Grand View Tightens Hold on Top

DES MOINES, Iowa – (Team Scores, Brackets) Grand View (Iowa) tightened its hold on top spot during the fifth session of the 2012 NAIA Wrestling National Championships, pushing its total to 162 points Saturday in the Jacobson Exhibition Center. Thanks to four medal match victories, including a pair of third-place finishes, a fifth place and a seventh place, the Vikings increased its lead to 36 points on Southern Oregon. The Raiders were unable to gain any ground on Grand View as they suffered defeat at 165 and 184 pounds. Campbellsville (Ky.) narrowed in on Southern Oregon with 122.5 points. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) is fourth with 92.5 points and Oklahoma City is fifth with 90 points. Each of the top-five teams has at least one wrestler appearing in the championship finals and has the potential to move in the standings.

Evan Hinebauch wrestled his way to his fourth All-America finish at 184 pounds for Montana State-Northern. In his final match as a Northern Light, Hinebauch delivered a 6-2 decision to Brian Block of Morningside (Iowa) to take fourth place. He closed out his senior campaign with a record of 36-10 and was the only four-time honoree in 2012. Hinebauch twice appeared in the 184-pound title bout, winning it all as a junior and placing fourth as a sophomore.

A trio of grapplers became three-time All-Americans: Larone Madison of Cumberlands (Ky.) (125), Great Falls’ (Mont.) Myles Mazurkiewicz (141) and Spencer Adams of Campbellsville (197). With an 8-5 decision over Dickinson State’s (N.D.), Madison captured third place, his highest finish in the event. Mazurkiewicz suffered a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Grand View’s Gustavo Martinez to place sixth and Adams was dealt a 7-3 setback by Nic Leither of Northwestern (Iowa). Adams’ sixth-place outing brought an end to his collegiate career, wrapping up with a season mark of 22-9.

There were nine individuals that earned the distinction of All-American for a second time, while 47 placed among the top eight of their weight class for the first time.

First-year programs Indiana Tech and Bethany (Kan.) each took home All-America hardware. Travis Barroquillo placed fourth at 133 and Tanner Martin was sixth at 174 for Warriors’ head coach Mike Ester. Head coach Jacob Marrs guided Colby Crank to a fourth-place finish at 157 for the Swedes.

Championship finals of the 55th annual event will be streamed live by NeuLion for $9.95 starting at 6:45 p.m. CST. Click here for more information and to get registered.