decision of the weekend. Leading 7-2 in the final period with over a minute of riding time, Ciccone was able to score a takedown of Matt Savalle with 15 seconds on the clock to earn the major and put Air Force back up by two points.
With the Falcons needing at least one win in the final two bouts for a chance at the team victory, the 197-pound match-up proved to be one of the most crucial of the night. Neil Delaney (Jr., Grand Rapids, Mich.), who faced off against CSF's Ethan Weisrock, opened with an early deficit, trailing 4-2 after one period of action. Early in the second period, an unsportsmanlike call against the Titans' bench resulted in a loss of a team point for Cal State Fullerton, while Delaney scored another escape to cut his deficit to 4-3.
The remainder of the second period and much of the final period went scoreless before Delaney notched a takedown, his first of the match, with just 20 seconds to go. Delaney held on for the 5-4 decision to put the Falcons ahead, 22-16.
The final bout of the evening was a challenge for Air Force's heavyweight Stephen Larson (Sr., Lakeville, Minn.), who faced Kurt Klimek, ranked 17th in the nation. With the only points of the match scored on a third-period escape, Klimek took the 1-0 victory, but the Falcons were able to hold on for the 22-19 team victory.
The Falcons close out their home slate on Thursday, Feb. 18, when they host Western Wrestling Conference rival Wyoming. The dual is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. in Clune Arena.
Air Force 22, Cal State Fullerton 19**
125 Andre Gonzalez (CSF) tech fall Andrew Zwirlein, 21-6 (7:00)
133 Derek Gillespie (AF) maj. dec. Aaron Navarrete, 16-3
141 No. 15 Cole VonOhlen (AF) tech fall Adin Duenas, 17-2 (6:54)
149 Nick Jordan (CSF) dec. Gabe Martinez, 4-3
157 Steven DeLaFuente (CSF) dec. Alec Williams, 9-5
165 Joseph Stafford (AF) fall Clayton Schuelke, 4:35
174 Todd Noel (CSF) fall Tyler French, 6:05
184 James Ciccone (AF) maj. dec. Mark Savalle, 10-2
197 Neil Delaney (AF) dec. Ethan Weisrock, 5-4
HWT No. 17 Kurt Klimek (CSF) dec. Stephen Larson, 1-0
**Cal State Fullerton was deducted a team point for unsportsmanlike conduct by the bench during the 197-lb. match
Air Force Falls to Northern Colorado, 24-13
GREELEY, Colo. - Competing in a road conference dual, the Air Force wrestling team dropped a 24-13 contest to Northern Colorado Friday evening. With the loss, the Falcons fall to 5-9 on the season and 1-3 in the Western Wrestling Conference. Meanwhile, the Bears, move to 2-13 overall, 1-3 in the WWC.
The Bears took an 8-0 advantage to start the match with back-to-back wins at 157 and 165 pounds. Senior Tyler French (Malta, Mont.) was first to put the Falcons on the board, taking an early lead against Brandon Kammerzell before holding on for a 4-2 decision in the 174-pound bout.
Allowing just one third-period escape, James Ciccone (Sr., Mentor, Ohio) rolled to a 10-1 major decision over Patrick Prentice at 184 pounds, while the Falcons took a 13-8 lead in the match following a forfeit by Northern Colorado at 197 pounds. However, it would the Falcons' last advantage of the dual, as the Bears won the five bouts to close out the evening.
The Falcons are back in action Sunday when they host Cal State Fullerton in a non-conference dual meet. The match is slated to begin at 2:00 p.m. in Clune Arena.
Northern Colorado 24, Air Force 13
157 Justin Gaethje (UNC) tech fall Alec Williams, 19-3 (4:19)
165 Kevin O'Brien (UNC) dec. Joseph Stafford, 5-3
174 Tyler French (AF) dec. Brandon Kammerzell, 4-2
184 James Ciccone (AF) maj. dec. Patrick Prentice, 10-1
197 Neil Delaney (AF) win by forfeit
HWT Justin Tuell (UNC) dec. Stephen Larson, 3-2
125 Tony Mustari (UNC) dec. Samuel Sheppard, 10-5
133 Brett Bahe (UNC) maj. dec. Derek Gillespie, 13-5
141 Kenny Hashimoto (UNC) dec. No. 15 Cole VonOhlen, 10-5
149 Justin Gonzales (UNC) dec. Gabe Martinez, 8-2
Air Force Finishes Second at All-Academy Championships
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Led by a pair of individual champions, the Air Force wrestling team placed second at the 16th-annual All-Academy Championships Saturday, hosted by Navy. The Falcons finished with 74.5 points to place behind Navy, which notched 123.5 points to claim its sixth team title in the last seven years.
The Citadel came in third in the team standings with 70 points, followed by the Merchant Marine Academy (51), VMI (47.5), Coast Guard Academy (10) and Norwich (0.5). Army did not compete in this year's event, due to travel issues caused by inclement weather on the East Coast.
Freshman Cole VonOhlen (Jackson, Minn.), ranked 16th in the nation at 141 pounds, earned an All-Academy title in his first appearance at the event, recording falls in all three of his matches. VonOhlen, the top seed in the tournament, opened the day by pining Norwich's Nick Monaco in a time of 1:20, followed by a fall over fourth-seed David Yost of VMI in a time of 1:42.
