Results
COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Eleven Johnnies finished in the top four of their respective weight classes at the 2009 North Country Open hosted by Saint John’s University Saturday, Feb. 7 in Collegeville. Dickinson State (N.D.), Augsburg and Augustana (S.D.) each followed with six wrestlers in the top four.
Junior Mogi Baatar (Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia /St. Benedict's Prep, N.J.) and sophomore Matt Baarson (Brooklyn Park, Minn./Champlin Park) claimed titles at 133 and 157 pounds, respectively. Both are ranked No. 8 nationally. Baatar posted a 3-1 win over Augustana’s (S.D.) Sid Bice in the championship match, while Baarson edged Dickinson State’s (N.D.) Nick Zumwalt 6-4.
Senior Matt Schrupp (165; Watertown, Minn./Watertown-Mayer), senior Grant Eustice (174; Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View), sophomore Dustin Baxter (Fairbanks, Alaska /West Valley), sophomore Tony Willaert (197; North Mankato, Minn./Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial) and freshman Cody Socher (Delano, Minn.) all claimed second place.
Sophomore Drew Larson (149; Willmar, Minn.) and freshman Matt Pfarr (174; Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Henderson) finished third, while sophomore James Carlson (197; Royalton, Minn.), and junior Jake Evenson (285; Burnsville, Minn./Apple Valley) took fourth. Larson dropped his first match of the day via pin before rattling off six consecutive victories to claimed third place in the 21-man bracket.
The Johnnies return to action in two weeks at the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional hosted by Concordia (Wis.) Saturday, Feb. 21. Competition is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. at the R. John Buuck Fieldhouse in Mequon, Wis.
125 – Junior Matt Laine (Hastings, Minn.): 0-2
133 – Baatar: 3-0 (Champion); sophomore Manny Livingstone (Minneapolis, Minn./North): 0-3 (Eighth)
141 – Junior Sam Morse (Minneapolis, Minn. /St. Paul Highland Park):0-2
149 – Larson: 6-1 (Third); sophomore Ben Anderson (Annandale, Minn.): 2-2
157 – Baarson: 4-0 (Champion); senior Roger Anderson (Thief River Falls, Minn.): 3-2 (Seventh)
165 – Schrupp: 3-1 (Second)
174 – Eustice: 3-1 (Second); Pfarr: 4-1 (Third); senior Mike Cronan (Edina, Minn.): 0-2; sophomore Dustin Raygor (St. Croix Falls, Minn.): 0-2
184 – Baxter: 3-1 (Second)
197 – Willaert: 3-1 (Second); Carlson: 4-2 (Fourth); junior Nick Blanco (Minneapolis, Minn./Southwest): 0-2
Hwt – Socher: 2-1 (Second); Evenson: 2-2 (Fourth)