First off I want to say that attending the NCAA Division II wrestling championships this past weekend was the first time I have done so. Over the years I have attended many NCAA DI championships, an NCAA DIII championships & an assortment of other duals & tournaments. These DII's were a blast & I discovered a few things that I found quite interesting.
Take this however you want to take it because I mean it in each and every single way it can be meant...Central Oklahoma fans are the Iowa fans of NCAA Division II
The sportsmanship at this level is very impressive. You see some good sportsmanship at the DI level, but here at the DII level I saw it in nearly every single match. These guys wrestled with the same intensity & fierce competitiveness, but kept their class, respect and dignity once that whistle blew. The entire tournament I only saw a handful of unsportsmanlike conduct. Matter of fact, two of the four incidents I saw were from the same wrestler. On the other hand, I couldn't count the number of times I saw absolute class on the mat & tremendous sportsmanship. It truly moved me. It was awesome.
 |
| JT#'s Final Thoughts 125 lbs |
What a final it was between Brandon Garcia of Adams State & Jaxon Rohman of Augustana (SD). We could very well see this battle again in the future as both gentlemen are only sophomores. To really illustrate just how tough NCAA DII wrestling is, Rohman was actually 2nd in Super Region V, losing to Shane Corrigan of UW-Parkside who ended up 7th this tournament.
Wrestling as I've said many times is such an emotional sport. I know Cole Laya of West Liberty wasn't wanting to close out his phenomenal career with a 6th place finish, so my heart went out to him a little. Yet, look at his amazing career. A five time NCAA DII qualifier, earning All American honors five times. 3rd-1st-1st-6th, with 100 career victories. Very impressive.
Also felt for Studd Morris of Central Oklahoma a bit. Whole team goes to the NCAA DII's and everyone but him brings home a medal. Had to be disappointing but still was there for his teammates cheering them on throughout their medal matches. He's got another season left if my calculations are correct. Another shot to bring one home next year.
 |
| JT#1's Final Thoughts 133 lbs |
Talk about your million dollar moment. Gavin Quiocho not only becomes Glenville State's first All American, but also their first NCAA DII National Champion!! If that don't feel like a million, then it has to feel like a billion. Defeated Quentrevion Campbell of Chadron State, who kicked ass at the NJCAA level for a while & who's doing it now at the NCAA DII level. I believe Quiocho is only a sophomore & Campbell is a junior. So we'll see both of these guys in the future.
I've said many times throughout the 22 years I've been writing about collegiate wrestling that one of my absolute favorite things to see in this sport is when a senior who never has, finally does. Eric Bartos of Mercyhurst has been to the nationals four times & came within a match of being an All American last year. To see him finally break through & earn that 4th place AA was pretty cool.
 |
| JT#1's Final Thoughts 141 lbs |
Lot's of thoughts on 141 lbs as throughout the season it was one of my favorite weight classes in NCAA DII wrestling. Zack Donathan of Tiffin truly makes the case for why wrestling programs should be scoping the NJCAA's for recruits doesn't he? The former Ellsworth community college standout is now taking names at the NCAA DII level. A national champion.
If I had to pick my very favorite NCAA DII wrestler, I can narrow it down to two. One of them is Christian Small of Lake Erie. What a class act, that proves you can be an absolute fierce on the mat, while being heroic off of it. I hope to see him win a national title in his remaining two seasons.
At the beginning of the season I called Nate Keim of Central Oklahoma to be of all the DII wrestlers the best to never make the NCAA DII tournament & the best yet to All American. 8th-2nd-6th at the Midwest Classic (NCAA DII's toughest in-season tournament) it was like, "Dude at least make it to the dance this year." What a phenomenal ending it was to his career. Winning a Super Region IV title over nemesis Peter Kuster of Drury & then beating him again for 3rd place at the NCAA DII's!
Who would have thought that the 15th (yes 15th) & final meeting between Keim & Kuster would have ended the way that it did? Never in a million years would I have ever though that a defensive fall would be the way this epic feud came to an end. What a career it was for Kuster too. A two time All American with 7th & 4th place finishes. A two time Midwest Classic runner-up.