In the title match between VonOhlen and second-seed Matt Pagan of Navy, VonOhlen held the lead as the bout neared its end, then pinned Pagan with just one second remaining on the clock. VonOhlen now has a team-best 12 falls on the year, and improves his record to 26-5 overall.
Also winning a title for the Falcons was junior Derek Gillespie (Chesapeake, Va.) at 133 pounds. Granted a bye in the opening round, Gillespie, who entered as the second seed, won a 14-4 major decision over third-seed Jordan Dix from The Citadel. In the championship bout, Gillespie faced off against Navy's Pat McCaffrey, earning a 6-3 decision over the top-seeded wrestler.
Air Force finished with seven other placewinners, including a pair of runner-up finishers. Senior Samuel Sheppard (Ramstein AB, Germany) captured second place at 125 pounds after entering as an unseeded wrestler. He began the day with a 9-5 decision over third-seed Richard Alarcon of The Citadel before scoring an 8-0 major decision over second-seed Jordan Alfaro of the Merchant Marine Academy. In the championship contest, Sheppard faced top-seeded Aaron Kalil of Navy, but came up short in an 11-8 decision.
At 184 pounds, senior James Ciccone (Mentor, Ohio) also turned in a second-place showing. The second-seeded wrestler had an opening round bye before facing MMA's Erik Schott, seeded third. Ciccone pinned Schott in a time of 1:16 to earn a spot in the title match, but he fell to top-seed Andrew Buck of Navy in the contest.
Also for the Falcons, senior Tyler French (Malta, Mont.) and junior Neil Delaney (Grand Rapids, Mich.) earned third-place finishes at 174 and 197 pounds, respectively. Meanwhile, freshman Gabe Martinez (149, Colorado Springs, Colo.), senior Justin Shadrix (165, Bremen, Ga.) and senior Stephen Larson (HWT, Lakeville, Minn.) each added fourth-place showings at their respective weight classes.
The Falcons return to dual action next weekend, Feb. 12, when they travel to Greeley, Colo., to take on Western Wrestling Conference opponent Northern Colorado. Air Force will also host Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 14 at 2:00 p.m.
Air Force Wins Two at Tracy Borah Duals
GUNNISON, Colo. - Led by Cole VonOhlen (Fr., Jackson, Minn.), Tyler French (Sr., Malta, Mont.) and Stephen Larson (Sr., Lakeville, Minn.), the Air Force wrestling team went 2-1 at the Tracy Borah Duals Saturday, hosted by Western State. The Falcons (4-6) defeated CSU-Pueblo, 29-6, and Mesa State, 37-15, but fell to the host Mountaineers, 23-16.
Air Force started its dual meet against CSU-Pueblo (7-4) with four straight victories, beginning with a decision by Andrew Zwirlein (Jr., Nashotah, Wis.) at 125 pounds. Tyler Spangler (Fr., Midlothian, Va.) and VonOhlen added major decisions at 133 and 141 pounds, respectively, while Gabe Martinez (Fr., Colorado Springs, Colo.) pinned Ben Collins in the 149-pound bout to give the Falcons a 17-0 lead.
Following a win by the Thunderwolves at 157 pounds, the Falcons rolled off three more straight individual victories, with decisions from Justin Shadrix (Sr., Bremen, Ga.), French and James Ciccone (Sr., Mentor, Ohio). CSU-Pueblo was able to take an overtime victory at 197 pounds, but Larson wrapped up the dual with an overtime win of his own, registering a 3-1 decision against Patrick Carey in the heavyweight bout.
The Falcons picked up seven individual victories in their 37-15 win over Mesa State (2-3), including four falls. Zwirlein started strong, pinning Tyler Nelson in a time of 6:01, while Martinez posted his second fall of the day, pinning Jon Gappmaier to the mat with 23 seconds remaining in the opening period. Also pinning their opponents in the match were French, who scored a fall over Justin Grosse, and 197-pounder Kazden Ikehara (Jr., Mililani, Hawaii), who pinned Shane Miller in overtime.
Other wins for Air Force against the Mavericks came for VonOhlen, who scored six points in a forfeit win, Joseph Stafford (Jr., Loomis, Calif.), who picked up a 16-9 decision over Matthew Chavez at 165 pounds, and Ciccone, who scored a 9-1 major decision over Chris Cielinski.
The toughest test of the day was ahead for the Falcons, as they took on the host Mountaineers, who are currently ranked 13th in the Division II ranks. Western State (4-3) grabbed an early 3-0 lead with a decision at 125 pounds before Derek Gillespie (Jr., Chesapeake, Va.) evened the score, registering a 7-4 decision over Daren Hockett.
VonOhlen, ranked 16th at 141 pounds on the Division I level, pinned Hollan Gravley just over two minutes into his bout to put Air Force on top, but the Mountaineers responded with three straight wins. French stopped the run by Western State, posting a 9-1 major decision over Zach Frazier to bring the Falcons back within a single point in the team scoring.
Unfortunately, Western State's two nationally-ranked wrestlers picked up wins in the next two bouts, including a fall at 184 pounds, to secure the team victory. With the match already decided, Larson added another entry into the win column for the Falcons, registering a 5-2 decision over Kyle Graulus.
