Dec. 1, 2007
Las Vegas, Nev.. -The seventh-ranked Missouri wrestling team fell three points shy of defending its Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational Title, finishing second (125) to No. 10 Michigan (127.5). Sophomore heavyweight Mark Ellis (Peculiar, Mo.) earned Missouri's second consecutive Gorarrian Award honor for most falls in the tournament. Last season Ben Askren was the recipient.
Seven Tiger grapplers finished among the top eight of their respective weight class with three, redshirt freshman Tony Pescaglia (125, Columbia, Mo.), sophomore Nicholas Marable (165, Collierville, Tenn.) and sophomore Maxwell Askren (197, Hartland, Wis.) advancing to the championship finals of their weight class.
Pescaglia was the first Tiger to compete in the championship finals of the prestigious two-day event. After winning by default to No. 1 Paul Donahoe of Nebraska in the semi-finals, Pescaglia suffered a 9-7 loss to fourth-ranked Tanner Garnder of Stanford and finished second. Pescaglia wrapped up the tournament with a 5-1 record that included wins over No. 6 Collin Cudd of Wisconsin and No. 11 Gabe Flores of Illinois becoming the first Missouri wrestler in over five years to advance to the finals of the 125 pound bracket. Pescaglia's top-eight showing also marks the third straight season that a Missouri redshirt freshman advanced to and competed in the championship finals.
Next in the finals was Marable at 165 pounds. After recording five straight wins, eighth-ranked Marable dropped a 7-4 decision to current No. 1 ranked Eric Tannembaum of Michigan. Tannenbaum, a 2007 All-American, gave Marable his first loss on the year and only the ninth loss of his still young Tiger career.
After pinning three of his first four opponents at the tournament, Askren himself was pinned in the title round. Wrestling eighth-ranked Dallas Herbst of Wisconsin, Askren was stuck with 13 seconds remaining in the match.
Improving on his sixth place showing from one year ago, junior Raymond Jordan (New Bern, N.C.) captured third after besting Rider's Doug Umbehauer in the 184 pound medal round. Jordan, ranked fifth in the nation, held off Umbehauer for the second time of the year to improve to 10-1 on the campaign. Competing in Missouri's season-opening dual, Nov. 9, Jordan won by technical fall, 22-7.
Finishing sixth at 157 pounds, junior Michael Chandler (High Ridge, Mo.) was one of seven Tigers to finish among the top eight of his weight class. Chandler battled through the consolation bracket after suffering a 4-3 loss to No. 20 Tyler Sherfey of Boise State in his second bout of Saturday's action. Rattling off three straight wins by decision, Chandler lost to second-ranked Craig Henning of Wisconsin but rebounded with a 6-1 win by decision over Jeff Marsh of Michigan. In the end, Chandler was shut out by Sherfey, 6-0, to finish the day in sixth.
Two Tigers, junior Marcus Hoehn (Farmington, Mo.) and Ellis finished seventh in their respective brackets. Hoehn, wrestling at 141 pounds, finished the two-day tournament with a 6-2 record. Holding off Boise State's Levi Jones, 6-3, Hoehn earned his first Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational top-eight honor. Hoehn's only losses of the tournament came to ranked opponents, No. 4 Jeff Jaggers of Ohio State and No. 14 Joe Caramanica of North Carolina State.
Wrestling at heavyweight, Ellis earned his seventh place finish by pinning Pittsburgh's Zach Schaeffer in 49 seconds. The fall was Ellis' fourth of the two-day tournament and his fastest on the season.
The Tigers will compete in their third dual of the season when they take on Tennessee Chattanooga, Sunday, Dec. 16 at Noon (CT). Missouri closes outs the 2007 calendar year with a Dec. 19 road dual with Pittsburgh.