Cayden Henschel of UW-Parkside had a rough tournament but what was truly disappointing was watching some fans act like jackals & hooligans at his demise. Screaming at him, "those youtube videos sure helped you out this time!" & other stupid things. Hope those same fans show up the next two seasons when Henschel has worked out the jitters & nerves and lives up to expectation.
 |
| JT#1's Final Thoughts 149 lbs |
Wrestlers, coaches & fans talk all the time about "peaking at the right time" & I have to say that I feel as I also felt last season, that Adams State does a very good job with this. Of the five NCAA DII qualifiers that they had, two of them finished as national champions & another took 3rd. Josiah Rider was very dominant this tournament, winning DII title #2 with a major & two falls. To think, he still has another season left.
Pretty cool seeing Jason Hanenberg make the finals for Western Colorado. A R12 last year, was hoping to see him make the award stand, did so in fashion.
Probably the most shocking thing to happen this tournament, at least in my opinion was Joey Bianchini of St Cloud getting beat out. I was NOT expecting this to happen at all. An NCAA DII runner-up in 2021, he was 3rd last year. He's got another season left, wouldn't be surprised if he challenges Rider for the national title.
Last thoughts via 149, is I really hope to see Jacob Ealy of Pittsburgh-Johnstown become a four time All American next year. 8th-3rd-5th thus far.
 |
| JT#1's Final Thoughts 157 lbs |
Both NCAA DII champ Nick Novack of St Cloud State & NCAA DII runner-up Logan Bailey of Indianapolis are both only sophomores! Wow, huh? Could definitely see this match a couple of more times!
I am really gonna miss watching Noah Hermosillo of Adams State. A phenomenal technician who could literally readjust his style of wrestling if his original game plan wasn't working. Watching him wrestle reminded of Rocky II when Mick makes Rocky fight right handed & then has him switch left. His speed, quickness & explosiveness were fun to watch. 6th in 2021, a national champion last year & this year takes 3rd avenging his earlier loss to Dom Means of Gannon. Was always a pleasure to watch on the mat.
 |
| JT#1's Final Thoughts 165 lbs |
I once read an interview with Scott Rechsteiner (better known by his professional name Scott Steiner) where he talked about a turning point in his wrestling career that helped lead him to success. He won a Michigan high school state title as a junior, placing 3rd as a senior. Then he made the BIG 10 finals three seasons in a row, taking 6th at the NCAA DI tournament his senior year. It was advice that he took to heart that made the difference. That advice? "Wrestle every match as if it were your last."
And boy oh boy did Chase Luensman of Upper Iowa & Hunter Mullin of Western Colorado do just that. People talk sometimes about how, "Wrestling isn't meant to be entertaining." Well, I guess these two missed the memo because they had THE BEST match of the finals! What an exciting, exhilarating performance both of these guys put on.
Then to think, Luensman was 3rd at the Super Region V. Super Region V champion Shane Gantz of UW-Parkside who was 2nd in the DII nation last year, ended up not placing. This is why I am so vocal on seeing & treating other accomplishments with the honor & prestige they deserve. Yes, winning a national title is the pinnacle & I'm not trying to dilute that in the slightest. But you know what? Winning a Super Region V title is a pretty gawd damned glorious event in its own right & so is winning a Midwest Classic title. Which may I add, Gantz defeated Luensman for. So yeah, I still say Shane Gantz had a great 2022-2023 season & I won't be convinced different just because it didn't end in an All American honor.
 |
| JT#1's Final Thoughts 174 lbs |
This one was quite emotional for me as a wrestling fan too. Austin Eldredge closes out a fantastic career as Loper going 4th-4th-national champion. His 12-4 finals win was much, much closer & competitive than the score indicates & he wrestled an extremely smart match to take home the title.
Abner Romero. Whew...what a wild ride his collegiate career was. To see everything that he's been through & to see him overcome all of it, was quite inspiring. Starts off at Old Dominion, where the program is discontinued. Then goes to Fresno City to compete in the CCCAA. Goes to Lindenwood, wins an NCAA DII title & then they announce the move to NCAA DI status. If that's not enough, gets injured and has to miss out on the 2021-2022 season. Son of gun huh? School drops wrestling, other school moves up to DI & then you get hurt. Sometimes life challenges us & it sure as heck challenged Romero. To see him make a comeback this year & make his second NCAA DII finals appearance was nothing less than absolutely courageous.