The Falcons have a busy week of competition ahead, starting with a home dual meet on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. versus conference rival Utah Valley. Air Force then hits the road for two more conference duals, visiting South Dakota State on Jan. 30, followed by a meet at North Dakota State on Jan. 31. Also on Saturday, another group of Air Force wrestlers will head to the Rocky Mountain Collegiate Open, hosted by Colorado School of Mines.
Air Force 29, CSU-Pueblo 6
125 Andrew Zwirlein (AF) dec. Treven Delaune, 13-8
133 Tyler Spangler (AF) maj. dec. Kenny Porter, 10-2
141 #16 Cole VonOhlen (AF) maj. dec. Nick Stahler, 11-1
149 Gabe Martinez (AF) fall Ben Collins, 5:53
157 Quinn Donnell (CSUP) dec. Wade Stowe, 6-4
165 Justin Shadrix (AF) dec. Justin Grant, 7-4
174 Tyler French (AF) dec. Kellen Desmond, 5-2
184 James Ciccone (AF) dec. Adam Carey, 3-2
197 Tony Chavarria (CSUP) dec. Neil Delaney, 4-2 (OT)
HWT Stephen Larson (AF) dec. Patrick Carey, 3-1 (OT)
Air Force 37, Mesa State 15
125 Andrew Zwirlein (AF) fall Tyler Nelson, 6:01
133 Chris Rubalcaba (MSC) fall Derek Gillespie, 4:50
141 #16 Cole VonOhlen (AF) win by forfeit
149 Gabe Martinez (AF) fall Jon Gappmaier, 2:37
157 Chase Walker (MSC) dec. Alec Williams, 3-1
165 Joseph Stafford (AF) dec. Matthew Chavez, 16-9
174 Tyler French (AF) fall Justin Grosse, 3:43
184 James Ciccone (AF) maj. dec. Chris Cielinski, 9-1
197 Kazden Ikehara (AF) fall Shane Miller, 7:28 (OT)
HWT Trevor Stapp (MSC) fall Jared Erickson, 5:30
Western State 23, Air Force 16
125 Kyle O'Brien (WSC) dec. Andrew Zwirlein, 7-5
133 Derek Gillespie (AF) dec. Daren Hockett, 7-4
141 #16 Cole VonOhlen (AF) fall Hollan Gravley, 2:04
149 Justin Morris (WSC) dec. Gabe Martinez, 9-4
157 Kyle Francis (WSC) tech fall Wade Stowe, 15-0 (6:36)
165 Cody Frankum (WSC) dec. Justin Shadrix, 11-7
174 Tyler French (AF) maj. dec. Zach Frazier, 9-1
184 Charlie Pipher (WSC) fall James Ciccone, 5:12
197 Donovan McMahill (WSC) dec. Neil Delaney, 2-1
HWT Stephen Larson (AF) dec. Kyle Graulus, 5-2
Air Force Concludes Action at Lone Star Duals
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Competing in the annual Lone Star Duals on Saturday, the Air Force wrestling team posted a 1-2 record on the day. The Falcons (2-5) defeated Brown, 18-15, but fell to Northwestern, 26-15, and No. 23 Arizona State, 38-6.
Air Force opened the day with a dual meet versus Northwestern, and claimed an early 6-0 advantage after the first bout with a forfeit victory at 125 pounds before a major decision by the Wildcats at 133 pounds cut the margin to 6-4. Freshman Cole VonOhlen (Jackson, Minn.), ranked 14th in the nation at 141 pounds, extended Air Force's lead to 12-4 after pinning Bobby Joyce in a time of 2:17.
However, Northwestern rattled off victories in the next six bouts to take a commanding 26-12 lead. Earning the final points of the match for the Falcons was senior heavyweight Stephen Larson (Lakeville, Minn.), who captured a 9-4 decision over Marcus Shrewsbury to bring the final score to 26-15.
The Falcons' dual versus Brown was close throughout, with each team winning five of the 10 bouts. The Bears claimed a decision at 125 pounds, but Air Force picked up decisions from Derek Gillespie (Jr., Chesapeake, Va.) and VonOhlen at 133 and 141 pounds, respectively, to take the advantage. The two teams alternated winning decisions through the next three weight classes, with Alec Williams (So., Fultondale, Ala.) claiming a 6-4 victory at 157 pounds for Air Force.
The team score was tied at 9-9 entering the 174-pound bout, where senior Tyler French (Malta, Mont.) registered a fall over Ziad Kharbush in a time of 3:34, putting the Falcons back on top. Still, Brown managed decisions in the next two weight classes to knot the score at 15-15 going into the final match.
With the heavyweight bout proving to be the deciding match in the team scoring, Larson secured an 8-2 decision over Larry Otsuka to give Air Force the 18-15 dual victory over Brown.
Unfortunately, the Falcons did not have much success against No. 23 Arizona State in the final dual meet of the afternoon, despite some close contests. VonOhlen dropped a close 6-4 decision to 16th-ranked Chris Drouin, while the Sun Devils' 16th-ranked heavyweight, Eric Nye, needed an overtime period to defeat Larson, 2-1. The only points for Air Force in the 38-6 loss to ASU came in a forfeit victory at 197 pounds.
