Tiger Wrestlers Dominate at Missouri Open

Sunday, November 18

Columbia, Mo.

All Day

University of Missouri

Missouri Open

11/18/2007 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling

Nov. 18, 2007

Photo Gallery

Columbia, Mo. -Nineteen Missouri wrestlers finished among the top six of their respective weight class, with six earning tournament titles at the eighth annual Missouri Open held in the Fieldhouse on the campus of the University of Missouri. Junior Raymond Jordan collected his third consecutive Missouri Open title at 184 pounds, while sophomore Maxwell Askren (Hartland, Wis.) defended his title for the second straight year at 197 pounds. Wrestling unattached, true feshman Patrick Wright (Grand Ledge, Mich.) wrestled his way to Missouri's only title in the Freshman/Sophomore Division, doing so in the 165 pound weight class.

Junior 157 pounder Michael Chandler (High Ridge, Mo.) captured Missouri's first title of the day, finishing with a 4-0 record that included two wins by major decision. Chandler, now 5-0 on the season, is one of three Tigers on this years' squad to keep his perfect record in tact.

Pinning eighth-ranked Roger Smith Bergsrud of Illinois in 46 seconds, 12th-ranked sophomore Nicholas Marable (Collierville, Tenn.) earned his first Missouri Open title at 165 pounds. Marable began his run through the championship bracket with a win by technical fall, 20-4, in 6:02 over Jon Forbes (McKendree) and went on to earn a 21-8 victory over Matt Bailes of Central Michigan. Marable is 6-0 on the season and owns a 32-8 career record.

Jordan won four bouts in the all-day tournament, pinning two of his 184 pound opponents, the fastest clocked at 4:09 in his opening round match. Besting third-seeded Jesse Strawn of Old Dominion, 7-4, Jordan's Missouri Open title is the third of his career.

Recording back-to-back falls in his first two matches of the morning, Askren went on to win the 197 pound weight class with a 4-2 decision over No. 1 seeded Eric Lapotsky (Oklahoma). Missouri totaled 16 wins by fall in the Open Division of the tournament.

Ellis improved to 6-0 on the season, having won four of his six bouts by extra point victories. Ellis began his season with a fall and technical fall against his Rider and Hofstra opponents respectively, and opened today's tournament with a fall in 55 seconds over Indianapolis' Alex Williams. Following with a 16-4 win by major decision and 4-3 win by decision, Ellis held off second-seeded John Wise of Illinois, 6-5, to earn his first Missouri Open title.

Wright, who wrestled at 165 pounds, opened the tournament with a bye and went on to finish 4-0 outscoring his opponents 18-6, and winning his first Freshman Sophomore Division title with a 3-1 sudden victory decision.

The Tigers will have two weeks to prepare for the 26th annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 in Las Vegas, Nev. Missouri looks to defend its 2006 title, while Askren will make his second run at a title at 197 pounds.

Open Division Championship Results
Wt. Wrestler vs. Wrestler
125 Brandon Precin (Northwestern) Dec. James Nicholson (Old Dominion): 4-2
133 Jimmy Kennedy (Illinois) Med For. Kyle Hutter (Old Dominion)
141 Zack Bailey (Oklahoma- UN) Dec. Ryan Williams (Old Dominion): 6-2
149 Ryan Lang (Northwestern-UN) Fall Kyle Baxter (Old Dominion): :.31
157 Michael Chandler (MU) Forfeit Mark Dickman (Unattached)
165 Nick Marable (MU) Fall Roger Smith Bergsrud (Illinois): :46
174 John Dergo (Illinois) Dec. James Williamson (MU): 5-1
184 Raymond Jordan (MU) Dec. Jesse Strawn (Old Dominion): 7-4
197 Maxwell Askren (MU) Dec. Eric Lapotsky (Oklahoma): 4-2
HWT Mark Ellis (MU) Dec. John Wise (Illinois): 6-5

Missouri Finishes
OPEN DIVISION
125: Troy Dolan 3rd
125: John Olanowski 4th
141: Marcus Hoehn 3rd
141: Willie Saxton 4th
141: Vince Hannon 6th
157: Michael Chandler 1st
157: Andrew Sherry 6th
165: Nick Marable 1st
174: James Williamson 2nd
174: Joey Garrity 6th
184: Raymond Jordan 1st
197: Maxwell Askren 1st

197: Trevor Collins 5th HWT: Mark Ellis 1st