Dana Wins GPAC Wrestling Championship
Dana College Wins GPAC Wrestling Tournament
Mitchell, S.D. — Dana College scored 124.5 team points and had five of the ten individual champions at the 2007 Great Plains Athletic Conference Championships on Saturday (Feb. 10) at the Christen Wellness Center on the Dakota Wesleyan University campus at Mitchell, S.D. Dana senior Terrence Almond was the 141 pound champion and was named the 2007 GPAC Outstanding Wrestler. Almond won by technical fall in the finals and had a pin in the semifinals. Dana head coach Richard Fergola was named the 2007 GPAC Coach of the year. The remaining All-GPAC team will be announced early next week. Northwestern scored 84.5 points and had two individual champions to finish as the runner-up. Morningside had 76.5 points with one champion followed by Dakota Wesleyan with 48.0 and a champion, Sioux Falls with 33.0 and a champion and Briar Cliff finished with 27 points. Dana had co-champions at 125 with Matt Jacobson and Craig Trampe, with Jacobson being crowned champion without them wrestling. Other champions for Dana College were Brian Graham at 149 pounds, Dan Pray at 157 and Wade Jordan at 197. The Vikings had a technical fall, two major decisions and a decision in the championships. Eight of the 12 Dana wrestlers made it to the finals. Northwestern's Jordan Keckler got a decision win in the 133 championship and Enock Francois has a major decision win for the Red Raiders championship victories. Returning All-American Jake Stevenson from Morningside picked up a technical fall victory in the 184 pound championship to give the Mustangs an individual title. For Dakota Wesleyan, heavyweight Lionel Riley defended his GPAC title by winning the championship with three pins on the day. Freshman Brett Jarmen got a decision win at 165 to give Sioux Falls their champion. All six GPAC schools will be in action next weekend at Dickinson, N.D., when they take part in the NAIA Regional Tournament.
2007 GPAC Championship Matches
125: Matt Jacobson (DAN) won by forfeit over Craig Trampe (DAN)
133: Jordan Keckler (NOR) d. Chris Utesch (MOR); 6-2
141: Terrence Almond (DAN) d. Jared Pickett (MOR); Tech Fall, 5:33
149: Brian Graham (DAN) d. Thomas Konechne (DWU); 13-4
157: Dan Pray (DAN) d. Spencer Novotny (DWU); 9-4
165: Brett Jarmen (USF) d. Bulla Tuzon (DAN); 5-4
174: Enock Francois (NOR) d. Weston Frahm (MOR); 12-3
184: Jake Stevenson (MOR) d. Jordaryl Logan (BCU); Tech Fall, 6:39
197: Wade Jordan (DAN); Andrew Lundgren (NOR); 13-2
HWT: Lionel Riley (DWU) pinned Jesse Boggs (DAN); 4:20
Final Team Standings
1-Dana 124.5
2-Northwestern 84.5
3-Morningside 76.5
4-Dakota Wesleyan 48.0
5-Sioux Falls 33.0
6-Briar Cliff 27.0
