| Byron Tate, right, set the tone for Wartburg early
with a tight 6-3 win against Augsburg's Jared Massey. Photo by Ryan Coleman, d3photography.com |
By Pat Coleman
D3sports.com
MINNEAPOLIS -- Wartburg won the first seven matches of the night and one of the best rivalries in Division III wrestling turned into a rout, as the top-ranked Knights went on to defeat No. 3 Augsburg 28-5 at Augsburg's Si Melby Hall on Friday, Feb. 4.
The Battle of the Burgs features the two teams who have combined for the past 16 Division III wrestling championships. Augsburg won the most recent title, but fielded a lineup Friday night that featured three sophomores and a freshman. Wartburg improved to 19-1 in dual matches, while Augsburg fell to 7-5.
Wartburg jumped out to a 9-0 lead when Byron Tate, the 2010 national champion, defeated 2009 national champion Jared Massey via a 6-3 decision and top-ranked John Helgerson dominated the heavyweight bout. Helgerson opened up a big lead thanks to two three-point near falls and finished by pinning Pat Fletcher 4:10 into the bout.
"I was kind of surprised how we started," said Wartburg coach Jim Miller. "To start with the 197-pound match, that's two of the best guys in the country, and then to win the heavyweight the way we did.
"In a big match, momentum is huge."
Wartburg's Mark Kist, ranked No. 3 at 125, improved his mark to 26-5 with a 4-2 battle against third-ranked Josh Roberts.
Carrington Banks picked up a major decision against sophomore Jon Priess, winning 12-3 and upping Wartburg's lead to 25-0. From there, Augsburg got a 9-3 win in the 165-pound bout when Orlando Ponce, ranked No. 5 in the nation in his weight class, defeated Adam Weber 9-3. Zach Molitor, ranked No. 2 at 174, followed with his 101st career victory with a 3-0 decision against Ben Scott.
Wartburg's Todd Becker closed the night with a 3-1 decision against No. 6 Brad Baus, improving to 10-1 after getting the nod for the Knights instead of Dylan Azinger, ranked No. 5 in the country. "We wanted to see how he'd respond," said Miller. "We have some options at those weights."
Augsburg had one team point deducted as the match closed for unsportsmanlike conduct.
The Auggies seemed outclassed at several weights, but Miller believed Augsburg would still be in it at the end. "They're going to be better," he said. "I know a lot of people want to see (the teams' dominance of the national meet) change, but they're still a good team."