The Falcons are back in action next weekend, Jan. 23, when they head to Gunnison, Colo., for the Borah Duals, hosted by Western State. There, Air Force will face CSU-Pueblo, Mesa State and the host Mountaineers.
"It is always great to have an opportunity to wrestler the other schools in Colorado," said Air Force head coach Joel Sharratt. "The people of Colorado and the local wrestlers have some great collegiate opportunities right here at home. We are glad to be a part of this event held annually in Gunnison."
Northwestern 26, Air Force 15
125 Andrew Zwirlein (AF) win by forfeit
133 Eric Melzler (NU) maj. dec. Tyler Untrauer, 9-1
141 #14 Cole VonOhlen (AF) fall Bobby Joyce, 2:17
149 #15 Andrew Nadhir (NU) maj. dec. Gabe Martinez, 19-5
157 Kevin Bialka (NU) dec. Wade Stowe, 13-7
165 Robert Kellogg (NU) maj. dec. Justin Shadrix,10-2
174 Brian Roddy (NU) tech. fall Tyler French, 20-3
184 Aaron Jones (NU) dec. Josh Mohr, 12-6
197 John Schoen (NU) dec. Neil Delaney, 6-2
HWT Stephen Larson (AF) dec. Marcus Shrewsbury, 9-4
Air Force 18, Brown 15
125 Greg Einfrank (BU) dec. Andrew Zwirlein, 5-2
133 Derek Gillespie (AF) dec. Teodora Popolizio, 9-2
141 #14 Cole VonOhlen (AF) dec. Stephen DeLorenzo, 5-2
149 Philip Marano (BU) dec. Gabe Martinez, 3-2
157 Alec Williams (AF) dec. Gabriel Brotzman, 6-4
165 Jeffrey Lemmer (BU) dec. Clayton Gable, 10-5
174 Tyler French (AF) fall Ziad Kharbush, 3:34
184 Bran Crudden (BU) dec. Josh Mohr, 4-3
197 Branden Stearns (BU) dec.Neil Delaney, 2-1 (SV)
HWT Stephen Larson (AF) dec. Larry Otsuka, 8-2
No. 23 Arizona State 38, Air Force 6
125 #3 Anthony Robles (ASU) fall Andrew Zwirlein, 2:00
133 Ben Ashmore (ASU) maj. dec. Tyler Untrauer, 9-1
141 #16 Chris Drouin (ASU) dec. #14 Cole VonOhlen, 6-4
149 Vicente Varela (ASU) tech. fall Gabe Martinez, 20-5
157 Michael Swigart (ASU) fall Wade Stowe, 1:03
165 Kyle DeBerry (ASU) maj. dec. Justin Shadrix, 16-3
174 Eric Starks (ASU) dec. Tyler French, 6-5
184 Jake Meredith (ASU) maj. dec. Josh Mohr, 10-2
197 Neil Delaney (AF) win by forfeit
HWT #16 Eric Nye (ASU) dec. Stephen Larson, 2-1 (SV)
Air Force Falcons Wrap Up Competition at Glen Brand Open
OMAHA, Neb. - Led a pair of runner-up finishes, the Air Force wrestling team finished with nine placewinners Saturday at the annual Glen Brand Open, hosted by Nebraska-Omaha. Placing second in their respective weight classes were Samuel Sheppard (Sr., Ramstein AB, Germany) at 125 pounds and Joseph Stafford (Jr., Loomis, Calif.) at 165 pounds.
In his first bout of the day, Sheppard pinned opponent Cody Tyler of Nebraska-Omaha with just two seconds remaining in the match. He then picked up an 8-5 decision over Iowa State's Dallas Collier. Sheppard's lone loss of the day came in the championship bout, where he dropped a close 3-2 decision to conference rival Cruse Aarhus of Northern Iowa.
Meanwhile, Stafford picked up a 16-8 major decision against Lindenwood's John Murray in his first match of the day. After pinning Dana's Kyle Conley in a time of 6:50, Stafford moved into the championship bout versus Nebraska's Jerad Gubbels, but came up short in a 9-4 decision.
Freshman Brandon Mueller (Greenleaf, Wis.) posted a 2-1 record on Saturday to claim third place at 141 pounds. After dropping a close 8-6 decision in the first round, Mueller posted two wins in the consolation bracket, including a fall in a time of 4:45.
Tyler Spangler (Fr., Midlothian, Va.) placed fourth at 133 pounds with a 3-2 record on Saturday. After recording wins in his first two matches, Spangler fell to eventual champion Cody Garcia of Nebraska-Omaha to move into the championship bracket. Following a win by major decision, his second of the day, Spangler dropped the third-place match to Nebraska's Ridge Kiley.
Junior Kazden Ikehara (Mililani, Hawaii) registered a team-high four wins on Saturday before placing fourth at 197 pounds. Ikehara shut out his first opponent, 6-0, but dropped into the consolation bracket with a loss to Grant Haschak of Cal Poly. Following three straight wins, including a major decision, Ikehara faced Haschak in the third-place contest, but dropped a close 1-0 contest.
Also placing for the Falcons were Steven Joseph (Fr., Middleburg, Fla.), Tanner Weltzin (So., Alexandria, Minn.) and Jared Erickson (Fr., Newton, Utah), who finished fifth at 125, 149 and 285 pounds, respectively, while senior James Ciccone (Mentor, Ohio), took sixth place at 184 pounds.
