Michigan State University
NCAA Championships
Wrestling Wraps Up Day One At NCAA Championships
3/21/2002 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
March 21, 2002
ALBANY, N.Y. - The first day of action in the NCAA Wrestling Championships concluded Thursday night (March 21) at Pepsi Arena. Four of Michigan State's five NCAA qualifiers are still alive and will wrestle in day two action Friday, March 22.
No. 9 seed Gray Maynard (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev./St. Edward) is the lone Spartan left in the championship bracket as he upset No. 8 Matt Anderson of Iowa, 7-4, in the second round at 157 pounds. Maynard was up 2-1 at the end of the first period but trailed 3-2 heading into the third. Maynard, who lost to Anderson in the fourth-place match at the Big Ten Championships, scored an escape, a takedown and a two-point nearfall in the final period to come back and defeat Anderson. The junior advances to the quarterfinals and will face No. 1 and undefeated Bryan Snyder of Nebraska Friday morning. Snyder pinned Maynard in 6:42 in the second round of last year's NCAA Championships.
In his second-round match at 149 pounds, Karl Nadolsky (Jr., Holland/West Ottawa) lost a heartbreaker to No. 3 JaMarr Billman of Lock Haven. Nadolsky led 3-2 in the last minute of the third, but Billman escaped in the final seconds to send the match into overtime. In the extra session, Billman scored a takedown 23 seconds into overtime to record a 5-3 win. Nadolsky matches up against Ty Morgan of Central Michigan in the second round of wrestle-backs Friday. Nadolsky has beaten Morgan twice this season by the scores of 4-3 and 9-5.
In other championship bracket action, Chris Williams (Sr., Perry/Fowlerville) ran into No. 1 seed, undefeated and defending NCAA champion Stephen Abas of Fresno State in his second-round match at 125 pounds. Abas came out on top, 11-1, sending Williams to face Mario Stewart of Lehigh in the second round of wrestle-backs.
At 197 pounds, John Wechter (Jr., Saginaw/Nouvel Catholic Central) picked up his first-career win at the NCAA Championships with a 20-8 major decision victory over Randy Davidson of Portland State in the first round of wrestle-backs. Wechter dominated the match, leading 7-4 after the first period and 12-6 after the second. Wechter advances to wrestle Matt Greenberg of Cornell in the second round of wrestle-backs.
Eric Hauan of Northern Iowa eliminated Rashad Evans (Jr., Niagara Falls, N.Y./Wheatfield) in the opening round of wrestle-backs at 174 pounds. Hauan led the entire match and won by a final of 6-1.
The third session resumes Friday (March 22) at 10 a.m. and features quarterfinal action and the second and third rounds of wrestle-backs.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS - MATCH SUMMARIESSECOND ROUNDWt. Winner Loser Score125 No. 1 Stephen Abas (Fresno) Chris Williams (MSU) 11-1 (Major)149 No. 3 JaMarr Billman (LH) Karl Nadolsky (MSU) 5-3 (SV)157 No. 9 Gray Maynard (MSU) No. 8 Matt Anderson (Iowa) 7-4OPENING ROUND WRESTLEBACK174 Eric Hauan (Northern Iowa) Rashad Evans (MSU) 6-1 (Eliminated)FIRST ROUND WRESTLEBACK197 John Wechter (MSU) Randy Davidson (Portland) 20-8 (Major)