It was also rewarding seeing Max Bruss of Mary on the award stand. A hardnosed grinder who goes out there and goes to work.
 |
| JT#1's Final Thoughts 184 lbs |
Heeding my own advice, I remind myself that a wrestler is so much more than what he did or didn't do at the national tournament. Nevertheless my heart did break a little when Brock Biddle of Pittsburgh-Johnstown fell short of the award stand. A five time qualifier he was 4th in '19 & 6th in '21. Among his other notable accomplishments, a two time Midwest Classic place-winner, 5th this season & 3rd in '21.
Also very cool to see Logan Hall of Lander, who was R12 last year, make the finals & what a redemption it was for Daniel Beemer of Ashland to come back and take 3rd once again, after being 3rd in 2021.
 |
| JT#1's Final Thoughts 197 lbs |
Dalton Abney is just unreal. The Broncho is so dominant and has an unmatchable intensity. It seems like he's been around as Squint from The Sandlot would say, "FOR-EV-ER" but low & behold he STILL has another season left!!! I wonder sometimes if Ryan Vasbinder regrets transferring from McKendree to Michigan State. To see Abney go from losing 9-0 to then beating Dominic Murphy of St Cloud was amazing. Then he defeats Derek Blubaugh of Indianapolis who beat him 7-1 earlier this season for the national title!
Now let me let you in on something even more mind blowing. Abney, Blubaugh, Murphy then also Tereus Henry of Fort Hays State, Matt Kaylor of Mary, Logan Kvien of McKendree & Kash Anderson of Colorado Mesa. They are ALL back next season. If Abney is able to win a third national title with all of this returning talent, I think he already deserves MOW.
Was sad to see Anderson Salisbury of Colorado School of Mines miss out on his third AA. 8th in '21, he was 7th in '22. A three time Midwest Classic place-winner 4th-7th-4th.
 |
| JT#1's Final Thoughts HWT |
I'd be lying to you if I told you I didn't have mixed feelings on Shawn Streck of Central Oklahoma. Overall though, I was happy to see him have such a great tournament. Winning the national title & then having the loudest moment of the night when he proposed to his future wife. It was quite rewarding.
Jared Campbell of Glenville State upset me a little bit. Not showing up to accept his NCAA runner-up honors didn't sit well with me. I'm sure he and his coaches don't care what I think, nor should they. Yet, this is my blog & on it I shall give my opinion. I'm sure he was disappointed as he wanted to win the national title so bad. Yet there was way, way, way, way, way more to be proud of than there was to be disappointed in. He was the second All American ever for his school. He was the second ever national finalist for his school. Take some pride in that man. You earned it. You deserved it. "I lost the national title" No my friend, you made the NCAA DII finals, one of the hardest things to do in the sport of wrestling, period. I wish I would have gotten to see you accept your silver medal.
Now with that said, I'm really lost on Campbell's eligibility. He's been around forever & all tournament they kept on saying he was only a sophomore. Only a sophomore!?!?!?!? Seriously!?!? If so, I'd like to know the story behind why he still has so much eligibility left. I'm glad, but very confused by it.
Now, remember how I said earlier that Christian Small of Lake Erie was one of my two favorite wrestlers in DII wrestling? Wonder who the other one is? Darrell Mason of Minnesota State Mankato. I love watching him wrestle. Ran into him and told him that I loved watching him compete, I was happy to see him win a national title in '22 & take 3rd this season & that I was gonna miss watching him. He informed me that he has another season left & that I could watch him earn his third AA next year. I was very happy to hear that.
Last thoughts? Lee Herrington has the opportunity to be a rare four time AA at HWT next year. 4th-5th-7th so far.
Also hope to see La'Ron Parks of Notre Dame (The real one in Ohio, not that pile of rubbish in Indiana) to make AA next year. Came close with an R12 finish.
===
As always could say more, but I have to watch myself as I have a habit of rambling sometimes. Love this sport & am very happy that the last couple of seasons I have increased my viewership of this level of wrestling. It's a lot of fun.
No comments:
Post a Comment