The Falcons are back in action next weekend, Jan. 23, when they head to Gunnison, Colo., for the Borah Duals, hosted by Western State.
Air Force Opens Dual Slate With 1-1 Record
USAFA, Colo. - In its first home action of the season, the Air Force wrestling team split a pair of non-conference duals Friday afternoon in Clune Arena. After dropping a 35-3 contest to Ohio, the Falcons scored a 33-13 victory over Colorado School of Mines.
Against Ohio, Air Force (1-1) got out to a solid start at 125 pounds, as junior Andrew Zwirlein (Nashotah, Wis.) put the Falcons on the board with a 10-5 decision over Kyle Ciccarello. While the score was tied, 3-3, at the end of the first period, Zwirlein controlled the action in the final two periods, accumulating nearly three and a half minutes of riding time throughout the match.
Unfortunately, the Falcons' first win against the Bobcats was also their last, as undefeated Ohio (6-0) captured victories in the final nine bouts, including a pair of falls and a technical fall.
The story was different as Air Force took on in-state rival Colorado School of Mines. The Falcons opened the match with a forfeit victory to take a six-point lead, but the Orediggers responded with a fall in the 133-pound bout to tie the team score at 6-6. Air Force regained the lead when 141-pounder Derek Gillespie (Chesapeake, Va.) recorded a fall over Dylan Lewis as time expired in the first period, but CSM won the next two bouts, scoring a major decision and a decision to take a 13-12 advantage.
Junior Joseph Stafford (Loomis, Calif.), in his first action of the day, came up big for Air Force in the 165-pound bout, pinning Mines' Jacob Guynes in a time of 4:54. His victory swung the momentum back in the Falcons' direction, as Air Force won each of its last five bouts.
Senior Tyler French (Malta, Mont.) controlled the tempo at 174 pounds, racking up 3:44 of riding time in an 11-4 decision over Ryan Swanson. James Ciccone (Sr., Mentor, Ohio), wrestling at 184 pounds, added yet another fall for the Falcons, pinning Brandon Sheldon with 17 seconds remaining in the second period.
The 197-pound bout between Air Force's Neil Delaney (Jr., Grand Rapids, Mich.) and CSM's Brennen Knerr was tightly contested, tied at 1-1 in the final minute of the final period. However, Delaney scored the first takedown of the match with 23 seconds remaining to capture a 3-1 decision.
Meanwhile, the final match of the contest was also a close battle. Senior Stephen Larson (Lakeville, Minn.) was tied with Bryan Stansbury, 4-4, in the last minute of action, with each wrestler scoring a takedown and a pair of escapes in the bout. However, a second stalling call on Stansbury with 38 seconds remaining gave Larson what proved to be the deciding point in the 5-4 decision, as the Falcons captured the 33-13 team victory.
Air Force returns to action next weekend, Dec. 18, when they travel to Corvallis, Ore., to take on 24th-ranked Oregon State, along with Southern Oregon.
Ohio 35, Air Force 3
125 Andrew Zwirlein (AF) dec. Kyle Ciccarello, 10-5
133 Quentin Keyes (OU) tech fall Tyler Spangler, 16-0 (3:15)
141 Germane Lindsey (OU) dec. Derek Gillespie, 8-3
149 Seth Morton (OU) dec. Alec Williams, 5-2
157 Clay Tucker (OU) fall Wade Stowe, 6:01
165 Kevin Christensen (OU) dec. Justin Shadrix, 7-4
174 Jacob Ison (OU) fall Tyler French, 6:09
184 Nick Purdue (OU) dec. James Ciccone, 9-5
197 Erik Schuth (OU) dec. Neil Delaney, 4-0
HWT Andy Hartshorn (OU) dec. Stephen Larson, 7-4
Air Force 33, Colorado School of Mines 13
125 Andrew Zwirlein (AF) win by forfeit
133 Chad Lousberg (CSM) fall Tyler Spangler, 4:27
141 Derek Gillespie (AF) fall Dylan Lewis, 3:00
149 Jesse Snider (CSM) maj. dec. Alec Williams, 16-3
157 Jamie Sheets (CSM) dec. Wade Stowe, 7-3
165 Joseph Stafford (AF) fall Jacob Guynes, 4:54
174 Tyler French (AF) dec. Ryan Swanson, 11-4
184 James Ciccone (AF) fall Brandon Sheldon, 4:43
197 Neil Delaney (AF) dec. Brennen Knerr, 3-1
HWT Stephen Larson (AF) dec. Bryan Stansbury, 5-4
Air Force Wraps Up Competition at Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational
PRIMM, Nev. - Five members of the Air Force wrestling team completed action Friday at the annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, being held at the Star of the Desert Arena. Leading the way for the Falcons was senior James Ciccone (Mentor, Ohio), who compiled a 3-2 record in the tournament.
Ciccone dropped a 7-4 decision to Western State's Charlie Pipher in the pigtail rounds at 184 pounds, but started off strong in the consolation bracket by pinning Robert Cooney of Southern Illinois-Edwardsville in a time of 1:21. He then picked up two more victories, registering a 13-3 major decision against Cal Poly's Tyler Holt and a 7-6 decision over Zach Jimenez of San Francisco State. However, his run at the tournament ended with a loss to Nebraska's Josh Ihnen by major decision.
