SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Jason Henschel used a big rally while Gabe Johnson and Hunter Jump coasted as Central Oklahoma’s trio of senior standouts advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships Friday night.
Heschel scored the final eight points for a 10-6 victory at 133 pounds, Johnson earned a first-period fall at 157 and Jump cruised to a 17-0 drubbing at 174 in making the final four. Eli Kirk was the only other individual still going for the Bronchos on the consolation side at 125.
No. 2-ranked UCO is fifth in a tight team race with 43.5 points. Defending champion and No. 3 Nebraska-Kearney leads with 48 points, followed by No. 7 Wisconsin-Parkside (46.5), No. 10 Lander (44.5), No. 6 McKendree (44) and the Bronchos.
The tournament resumes at 10 a.m. Saturday with the semifinals of completion of all consolation matches. The championship finals are set for 7 p.m.
“It was a tough session, but I’m proud of the four guys we still have going, head coach Todd Steidley said. “We lost some tough matches we had to have. We just need to keep pushing forward with the four we have.
“Jason didn’t panic and came out with a big win. Gabe and Hunter just took care of business. Those are veteran guys who have been through the battles. And Eli did what he had to do. He’s done a great job keeping himself in the tournament.”
Henschel trailed sixth-seeded Jakob Romero of Adams State 6-2 entering the final stanza only to score eight points in the final two minutes to pull out the win. The third-seeded senior trailed 6-2 entering the third period but pulled even at 6-6 with a penalty point and three-point near-fall before breaking the deadlock with a four-point near-fall in the final 30 seconds.
Henschel, now 20-1 on the season, takes on Mary’s seventh-seeded Jacob Strausbaugh in Saturday’s semifinals.
Johnson continued his dominating season with a second straight first period fall. The top-seeded senior star took No. 8 Brent Nicolosi of Mount Olive to his back in the first 30 seconds and was finally awarded the pin at the 1:16 mark.
It was the 34th win in a row for Johnson, who is now 21-0 on the season. He’ll continue his quest for a third straight national title with a Saturday semifinal bout against fourth-seeded Easton Worachek of Wisconsin-Parkside.
Jump also moved into the semifinals in overwhelming fashion, coasting to a 18-1 technical fall over the unseeded Anthony Erickson of Central Missouri. The top-seeded senior led 7-0 after the first period, added an escape and two takedowns in the second to make it 14-1 and ended it with another escape and takedown early in the third.
Jump improved to 24-4 with his 18th consecutive win. He will face Lander’s unseeded Maxwell Kiel in the semifinals.
Kirk cruised to a pair of easy wins to continue his comeback from a first-round loss.
The fifth-seeded sophomore scored his second straight consolation fall in the first period to start his night, then secured a top eight finish with a 16-0 technical fall. Kirk had three near-falls and two takedowns in ending that rout in 5:00.
Josh Taylor (141), Bam West (149), Bryce Dauphin (165) and Branson Britten (184) were all ousted from the tournament.
Taylor was unable to produce a last-second takedown in dropping a tough 4-3 quarterfinal decision to seventh-seeded Khyvon Grace of West Liberty and then was eliminated with a loss in his first consolation bout.
The sixth-seeded Britten dropped another tight quarterfinal battle, getting thrown to his back and pinned in the last 40 seconds against No. 3 Darion Johnson of McKendree while leading 5-4. Britten dropped a 4-1 overtime decision in his first consolation bout.
West and Dauphin both lost their first consolation matches after falling in the first round to highly seeded individuals.
Henschel cruised to a 16-3 major decision over Minnesota State’s Chase Beckett in his first match, racking up more than four minutes of riding time while scoring three takedowns and two near-falls.
Johnson started his bid for a third straight national title in impressive fashion, turning a quick takedown into a fall at the 1:37 mark.
Jump turned back an upset bid by St. Cloud State’s Bryce Dagel, overcoming a 3-2 deficit with a third period takedown and riding time point to prevail 6-3.
Britten eased into the quarters with a 10-0 major decision behind two takedowns and a reverse.
Kirk dropped a 4-3 decision to Logan Davis in the opening round but bounced back in impression fashion in the consolation prelims, building an 11-1 lead before securing a fall at the 4:35 mark.
Taylor had UCO’s biggest opening round win, knocking off second-seeded Jake Niffenegger of Gannon 8-5 in sudden victory when he came out on top 30 seconds into the overtime period after a wild scramble.
NCAA DIVISION II WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTERFINALS
133 – Jason Henschel, UCO, dec. Jakob Romero, Adams State, 10-6.
141 – Khyvon Grace, West Liberty, dec. Josh Taylor, UCO, 4-3.
157 – Gabe Johnson, UCO, pinned Brent Nicolosi, Mount Olive, 1:16.
174 – Hunter Jump, UCO, technical fall Anthony Erickson, Central Missouri, 17-1 (5:27).
184 – Darion Johnson, McKendree, pinned Branson Britten, UCO, 6:17.
CONSOLATION FIRST ROUND
125 – Eli Kirk, UCO, pinned Jacob Houpt, Seton Hill, 4:35.
CONSOLATION SECOND ROUND
125 – Kirk, UCO, technical fall Nic Allison, Kutztown, 16-0 (5:00)
141 – Ethan Hardy, Glenville State, pinned Taylor, UCO, 1:58.
184 – Wyatt Reisz, Colorado Mines, dec. Britten, UCO, 4-1 (SV).
CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST ROUND
125 – Logan Davis, West Liberty, dec. Kirk, UCO, 4-3.
133 – Henschel, UCO, major dec. Chase Beckett, Minnesota State, 16-3.
141 – Taylor, UCO, dec. Jake Niffenegger, Gannon, 8-5 (SV).
149 – Cody Thompson, Colorado Mines, major dec. West, UCO, 10-2.
157 – Johnson, UCO, pinned Basil Othman, San Francisco State, 1:36.
165 – David Hunsberger, Lander, pinned Dauphin, UCO, 4:24.
174 – Jump, UCO, dec. Bryce Dagel, St. Cloud State, 6-3.
184 – Britten, UCO, major dec. Jack Mackiernan, Mount Olive, 10-0.
CONSOLATION PRELIMINARIES
125 – Kirk, UCO, pinned Benjamin Aranda, St. Cloud State, 4:35.