125 Pounds: Tony Pescaglia (5-1) Tournament Finish 2nd
Tony Pescaglia (MU) decision Dan Kelly (Harvard): 7-3
Tony Pescaglia (MU) decision #6 Collin Cudd (Wisconsin): 12-6
Tony Pescaglia (MU) major decision Taylor Cummings (NC State): 11-2
Tony Pescaglia (MU) decision #11 Gabe Flores (Illinois): 8-4
Tony Pescaglia (MU) default #1 Paul Donahoe (NU)
First Place: #4 Tanner Gardner (Stanford) decision Tony Pescaglia (MU): 9-7
133 Pounds: Nick Velliquette (1-2)
Nick Velliquette (MU) decision Franky Villaescusa (Embry-Riddle): 5-4
Chris Diehl (Michigan) decision Nick Velliquette (MU): 6-0
Todd Schaviren (Arizona State) decision Nick Velliquette (MU): 4-3
141 Pounds: Marcus Hoehn (6-2) Tournament Finish 7th
Marcus Hoehn (MU) major decision Chris Harris (North Idaho): 13-5
Marcus Hoehn (MU) decision Randy Aguirre (San Francisco State): 6-3
#5 Jeff Jaggers (Ohio State) decision Marcus Hoehn (MU): 4-2
Marcus Hoehn (MU) decision Jeff Rutledge (Nebraska-Kearney): 6-5
Marcus Hoehn (MU) Nick Stable (North Carolina): 3-2
Marcus Hoehn (MU) decision Sal Trico (Columbia University): 3-2
#14 Joe Caramanica (N.C. State) decision Marcus Hoehn (MU): 5-4
7th Place: Marcus Hoehn (MU) decision Levi Jones (Boise State): 6-3
149 Pounds: Josh Wagner (3-2)
Bryce Saddoris (Navy) decision #10 Josh Wagner (MU): 4-3
#10 Josh Wagner (MU) fall Ali Lockett (San Franciso State): 26
#10 Josh Wagner (MU) fall Mark Bloom (Brown): 4:44
#10 Josh Wagner (MU) decision #19 Cesar Grajales (Penn): 2-0
#8 Jordan Burroughs (NU) decision #10 Josh Wagner (MU): 8-3
157 Pounds: Michael Chandler (5-3) Tournament Finish 6th
#12 Michael Chandler (MU) technical fall Devin Velasquez (Cal State-Fullerton): 16-1
#20 Tyler Sherfey (Boise State) decision #12 Michael Chandler (MU):4-3
#12 Michael Chandler (MU) decision Nick Bertucci (Purdue): 7-4
#12 Michael Chandler (MU) decision Daniel Brascetta (Oregon State): 5-4
#12 Michael Chandler (MU) decision Josh Zupancic (Stanford): 7-3
#2 Craig Henning (Wisconsin) fall #12 Michael Chandler (MU): 3:03
#12 Michael Chandler decision #17 Jeff Marsh (Michigan): 6-1
Fifth Place: #20 Tyler Sherfey (Boise State) decision #12 Michael Chandler (MU): 4-0
165 Pounds: Nicholas Marable (5-1) Tournament Finish 2nd
#8 Nicholas Marable (MU) major decision Michael Darling (Rider): 8-0
#8 Nicholas Marable (MU) win by default Nathan McClain (Colorado SOM): NS
Nicholas Marable (MU) technical fall Devin Velasquez (Cal State-Fullerton): 16-1
Nicholas Marable (MU) decision Kurt Swatz (Boise State): 5-3
Nicholas Marable (MU) decision Jarrod King (Edinboro): 3-1
Finals: No. 1 Eric Tannenbaum (Michigan) decision Nicholas Marable (MU): 7-4
174 Pounds: James Williamson (3-2)
James Williamson (MU) Randy Goodman (N.C. State): 3-2
James Williamson (MU) decision Tyler Roushan (Boise State) 8-7
Chance Litton (West Virginia) decision James Williamson (MU) 3-1
James Williamson (MU) decision Mike Rasura (Buffalo): 4-2
Nick Corpe (Purdue) decision James Williamson (MU): 6-4
184 Pounds: Raymond Jordan (4-1) Tournament Finish 3rd
#5 Raymond Jordan (MU) major decision Kenji Porter (Columbia University): 17-4
#5Raymond Jordan (MU) decision Matt Carperson (Boise State): 3-2
#5 Raymond Jordan (MU) major decision #10 Trevor Brandvold (Wisconsin): 13-2
#3 Mike Pucillo (Ohio State) decision #5 Raymond Jordan (MU): 7-2
#5 Raymond Jordan (MU) decision Vince Jones (NU): 8-4
Third Place: #5 Raymond Jordan decision Doug Umbehauer (Rider): 5-2
197 Pounds: Maxwell Askren: (4-1) Tournament Finish
#7 Maxwell Askren (MU) fall Branden Stearns (Brown): 5:37
#7 Maxwell Askren (MU) fall Dave Crowell (Pittsburgh): 2:24
#7 Maxwell Askren (MU) fall #17 Pat Bradshaw (Edinboro): 3:31
#7 Maxwell Askren (MU) decision #13 Patrick Bond (Illinois): 2-0
Finals: #8 Dallas Herbst (Wisconsin) fall #7 Maxwell Askren (MU): 6:47
HWT: Mark Ellis (5-2) Tournament Finish 7th
#20 T.J. Morrison (Rider) decision #11 Mark Ellis (MU): 3-1
Mark Ellis (MU) decision Travis Gardner (Oregon State): 6-0
Mark Ellis (MU) fall Jesse Boggs (New Mexico Highlands Univ.) 2:37
Mark Ellis (MU) fall Nick Smith (Boise State): 1:01
Mark Ellis (MU) fall Edward Prendergast (Navy): 3:54
John Wise (Illinois) decision Mark Ellis (MU): 4-1
Seventh Place: Mark Ellis (MU) fall Zach Schaeffer (Pittsburgh): 49
Wt. Wrestler Season Career
125: Tony Pescaglia 6-2 6-2
133: Nick Velliquette 1-8 1-8
141: Marcus Hoehn 11-4 29-21
149: Josh Wagner 5-3 69-40
157: Michael Chandler 10-3 53-29
165: Nicholas Marable 11-1 37-9
174: James Williamson 8-4 55-23
184: Raymond Jordan 10-1 72-19
197: Maxwell Askren 9-2 37-5
HWT: Mark Ellis 11-2 27-13
-MU-