University of Northern Iowa
NCAA Championships
Beets Locks In All-America Status
3/19/2010 8:00:00 AM | Wrestling
OMAHA, Neb. – The University of Northern Iowa's Jarion Beets locked his place on the medal stand with a victory Friday evening at the 2010 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Omaha, Neb. Beets (174 lbs.) topped Edinboro's Philip Moricone Friday evening in his first round of wrestle-backs before falling to Central Michigan's Ben Bennett.
Beets will wrestle for seventh place tomorrow, facing Pennsylvania's Scott Giffin.
Wrestle-Backs – Friday Evening
Beets notched a 5-3 decision over Edinboro's Moricone in the 174-pound wrestle-backs Friday evening. Beets registered the two takedowns in the first period, but also allowed Moricone to escape twice, holding a 4-2 lead after one period. Moricone chose down to start the second and escaped quickly to cut Beets' lead to 4-3, however neither wrestler put any points on the board the remainder of the period. A scoreless third period allowed Beets to outlast Moricone by a 5-3 decision after picking up a riding time point.
Beets' second match of the evening was less kind to the junior from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as Central Michigan's No. 7-seeded Ben Bennett pinned Beets in 1:23.
Quarterfinals – Friday Morning
Beets suffered his first loss of the Championships, falling 4-0 to No. 4-seeded Stephen Dwyer (Nebraska). After a scoreless first period, Dwyer scored his first point off an escape to start the second period and then was awarded a stalling point while simultaneously scoring the matches' first takedown on Beets. Neither wrestler scored in the third period, allowing Dwyer to seal the win. Beets will now move into the consolation round.
Wrestle-Backs – Friday Morning
At 149 pounds, Trent Washington wrapped up his season for the Panthers, falling to Pittsburgh's Eric Albright by a major decision score of 11-1. Albright scored a takedown in the first period to go up 2-0 heading into the second frame. Washington secured an escape in the second period, but Albright scored a takedown as well as a three-point nearfall to extend the lead to 7-1. Albright added a takedown as well as an escape in the third period and gained a riding time point to earn the 11-1 win over Washington.
Washington finishes the season with a 13-5 record.
Tyson Reiner fell just short of an upset of No. 10 Shane Vernon (Oklahoma) in a tight 6-5 decision at 157 pounds. Reiner notched the first takedown of the match in the first period, but allowed Vernon an escape to keep the score close at 2-1. Vernon escaped to begin the second period, but Reiner notched his second takedown to take the lead. Vernon escaped again and got a takedown of this own to take the lead at 5-4 heading into the third period. Reiner started the third period down but was unable to escape until the closing seconds, erasing his riding time and allowing Vernon to gain over a minute of riding time. Reiner notched an escape late, but it was too little too late and Vernon walked away with the 6-5 win.
Reiner finishes his career in the Purple and Gold with a record of 49-42 with two NCAA Championship appearances.
Heavyweight Christian Brantley wrapped up his season for the Panthers Friday morning as well, falling 2-0 to Navy's 12-seeded Scott Steele. After a scoreless first period, Steele secured the first point on an escape to start the second period. Brantley evened the score in the third period off an escape of his own. However, Steele had accumulated just over a minute of riding time, propelling him to a 2-1 win over Brantley.
Brantley finishes the season with a record of 25-11.
UNI BOUT-BY-BOUT RESULTS
149 lbs. – Trent Washington
L, Eric Albright (Pittsburgh), 11-1
157 lbs . – Tyson Reiner
L, Shane Vernon (Oklahoma), 6-5
L, #4 Stephen Dwyer (Nebraska), 4-0
W, Philip Moricone (Edinboro), 5-3
L, #7 Ben Bennett (Central Michigan), fall 1:23
285 lbs. – Christian Brantley
L, #12 Scott Steele (Navy), 2-1
