INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Peter Rolle and Gabe Johnson rolled into the semifinals, but Central Oklahoma’s bid for a third straight national title were dashed Friday night during the second session of the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships.
The No. 3-ranked and two-time defending champion Bronchos had three of their six qualifiers eliminated and are sixth in the team standings. Rolle (133) and Johnson (157) are in the running for individual crowns, while 184 Garrett Wells is still alive in the consolations.
Top-ranked Nebraska-Kearney has a firm grasp on the team lead with 64 points. No. 8 Lander is second with 37.5, followed by No. 2 St. Cloud State (35.5), No. 7 Glenville State and No. 20 Kutztown (32.5 each) and UCO (31).
Action resumes at 9 a.m. (Oklahoma time) Saturday at Corteva Coliseum with the semifinals and completion of all consolation matches, followed by the championship finals at 6 p.m.
“Really proud of the three guys we have left,” head coach Todd Steidley said. “Peter and Gabe did a great job staying on the front side. They wrestled well in both matches today. And Garrett battled tough in gutting out a couple of tough wins to stay alive.
“It wasn’t a good day for us overall, but it wasn’t for a lack of effort. We just couldn’t get anything going offensively in a few matches and it’s hard to win if you don’t score points.”
Rolle picked up two bonus-point wins in marching into the semis in his first national tournament appearance. The top-seeded senior secured a 14-4 major decision on a last-second takedown in the first round before scoring a quarterfinal fall.
Rolle gave up an early takedown to Tiffin’s seventh-seeded Max Shore, but got loose quickly. He struck for a takedown seconds later, then powered Shore to his back to get the pin at the 2:45 mark.
Rolle will take on Ouachita Baptist’s fifth-seeded James Anderson in the semis.
The second-seeded Johnson began his quest for a second straight title with a 15-6 major decision in the opening round and followed with a 10-6 victory.
Johnson compiled three takedowns and two reverses in a 15-6 rout, then had three takedowns in building a 10-2 lead over seventh-seeded Trent Mahoney of King before coasting in.
The junior standout will face Colorado Mesa’s unseeded Owen Cline in the semis. Cline pulled off two straight upsets, knocking off the Nos. 3 and 6 seeds.
Wells bounced back from a first-round loss with three consolation victories in assuring himself of All-America honors for the second straight year.
The sixth-seeded sophomore was upset by Fairmont State’s Austin Gibson on a late takedown 7-5 to start the day, then started his consolation journey with an 8-0 major decision.
Wells picked up two more wins during Friday night’s second session in avenging earlier losses this season. He used a pair of takedowns to topple St. Cloud State’s Bryce Fitzpatrick 7-3, then clipped fifth-seeded Reece Worachek of Wisconsin-Parkside 2-1 on a riding time point.
UCO’s other three qualifiers were ousted.
Second-seeded 125 Studd Morris started his day with a 17-1 technical fall before suffering two straight upsets and ending his senior season with a 26-4 record.
Unseeded 149 Dylan Brown notched a third-period fall in UCO’s only preliminary match, but lost his next two matches to finish his senior campaign 16-7.
Fifth-seeded 165 Hunter Jump fell 8-3 in the first round and then lost 4-1 on a takedown with nine seconds left in the consolation prelims.
NCAA DIVISION II WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTERFINALS
133 – Peter Rolle, UCO, pinned Max Shore, Tiffin, 2:45.
157 – Gabe Johnson, UCO, dec. Trent Mahoney, King, 10-6.
CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST ROUND
125 – Morris, UCO, tech. fall Luke Acuna, Ashland, 17-1 (4:57).
133 – Rolle, UCO, major dec. Elijah Boyd, Belmont Abbey, 14-4.
149 – Ethen Doty, Upper Iowa, dec. Brown, UCO, 9-5.
157 – Johnson, UCO, major dec. Ethan Richner, Gannon, 15-6.
165 – Bailey Gimbor, Kutztown, dec. Jump, UCO, 8-3.
184 – Austin Gibson, Fairmont State, dec. Wells, UCO, 7-5.
CHAMPIONSHIP PRELIMINARIES
149 – Brown, UCO, pinned James Ryan, Kutztown, 6:10.
CONSOLATION SECOND ROUND
184 – Garrett Wells, UCO, dec. Reece Worachek, Wisconsin-Parkside, 2-1.
CONSOLATION FIRST ROUND
125 – Colton Drousias, Glenville State, dec. Studd Morris, UCO, 8-3.
149 – Breman Watkins, King, dec. Brown, UCO, 5-2.
184 – Wells, UCO, dec. Bryce Fitzpatrick, St. Cloud State, 7-3.
CONSOLATION PRELIMINARIES
165 – Nicholas Correno, Gannon, dec. Jump, UCO, 4-1.
184 – Wells, UCO, major dec. Andrew Reed, Newberry, 8-0.
