February 29, 2004

Sylvester Pin Gives Wrestling RMAC Title

Fourth Title in Five Years

            Kearney, NE – By the slimmest of margins, the Nebraska-Kearney wrestling team won its fourth RMAC/West Region title in the last five years Sunday in Hays, Kans.

            UNK edged Western State by just two points, 113.5 to 111.5. The Lopers entered the championship round two points ahead of the Mountaineers (109.5 to 107.5) but WSC had four in the finals compared to two for UNK.

            Western inched closer to the Lopers after the 125 lbs. title match as Jared Haberman beat Kansas junior Bryce Abbey, 8-5. Haberman is ranked No. 1 nationally in the class with Abbey No. 2.

             The Mountaineers then won the title at 157 lbs. but placed second at both 174 and 184 lbs.  The team score was now 111.5 to 109.5

            That setup a showdown at 197 lbs. between Jeff Rusher of Chadron State, ranked No. 1 in the nation, and Lyman sophomore Jeff Sylvester, ranked 3^rd nationally in the class.

            A win by Rusher and the team title would belong to WSC. A win by decision by Sylvester and the two would tie. A major win, or fall, by Sylvester would allow UNK to take the plaque home.

             Earlier this year in Chadron, Rusher beat Sylvester, 8-6. However, things greatly changed this time as Sylvester not only beat Rusher but pinned him at 4:59 to not only win the individual title but also secure the team title as well. It marked Sylvester's 13^th pin of the season.

            UNK will be sending a total of six individuals to the NCAA Championships in two weeks. To make the NCAA's, an individual had to place in the top four at this meet. 

            Kearney junior Adam Keiswetter (133 lbs.) and Fremont junior Aaron Dalton (165 lbs.), both seeded third in their class, each finished third. Keiswetter's two wins came by fall while Dalton won by scores of 5-3 and 6-5.

            Also, Oklahoma true freshman Caleb Young (174 lbs.), seeded fourth, beat third seeded Zac Cornett of Colorado Mines, 5-1, to place third. 

            Placing fourth were Greeley sophomore Tyler Herman (157 lbs.) and Mitchell redshirt freshman Matt True (141 lbs.). In the true fourth place match, which decides who goes to the NCAA's, Herman lost to Mines' Rick Rank, 8-2.

            Herman was seeded sixth but he beat fifth seeded Cleveland Berto of San Francisco State, 3-1 in sudden victory, to reach the third place match. True reached his third place match by pinning Brett Wagner of Central Washington at 5:07. 

            Finishing fifth but still scoring some team points were Gering redshirt freshman Pat True (149 lbs.) and Kansas sophomore Chris Flenthrope (184 lbs.). Finally, North Platte junior heavyweight Jered Jorgensen was sixth as he went 1-2 in the tournament.