Junior Joseph Stafford (Loomis, Calif.), wrestling at 165 pounds, finished his weekend with an even record. In the opening round, Stafford lost to Ohio State's Colt Sponseller, seeded third in the tournament and ranked eighth in the nation, by technical fall. He responded by pinning Jarrod Purvis of New Mexico Highlands in a time of 4:04, followed by a 10-1 major decision over Western Wyoming's Jared Hammond to advance in the consolation bracket. Stafford ended his tournament with a loss, as he was pinned by Rider's Rob Morrison.
Meanwhile, senior Tyler French (Malta, Mont.) posted one of the biggest upsets of the day, defeating third-seed Nate Lee of Boise State in the opening round at 174 pounds. French was able to score a 4-3 victory over Lee, who is currently ranked seventh in the nation. However, French could not register a victory, dropping a 2-0 decision to Michigan's Justin Zeerip before being pinned by Cal Poly's Ryan DesRoches in the consolation bracket.
Also competing for Air Force at the Las Vegas Invitational were junior Andrew Zwirlein (Nashotah, Wis.) at 125 pounds and senior heavyweight Stephen Larson (Lakeville, Minn.).
The Falcons, who have another group in action today at the FHSU-Bob Smith Open in Hays, Kan., will open their home slate on Friday, Dec. 11, as they host Ohio and Colorado School of Mines in a pair of dual meets, scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. in Clune Arena.
Air Force's Gillespie Places Third at FHSU-Bob Smith Open
HAYS, Kan. - Junior Derek Gillespie (Chesapeake, Va.) was the lone placewinner for the Falcons, as the Air Force wrestling team competed at the FHSU-Bob Smith Open on Saturday. Gillespie finished third at 141 pounds, compiling a 6-1 record on the day.
Gillespie opened competition on Saturday with back-to-back falls, pinning Zachary Young from Colorado School of Mines in a time of 2:05, while registering a fall against CSU-Pueblo's Shawn Gregory in a time of 2:39. Gillespie went on to knock off the fifth-seeded wrestler in the weight class, earning an 11-10 decision over Central Oklahoma's Tim Elliott. He then won his fourth-straight contest, a 12-10 sudden victory decision against Aldon Isenberg from host Fort Hays State.
Needing just one more victory to move into the championship bout, Gillespie came up short, dropping a 7-4 decision to top-seeded Mario Morgan of Central Oklahoma. However, he earned his spot in the third-place contest with a 9-8 decision over Labette CC's Cameron Jesseph. Gillespie followed that win with a 9-5 victory against sixth-seeded Anthony Varnell from Nebraska-Kearney to claim third place in his weight class.
Meanwhile, five other Falcons posted winning records on Saturday. Senior Joshua Smith (Orem, Utah) was just one victory shy of finishing as a placewinner at 174 pounds, putting together a 5-2 ledger for the tournament, including a pair of falls. Freshman Clayton Gable (Dallastown, Pa.) went 4-2 on Saturday, wrestling at 157 pounds, while Tyler Spangler (Fr., Midlothian, Va.), Alec Williams (So., Fultondale, Ala.) and Neil Delaney (Jr., Grand Rapids, Mich.) each earned 3-2 records at the 133-, 149- and 197-pound weight classes, respectively.
The Falcons will open their home slate on Friday, Dec. 11, as they host Ohio and Colorado School of Mines in a pair of dual meets, scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. in Clune Arena.
Air Force Wrestlers Start Season Strong at Cowboy Open
LARAMIE, Wyo. - With a total of seven placewinners, including a pair of tournament champions, the Air Force wrestling team began the 2009-10 season Saturday at the annual Cowboy Open, hosted by Western Wrestling Conference rival Wyoming.
Capturing individual titles were freshmen Cole VonOhlen (Jackson, Minn.), wrestling in the 141-pound weight class of the Elite Division, and Robert Isley (Toledo, Ohio), competing at 184 pounds in the Amateur Division.
VonOhlen recorded falls in each of his first two bouts, pinning Dylan Lewis of Colorado School of Mines in a time of 2:04, while notching a fall against Wyoming's Chase Smith in a time of 4:16. He faced a tougher challenge in his next match, taking an 8-6 decision in overtime against 2009 WWC runner-up Kenny Hashimoto of Northern Colorado. VonOhlen faced another close contest in the championship bout, winning a 6-5 decision over Chadron State's Jimmy Savala to take the title and begin his collegiate career with a 4-0 record.
Isley also began his Air Force career on a strong note, going 4-0 on the day. He posted a 12-0 major decision over Mark Martinez of New Mexico Highlands in his first bout before pinning Adam Carey in a time of 5:59. With an 11-3 major decision over Colorado School of Mines' Brandon Sheldon in his next match, Isley earned a trip to the championship bout, where he posted a 5-3 decision against Mitch Steed to capture the title.
In the Elite Division, Andrew Zwirlein (Jr., Nashotah, Wis.) and Tyler French (Sr., Malta, Mont.) placed third at 125 and 174 pounds, respectively. Meanwhile in the Amateur Division, freshman Tyler Spangler (Midlothian, Va.) added a second-place showing at 133 pounds, Josh Mohr (Fr., Pewaukee, Wis.) finished third at 184 pounds, and Dake Williams (Fr., Gaithersburg, Md.) took fourth-place in the heavyweight bracket.
