Kasprick Closes The Door On Day 1 Of National Duals
DES MOINES, Iowa (1/11/14)—The Yankees had Mariano Rivera, the 2007 World Champion Boston Red Sox had Jonathan Papelbon and Concordia has Cody Kasprick. The Cobber closer finished off both team wins for Concordia on the opening day of the NWCA Division III National Duals.
Kasprick posted pin falls in both matches at 285 in Concordia's wins over nationally ranked opponents UW-La Crosse and Wabash (Ind.). Kasprick won the match against No.11-ranked UW-La Crosse after the team score was tied at 16-16 heading into the final bout. He then pinned his opponent to seal the Cobbers' 22-13 win over No.3-ranked Wabash.
The two wins push Concordia's dual-meet record to 8-1 on the season and propel the Cobbers into the semifinals of the prestigious national dual meet. CC will square off against Minnesota rival Augsburg on Sunday, Jan. 12 at 11 a.m. with the winner advancing to the national championship match.
While Kasprick captured the headlines, it was Concordia's lighter weights that did the dirty work to get the two bouts to Kapsrick. The 125, 133, 141 and 149 quartet of Gabe Foltz, Jacoby Bergeron, Yonas Gebreab and Jake Long were a combined 7-1 on the day and made sure that the Cobbers never trailed in either match. Foltz went 2-0 at 125 while Bergeron was 2-0 at 133 and Long went undefeated at 149.
Concordia bolted to a 16-3 lead over UW-La Crosse to start the day. Kyle LeDuc and Brandon Haluptzok were the other two CC wrestlers to gain wins in the early stages of the match against the Eagles. LeDuc posted an 11-1 major decision at 157 and then Haluptzok earned a 3-1 decision in his very first match of the season. Haluptzok was studying overseas during the first semester and just recently rejoined the team.
La Crosse rallied and won the next three matches to tie the team score at 16-16. Cue Metallica's "Enter Sandman and enter Kasprick. The senior from Oakes, N.D. battled undefeated Jake Minske from La Crosse and finally put Minske's shoulders on the mat at the 6:22 mark to give Concordia the team win at 22-16.
The Cobbers sprinted from the block once again against Wabash. Concordia took control of the dual with the Little Giants by getting out to a 13-0 lead after the first four matches. Wabash, who was ranked third in the nation in the latest NWCA poll, then showed their medal by matching CC's four straight victories and tying the team score at 13-13. All four of the Little Giants' victories at 157, 165, 174 and 184 came from wrestlers ranked in the top 10 of the nation.
Concordia junior Delson Saintal earned a huge 5-2 decision at 197 and then Kasprick shipped the team match all the way to Boston by Dropkick Murphying his opponent in the final bout of the day with a pin at 4:09. Kasprick is now 15-6 on the season and has won six straight matches.
Foltz, Bergeron and Long all added two wins to their season totals. Foltz ups his season record to 12-7 while Bergeron is 17-5 and Long is 16-7. Bergeron, LeDuc and Gebreab are all tied for the team lead in wins with 17. Bergeron extended his team-best win streak to eight while Foltz has a five-match win streak going.
Concordia is now assured of finishing now lower than fourth place at the NWCA National Duals which will be the highest finish at the meet in school history. The Cobbers finished in sixth place at the 2010 National Dual Meet.
The Cobbers take on No.2-ranked Augsburg on Sunday at 11 a.m. The championship or third-place match will then be held at 3 p.m.
Final Score:
#6 Concordia-Moorhead 22, #11 UW-La Crosse 16
Date: January 11, 2014
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Arena: Iowa Events Center
Individual Match Results:
125 – Gabe Foltz (CC) dec. Ryan Weinmann (UWL); 4-3 (Concordia 3-0)
133 – Jacoby Bergeron (CC) dec. Dustin Weinmann (UWL); 6-4 (Concordia 6-0)
141 – Cody See (UWL) dec. Yonas Gebreab (CC); 7-2 (Concordia 6-3)
149 – Jake Long (CC) dec. Dylan Shaffer (UWL); 8-2 (Concordia 9-3)
157 – Kyle LeDuc (CC) maj. dec. RJ Dilcher (UWL); 11-1 (Concordia 13-3)
165 – Brandon Haluptzok (CC) dec. Sean Huls (UWL); 3-1 (Concordia 16-3)
174 – Richard Carlson (UWL) maj. dec. Sebastian Gardner (CC); 13-4 (Concordia 16-7)
184 – Eric Twohey (UWL) dec. Christian Harrison (CC); 3-1 (Concordia 16-10)
197 – Mike Minske (UWL) pin fall Delson Saintal (CC); 3:09 (Tie 16-16)
285 – Cody Kasprick (CC) pin fall Jake Minske (UWL); 6:22 (Concordia 22-16)
Final Score:
#6 Concordia-Moorhead 22, #3 Wabash (Ind.) 13
Date: January 11, 2014
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Arena: Iowa Events Center
Individual Match Results:
125 – Gabe Foltz (CC) dec. Tommy Poynter (WC); 8-5 (Concordia 3-0)
133 – Jacoby Bergeron (CC) maj. dec. Robbie Carter (WC); 11-0; (Concordia 7-0)
141 – Yonas Gebreab (CC) dec. Patrick Parham (WC); 8-2 (Concordia 10-0)
149 – Jake Long (CC) dec. Nick Bova (WC); 9-5 (Concordia 13-0)
157 – Reece Lefever (WC) dec. Kyle LeDuc (CC); 8-4 (Concordia 13-3)
165 – Josh Sampson (WC) dec. Brandon Haluptzok (CC); 8-3 (Concordia 13-6)
174 – Connor Lefever (WC) dec. Sebastian Gardner (CC); 8-4 (Concordia 13-9)
184 – Riley Lefever (WC) maj. dec. Christian Harrison (CC); 13-4 (Tied 13-13)
197 – Delson Saintal (CC) dec. Austin O'Neil; 5-2 (Concordia 16-13)
285 – Cody Kasprick (CC) pin fall Jake Minske (WC); 4:09 (Concordia 22-13)