My boy Nick had a long day in Omaha wrestling 8 matches
SDSU at Kauffman Brand Open OMAHA, Neb. - The South Dakota State wrestling team took home two championships and two fifth-place finishes at the Kaufman/Brand Open Saturday night. The tournament was hosted by the University of Nebraska-Omaha and is one of the largest wrestling tournaments in the nation.
Ninth rated (Intermat) Tyler Sorenson continued his rampant pace taking home the 197-pound title in the Elite Division. Sorenson won his first two matches by fall before battling through a pair of decisions, including a 10-9 decision over Jacob Marrs of UNO in the championship. Sorenson improves his overall record to 12-2 on the season, winning his second tournament title of the season.
Also in the Elite Division, Aaron Pickrel grabbed a fifth-place finish with a 7-5 decision over Pat Hunter Iowa Central Community College. Pickrel won his first two matches before falling in the championship bracket. He then lost in wrestlebacks before defeating Hunter. Pickrel has a team-high 14 wins on the season to only four loses.
Dustin Walraven took home a first-place finish in the Amateur Division at 141 pounds. Walraven compiled a 4-0 record, winning three matches by decision and one by fall. He defeated Bart Reiter, unattached from the University of Minnesota, 3-2 in the championship match. Walraven improves to 10-3 overall.
In the 157-pound Amateur Division,
Nick Flynn earned a fifth-place finish with a win over Tyler Kottas of UNO by a 3-2 decision. Flynn won his first match by fall in 43 seconds before dropping into wrestlebacks where he won four matches in a row on his way to fifth place. Overall at the tournament, Flynn posted a 6-2 record and is now 11-6 this season.
Also competing for the Jacks in the Elite Division was Weston Blasius who went 0-2 on the day. In the Amateur Division, Tyler Johnson (0-2), Nick Hagar (0-2), Ted Kruger (1-2), Joe Rasmussen (2-2) and Bryce Drefke (2-2) also competed.
The Jacks return to the mat over the Thanksgiving Break at the Indian Duals where they will take on Indiana, Northern Illinois, Cal State-Fullerton, Liberty and Tennessee Chattanooga.
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Mike Fynn