Zwirlein opened the day with a 9-5 decision over Chase Dirden of Montana State-Northern, but lost to Utah Valley's Ben Kjar by technical fall in the next round. In the wrestlebacks, Zwirlein faced teammate Samuel Sheppard (Sr., Ramstein AB, Germany) and came away with a 7-3 decision to earn a spot in the third-place match. He won the bout against Western State's Kyle O'Brien, recording a fall in a time of 5:25 to capture third-place.
In his first bout of the day, French captured a 10-1 major decision over Mesa State's Kyle Brightman, before dropping an 8-4 decision to Brad Darrington of Utah Valley. He rebounded with a 6-3 decision over Alex Rieder of Wyoming in the wrestlebacks, while capturing a 9-3 decision over Wyoming's Brock Smith to win third-place.
Spangler rolled to three straight victories to earn his way into the championship bout. Following an 8-1 decision over Chris Davey, Spangler posted a 4-0 decision against Stephen Weimer of Nebraska-Kearney and a 13-3 major decision over Western Wyoming's Jacob Bassett. However, his run ended with a 5-2 loss to Chadron State's Ryan Fillingame in the title match.
Mohr dropped his first bout, 4-2, to eventual runner-up Mitch Steed, but rattled off five straight victories in the wrestlebacks to take third place in his weight class. He began with a 8-5 decision over Sam Kenagy, before pinning Adam Carey in a time of 6:15. He then recorded a 14-5 major decision over Aaron Phillips of Northwest Wyoming CC, while posting a forfeit victory against Kipp Holman. In the third-place match, Mohr registered his second fall of the day, pinning Brandon Sheldon in a time of 1:13.
Finally, Williams dropped an 8-5 decision to Fabian Guerrero in his first match of the day, but recovered by registering falls in his next four bouts. He pinned Weber State's William Moulding in a time of 2:03, followed by falls over Taylor Stam of Adams State (3:58), Dylan Stadel of Utah Valley (6:15) and Rusty Farnsworth of Western Wyoming (4:02). Williams' next bout was much closer, as he won a 12-10 overtime decision against Montana State-Northern's Jim Eavenson to move into the third-place match, but he was unable to continue his winning streak, dropping a 5-0 decision to Alcala.
The Falcons return to action next weekend, Nov. 21, at the Kaufman/Brand Open, hosted by Nebraska-Omaha.
Blue Team Wins Air Force's Annual Blue-Silver Intrasquad Match
USAFA, Colo. - The Air Force wrestling team gave fans a preview of the 2009-10 season with its annual Blue-Silver Intrasquad Match, held Thursday evening in Clune Arena. The Blue team prevailed, 18-13, as the competitors battled for spots in the Falcons' starting lineup heading into the season.
The first bout of the night came at 125 pounds, where returning starter Andrew Zwirlein (Jr., Nashotah, Wis.) faced off against senior Samuel Sheppard (Ramstein AB, Germany). While Zwirlein's only points of the match came from a pair of takedowns in the opening period, it proved to be enough, as he was able to hold on for the 4-3 decision, giving the Blue team a 3-0 lead in the match.
At 133 pounds, returning letterwinner Tyler Untrauer (So., Midwest City, Okla.) battled rookie Ethan Martinez (Colorado Springs, Colo.) to an 8-7 decision. Untrauer rolled to a 7-1 advantage after one period, but Martinez climbed back into the match, scoring an escape and a takedown in the second period, and earning penalty points after stall warning and cautions against Untrauer. Despite adding just over a minute of riding time, Martinez could not overcome his early deficit, as Untrauer picked up the decision for the Blue team.
Freshman Cole VonOhlen (Jackson, Minn.) made it three wins in a row for the Blue team, picking up a decision over Derek Gillespie (Jr., Chesapeake, Va.). After a scoreless opening period, Gillespie notched the first point of the match with an escape near the end of the second period. VonOhlen tied the score with an escape of his own early in the third period and added a takedown to take the lead. With over two minutes of riding time, VonOhlen took the 4-2 victory.
The Silver team captured its first victory of the night at 149 pounds, as sophomore Alec Williams (Birmingham, Ala.) scored a 9-1 major decision over classmate Tanner Weltzin (Alexandria, Minn.). After registering a takedown in the opening period, Williams rode out Weltzin for the duration of the second period. He then scored seven points in the final period, including a three-point near fall.
Freshman Taylor Hollister (Colorado Springs, Colo.) put the Blue team back in the win column with a 10-3 decision over sophomore Samuel Mitchel (Peru, Ind.) at 157 pounds. Hollister scored four takedowns and accumulated nearly three minutes of riding time as he helped the Blue team extend its advantage to 12-4.
In the next match, Joseph Stafford (Jr., Loomis, Calif.) went up against senior captain Justin Shadrix (Bremen, Ga.) at 165 pounds. It was a close battle, as Shadrix used a takedown and a reversal to score a 4-3 decision over Stafford. With his victory, Shadrix got the Silver team back within five points in the team scoring at 12-7.
