OKLAHOMA CITY -- It took a handful of overtimes to crown an NAIA national champion at heavyweight, but when it was over -- much like the rest of the weekend -- things didn't fall Dickinson State's way.
DSU junior Jake Kallestad got caught trying to shoot on Simon Fraser's Arjan Bhullar and got taken down. The result was a 4-2 decision and a national title for Bhullar.
"He was a big boy," said Kallestad, who was weighing in around 215 pounds in the 285-pound weight limit class. "He's a good wrestler. I wrestled as hard as I could, I just couldn't really get in on him too much."
Kallestad said he wasn't too disappointed with the loss, however.
"I'm happy with second place," Kallestad said. "I would have liked to have won it, but it is what it is."
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That seemed to be the sentiment throughout the team on Saturday night.
The Blue Hawks saw several of their highly ranked wrestlers fall short of their regular-season rankings.
Although the Blue Hawks finished sixth in the team standings and had five All-Americans, they had a rough quarterfinal round in which five of its six top wrestlers lost. Then, they had more tough luck in the wrestleback rounds.
Seniors Stanton Schlecht (165) and Matt Michaelson (197) and sophomore Shane Bennett (174) each took sixth place while senior Brett Owen (184) placed seventh.
"The national tournament is kind of funny that way," Michaelson said. "It's bittersweet. It depends on the draws and the way luck goes, I guess."
NAIA National Championship
At Oklahoma City
Top 12 Team scores: Lindenwood 167, Southern Oregon 125.5, McKendree 123, Missouri Valley 109.5, Notre Dame 84, Dickinson State 73.5, Campbellsville 68.5, Grand View 68, MSU-Northern 61, Menlo 59, Missouri Baptist 54.5, Great Falls 51. Other area team scores: Jamestown 2, Sioux Falls 1.
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Championship
HWT: Arjan Bhullar, Simon Fraser, dec. Jake Kallestad, DSU, 4-2 (OT).
Fifth Place
165: Chris Cannon, Lindenwood, maj. dec. Stanton Schlecht, DSU, 13-3.
174: Brendon DeCook, Great Falls, pinned Shane Bennett, DSU, 6:38.
197: Ike Okenwa, Missouri Baptist, pinned Matt Michaelson, DSU, 6:57.
Seventh Place
184: Brett Owen, DSU, dec. Clete Hanson, Simon Fraser, 4-1.
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Wrestleback Semifinals Round
165: Robert Davis, Menlo, dec. Stanton Schlecht, DSU, 5-2.
174: Tom Eaton, Northwestern, pinned Shane Bennett, DSU, 4:26.
197: Cole Wilson, Morningside, dec. Matt Michaelson, DSU, 3-1.
