BLAIR, Neb. -- Dickinson State flat out dominated the NAIA North Region wrestling tournament on Saturday at Dana College.
The Blue Hawks had five individual champions and coasted to a team title with 174 points. Morningside was second with 111 points.
"It was one of those days where we were real focused and intense all day long," said DSU coach Thadd O'Donnell, who was named North Region coach of the year. "Every match, the guys went hard."
The man who perhaps went the hardest was senior Jake Toavs.
Toavs, who had nursed illness and injury all season, upset Morningside's top-ranked 184-pounder Jake Stevenson, the defending national champion, with a 4-2 decision.
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Toavs was also named the North Region's most outstanding wrestler.
"That just tells you what those coaches think," O'Donnell said. "He had a heck of a day."
Stanton Schlecht took a 9-4 decision over Dana's Bulla Tuzon to win the 165 title. Nathen Schweitzer took a 4-2 decision in overtime of his title match against Jamestown College's Zach Hulcumb. Schweitzer came in as the region's fifth seed. Cory Johnston defeated Hastings College's Jarrod Wiens with a 6-2 decision in the 125 title match.
DSU's Matt Michaelson defaulted to top-seeded Justin Schlecht in the 197 title match.
The Blue Hawks had 13 pins in the tournament, a fact O'Donnell was especially proud of.
"We told them at the beginning of the week, we wanted to get 10 pins. That's like an extra champion," O'Donnell said.
NAIA North Region Championships
At. Blair, Neb.
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Team scores: Dickinson State 174.0, Morningside College 111.0, Dana College 109.0, Northwestern College 96.5, Jamestown College 77.0, Briar Cliff University 73.5, Hastings College 72.0, University of Sioux Falls 25.0, Dakota Wesleyan 21.0.
Championships:
125: Cory Johnston, DSU, dec. Jarrod Wiens, HC, 6-2. 133: Burke Barnes, DC, dec. Eli Zuniga, DSU, 3-2. 141: Nathan Schweitzer, DSU, dec. Zach Halcumb, JC, 4-2. 149: Levi Price, NWC, dec. Andrew Hare, HC, 2-1. 157: Jason Bilinski, DC, dec. D.J. Jackson, NWC, 5-4. 165: Stanton Schlecht, DSU, dec. Bulla Tuzon, DC, 9-4. 174: Enock Francois, NWC, dec. Tom Eaton, NWC, 7-4. 184: Jeremiah Toavs, DSU, dec. Jake Stevenson, MC, 4-2. 197: Justin Schlecht, DSU, win by forfeit, Matt Michaelson, DSU. 285: Wade Jordan, DC, dec. Cody Millard, HC, 5-3.
Other DSU finishers
Third-place
157: Nick Zumwalt, DSU, maj. dec. Brad Malum, JC, 17-8. 174: Brett Owen, DSU, pinned Tony Ponce, DC, 4:39. 285: Stacey Mello, JC, dec. Karter Kleeman, DSU, 4-3.
Fifth-place
133: Drew Smith, MC, maj. dec. Tyler Gilfeather, DSU, 14-2. 149: Matt Pridgeon, DSU, pinned, Travis Helmers, BCU, 1:18.
