DES MOINES, Iowa - With a 16-8 major decision over No. 6 Brandon James of Marian (Ind.), No. 3 Gresh Jones on Friday, March 1, sealed it: for the second straight year, the Dickinson State junior would be an All-American.
The 133-pound Jones started the first day of the NAIA National Wrestling Tournament at the Jacobson Exhibition Center with a bye. When he finally hit the mat against Marvin Galette of Campbellsville (Ky.), Jones dominated, winning by way of a 16-0 technical fall.
Jones will face the No. 2-ranked Erique Early out of Indiana Tech on Saturday.
Dickinson State sophomore Taner Stone also advanced to the quarterfinals following a pair of wins in the 157-pound weight bracket.
Stone, ranked 10th in his weight class, pinned his first opponent in four minutes and 42 seconds, before coming away with a 7-5 decision in the next round. In the quarterfinal, No. 2 Brandon Weber of Montana State - Northern defeated Stone with a 15-2 major decision.
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In the ‘blood round’ Stone had a chance to wrestle back, but was pinned in 3:24.
Results FridayTeam scores: 1, Grand View (Iowa) 96. 12, Dickinson State 15.5.133: Champ. 2 - Gresh Jones (DSU) tech. fall Marvin Galette (Campbellsville), 16-0. Quarterfinals - Jones (DSU) maj. dec. Brandon James (Marian), 16-8. 157: Champ. 1 - Taner Stone (DSU) fall Gage Maxwell (Hannibal-LaGrange), 4:42. Champ. 2 - Stone (DSU) dec. Derrick Smallwood (Lindsey Wilson), 7-5. Quarterfinals - Brandon Weber (MSU-Northern) maj. dec. Stone (DSU) 15-2. Cons. 4 - Mark Taijeron (LW) fall Taner Stone (DSU), 3:24.