The 174-pound bout saw the return of senior Tyler French (Malta, Mont.), a 2008 NCAA qualifier who missed the latter half of the 2008-09 season due to injury. French went head-to-head with fellow senior Joshua Smith (Orem, Utah). Through the first two periods of action, the only point came on an escape by Smith. However, French opened the third period with a reversal and stayed in control for most of the period before Smith scored another escape. While the score was tied at 2-2 at the end of regulation, French was awarded an extra point with nearly two minutes of riding time, earning a 3-2 win for the Blue team.
Next up was a match-up between freshman Josh Mohr (Pewaukee, Wis.) and senior James Ciccone (Mentor, Ohio) at 184 pounds. Ciccone took a 6-4 lead after the first period, scoring two takedowns and a reversal, while adding an escape in the second period. While Mohr was able to start out strong in the final period, tying the score at 9-9, Ciccone registered the last four points, including a point for riding time, to take the 13-9 decision for the Silver team.
Juniors Neil Delaney (Grand Rapids, Mich.) and Josh Larson (Windsor, Colo.) met in the 197-pound match, with Delaney winning a 3-1 decision. Delaney scored a takedown and an escape during the bout, while Larson's lone point came from accumulating 1:16 of riding time. With the win, Delaney helped ice the Blue team's victory, giving it an insurmountable 18-10 advantage.
In the final match, rookie Jared Erickson (Newton, Utah) faced off against senior Stephen Larson (Lakeville, Minn.). After a scoreless opening period, Larson got on the board with an escape and a takedown. While Erickson opened the final period with an escape, Larson added a takedown and an extra point for riding time in a 6-2 decision, as the Silver team cut the final margin to 18-13.
The Falcons' season officially starts next weekend, Nov. 14, when the team heads to Laramie, Wyo., for the annual Cowboy Open, hosted by Wyoming.
Four Air Force Wrestlers Named MWC Scholar-Athletes
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Four Air Force wrestlers were named Mountain West Conference Scholar-Athletes, as announced by the league Wednesday afternoon. Earning the honors for the 2008-09 season were Stephen Crozier, Joshua Smith, Brett Boyce and Mengyuan Qiu.
Crozier, a native of Monona, Iowa, earns MWC Scholar-Athlete honors for the third time in his career after graduating from the Academy last month with a degree in economics. The Falcons' team captain and MVP for the 2008-09 season, Crozier was a three-time All-Western Wrestling Conference performer and two-time NCAA West Regional runner-up. Leading Air Force in total wins in each of the past two seasons, Crozier was named a first-team Academic All-District selection in 2009 and ended his career with a 3.61 GPA in economics.
Meanwhile, Smith, Boyce and Qiu each receive the first MWC Scholar-Athlete accolades of their respective careers. Smith is a rising senior from Ogden, Utah, who carries a 3.61 GPA in aeronautical engineering. Boyce, a rising junior from Brigham City, Utah, turned in the Falcons' highest grades during the 2008-09 season, holding a 3.73 GPA in biochemistry, while Qiu, a native of Glendale, Ariz., is a rising sophomore with a 3.53 GPA in aeronautical engineering.
A total of 506 student-athletes were named Mountain West Conference Scholar-Athletes. The MWC Scholar-Athlete Award is the highest academic honor bestowed by the Conference. To be eligible for selection, student-athletes must have completed at least two academic terms at the member institution, while maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or better, and have participated in varsity competition in an NCAA-sponsored sport.
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Melissa McKeown
U.S. Air Force Academy
Assistant Athletic Media Relations Director
719.333.9025 (office)
719.333.3798 (fax)
719.331.8321 (cell)
Air Force Wrestlers Receive Academic Awards from NWCA
MANHEIM, Pa. - The Air Force wrestling team was named to the Division I All-Academic Top 30 Team by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA), while recent Academy graduate Stephen Crozier was named to the NWCA Individual All-Academic wrestling team, as announced today by the organization.
As a team, the Falcons ranked 22nd on the list with a combined GPA of 2.975. It marks the first time since the 2005-06 season that Air Force has been named an NWCA All-Academic Team. In determining eligibility for team all-academic status, the team GPA is comprised of 12 student athletes, including the 10 wrestlers that were the entries in the NCAA tournament conference qualifier. If teams had less than 10 entries for their respective qualifier, they may fill those spots with wrestlers that competed in at least one varsity dual during the season.
Meanwhile, Crozier earns individual all-academic accolades for the second consecutive season. This year, Crozier is one of just 73 wrestlers to receive the honor. To qualify for selection on the NWCA Individual All-Academic team, wrestlers must A) have a 3.2 GPA and been an NCAA qualifier or won 60 percent of his total schedule and must have competed in 60 percent of team schedule or B) have a 3.0 GPA and earned NCAA All-American honors.
Crozier, a native of Monona, Iowa, carried a 3.59 GPA and graduated last month with a degree in economics. Also an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District selection, Crozier compiled a 25-16 record (.610) during the 2008-09 season to lead the Falcons in total wins for the second-straight year. An NCAA qualifier in 2008 and three-time All-Western Wrestling Conference honoree, Crozier is a two-time NCAA West Regional runner-up, wrestling at 165 pounds in 2008 and at 174 pounds in 2009.