Michigan State University
Midlands Championships
Nick Simmons Wins Third Straight Midlands Championships Title
12/30/2006 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Dec. 30, 2006
Final Brackets in PDF Format
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EVANSTON, Ill. - Four Michigan State wrestlers placed at the prestigious Midlands Championships on Saturday night on the campus of Northwestern University, led by senior Nick Simmons, who won his third straight individual title. Simmons, who won titles at 125 pounds the past two years, pinned Jimmy Kennedy of Illinois in the championship match at 133 pounds in 1:56. It marked Simmons' 43rd career fall, which is second most in MSU history.
Junior Joe Williams placed second at 184, while red-shirt freshman Franklin Gomez claimed third at 125. Alan O'Donnell took eighth at heavyweight.
In winning his finals match, Simmons improved his Midlands record to 21-1, making him the 19th member of the "20 in 4 Club." Simmons has 21 career Midlands victories in four college years. There have been over 8,400 entries in the history of the Midlands. Nick also became only the 26th individual to win three straight Midlands titles.
Simmons, who recorded two pins on the first day of action, beat Andrae Hernandez of Indiana, 2-0, in the semifinals.
Williams upset third-seeded Jake Varner of Iowa State, 3-1, in the semifinals, before falling to top-seeded Benjamin Wissel in the finals, 7-4.
Gomez, the top seed at 125 pounds, won four straight matches on Saturday to claim third place. He began the day with a 12-2 major decision over Penn's Rollie Peterkin, and followed with a 4-3 decision over Northwestern's Brandon Precin and an 8-1 decision over Northern Illinois' Pat Castillo. In the third-place match, Gomez defeated Luke Smith of Central Michigan, 6-2.
At 157, Tony Greathouse fell in his first match in the consolation bracket to Ryan Morningstar of Iowa in a 3-1, sudden-victory decision.
The Michigan State wrestling team returns to action Friday, Jan. 5, as it hosts Central Michigan at Jenison Field House. The match will begin at 7 p.m.
Players Mentioned
