Blue Hawks win North Group as 6 wrestlers capture championships

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FREMONT, Neb. — Dickinson State proved it has the top wrestling team in the NAIA North Group on Saturday.

The No. 8-ranked Blue Hawks not only won the North Group Tournament, it sent seven wrestlers to championship matches with six emerging victorious.

“We met before the finals and said, ‘Dance with what got you here,’” O’Donnell said in a text message. “Very proud of this group, not only what they accomplished but how they did it — with class an intensity.”

Junior Bryden Lazaro (125 pounds), senior Brad Steele (141), freshman Sean Elkins (149), junior Tyler Johnson (157), senior Cameron Schrempp (174) and senior Jose Lopez (285) all won titles while junior Jesse Hellinger (184) lost by a decision in his title match.

Schrempp needed overtime to defeat Waldorf College’s Anthony Pike. He won by a 6-4 decision.

Elkins scored a 1-0 decision in beating Nicholas Clark of York (Neb.). Johnson, meanwhile, beat Tyler McMichael of Midland (Neb.) by a 5-3 decision.

Lazaro pinned Morningside’s Kory Kistner in 2 minutes, 52 seconds while Lopez stuck Morningside’s Tyler Kacmarynski in 47 seconds.

Steele won by an injury defeault against Jamestown College’s Dillon Kifer.

Midland’s Jahsua Marsh scored a 7-2 decision to beat Hellinger.

Senior 197-pounder Kevin Keisler is headed to the national tournament as well, picking up an 8-4 decision against Morningside’s Christopher Bridgeford II in the third-place match.

Matt Chambers finished sixth at 133 pounds and missed out on the tournament.

Freshman Skyler Carroll (197) and junior heavyweight Brian Klevis both lost out in two matches.

Nestor Ruelas, a 149-pound senior, reached the quarterfinals of his tournament and scored a pin during his first match in wrestlebacks before bowing out by a 3-2 decision to Morningside’s Tyler Boyer.

The Blue Hawks scored 153½ team points, outpacing runner-up Morningside’s 137.

Dickinson State results

Bryden Lazaro, 125

Quarterfinals: Lazaro major dec. Devon Jackson, Briar Cliff, 13-3. Semifinals: Lazaro major dec. Oscar Marin, York, 14-3. Championship: Lazaro pinned Kory Kistner, Morningside College, 2:52.

Matt Chambers, 133

Champ round 1: Jason Arreola, York College, major dec. Chambers 19-6. Consolation round 1: Chambers earned bye. Consolation round 2: Chambers dec. Jacob Luning-Hoshino, Midland University, 2-1. Consolation round 3: Chambers dec. Coby Horner, Jamestown College, 3-2. Consolation Semi: Nathan Ryan, Morningside College, dec. Chambers 11-7. 5th Place-6th match: Alec Chanthapatheth, Hastings College, pinned Chambers 2:18.

Brad Steele 141

Quarterfinals: Steele pinned Dillon Spates, Waldorf College, 5:25. Semifinals: Steele dec. Garret Lambrecht, Morningside College, 4-2. Championship: Steele won by injury default over Dillon Kifer, Jamestown College.

Nester Ruleas 149

Champ round 2: Ruleas dec. Dylan Kavanaugh, Briar Cliff, 11-8. Quarterfinal: Nicholas Clarke, York College, won in overtime over Ruleas 4-2. Consolation round 4: Ruleas pinned Chandler Brandert, Concordia University, 1:28. Consolation round 5: Tyler Boyer, Midland University, dec. Ruleas, 3-2.

Sean Elkins 149

Champ round 1: Elkins major dec. Jevon Schnaubert, Jamestown College, 12-1. Quarterfinals: Elkins dec. Jared Leithead, Hastings College, 12-5. Semifinals: Elkins dec. Skylar Weber, Briar Cliff, 5-4. Championship: Elkins dec. Nicholas Clarke, York College 1-0.

Tyler Johnson 157

Champ round 1: Johnson pinned Bryce Robbins, Waldorf College, 1:17. Quarterfinals: Johnson dec. Jordan Langley, Morningside College, 7-3. Semifinals: Johnson dec. in overtime Trever Devestern, Dakota Wesleyan University, 6-5. Championship: Johnson dec. Tyler McMichael, Midland University, 5-3.

Cameron Schrempp 174

Quarterfinals: Schrempp pinned Joe Madison, York College, 1:11. Semifinals: Schrempp major dec Marlon Branson, Jamestown College, 18-4. Championship: Schrempp dec. in overtime Anthony Pike, Waldorf College, 6-4.

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