NU wrestling notebook, 3/20
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By Karl Vogel / Lincoln Journal Star
A collective gasp could be heard over the din of the 184-pound matches inside the ScottTrade Center in St. Louis on Thursday night when the public-address announcer announced the team scoring.
The audience’s breath was momentarily taken away at the news that Minnesota had fallen to third place. Then there was near silence when Nebraska was announced as being solidly in second place.
After the consolation round was completed, the Huskers were only three points behind Iowa and in position not only to contend for their best finish ever at the NCAA meet — the 1993 team finished third — but to also challenge the Hawkeyes for the top spot.
With all five of their seeded wrestlers and 184-pounder Vince Jones having advanced, it makes this morning’s quarterfinals even more important in the team race.
Jones will face Missouri’s sixth-seeded Raymond Jordan, who has beaten Jones twice this season; and Craig Brester at 197 will battle top-seeded and defending champion Josh Glenn of American. Glenn pinned Brester in the quarterfinals last year.
“That’s why they call it the money round,” NU assistant coach Mike Greenfield said with a smile. “We’ll find out just where we stand by tomorrow afternoon.”
-- THREE TO 30: Nebraska’s Jordan Burroughs and Stephen Dwyer each won two matches and joined teammate Brandon Browne with at least 30 wins on the season. Burroughs (31-5) and Dwyer (31-7) are now tied with Gary Albright (1983-84) for ninth place on the NU list of wins by sophomores.
-- PLAYING THE PERCENTAGES: Browne’s two wins give him a 33-2 record this year and tie him with Ryan Tobin (1995-96) for 10th on the school’s list for wins by a junior. Browne’s .943 winning percentage is ninth-best in school history, for a single season, breaking a tie with Gil Sanchez, who went 46-3 (.939) in 1982-83.
-- PACK MENTALITY: North Carolina State 184-pounder Ryan Goodman fell into the consolation bracket after losing a major decision to second-seeded Mike Pucillo of Ohio State. Goodman, who played quarterback at Nebraska as a freshman in 2004, won his opening match 12-10 over Jesse Strawn of Old Dominion.
-- HOOKING UP: Starting today, more than eight hours of tournament action will be shown live on cable television. Today’s quarterfinals at 10 a.m. and semifinals at 6 p.m. will be on ESPNU (Time Warner Cable 235). Saturday’s championship round will be on ESPN (Time Warner 34) at 7:30 p.m. Former Husker assistant coach Jeff Blatnick will be the analyst for ESPN’s broadcasts.
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