Team Scores |
Final Brackets
La Crosse, WI – Messiah wrestling collected four All-Americans, including both a National Champion and a National Runner-Up, and finished fifth overall at the NCAA Division III National Championships this weekend.
Lucas Malmberg (Champion, 125) and
Ben Swarr (Runner-Up, 174) led six qualifiers, with
Larry Cannon (165) and
Kyle Koser (197) finished as All-Americans.
Wartburg scored 129.5 points to win their 13th National Championship, and Augsburg (79.0), Wabash (62.5), Johnson & Wales (61.5), and Messiah (56.0) rounded out the top five teams.
The fifth place finish is the third-best in program history behind 2016 (second) and 2014 (third). The four All-Americans tied both 2013 and 2015 for third-most in program history behind 2014 (five) and 2016 (six).
Malmberg Defends National Title
Senior
Lucas Malmberg became the Falcons' all-time wins leader on Saturday morning, and Saturday evening he defended his National Championship with a 5-1 decision over Zachary Beckner of Ferrum. Malmberg collected a takedown midway through the first period and also a nearfall in the second period to build his advantage, and it was all he needed to hold off Beckner for the title win.
"It's a little overwhelming," Malmberg said of the victory. "It's a great, great blessing."
Beckner's only point in the bout came via an escape in the first period and, other than that, Malmberg played the aggressor and managed to avoid his opponent's attacks.
"That's my style, to constantly attack, and to stay in control," Malmberg said of his approach and plan against Beckner. "I was thinking mainly of my own plan. I knew (Beckner) kept matches close and he was a little funky, so I just tried to keep a low stance and keep attacking like I have all year."
The title win for Malmberg was his second in as many years, and he also reached the National Final in his freshman and sophomore seasons. In each of those seasons he was unable to dethrone the nation's top wrestler, Mike Fuenffinger of Augsburg. Asked about the irony of facing Becker, a first-year wrestler who was trying to take down a top-ranked opponent, Malmberg chuckled.
"This is a tough tournament, and it doesn't matter what year you look at. There's always tough competitors, and you have to bring you're 'A-game' every time out."
Malmberg finished the season with a record of 44-3, and a career record of 174-13.
DeVos Avenges Title Loss, Swarr Finishes National Runner-Up
In a highly-anticipated rematch of last year's National Champion at 174—a 3-1 win by Swarr—Augsburg's Eric DeVos scored six early points en route to his first National Championship. DeVos collected a takedown and a four-point nearfall just over a minute into the opening period, and Swarr was in the hole the rest of the way.
DeVos, who finished the season with a perfect 22-0 record, could not be caught in the third period as Swarr was forced to find any way possible to score points. A quick turn by DeVos and takedown in the final minute sealed the match and it ended 10-1.
Swarr finished the year 38-4 record. As mentioned, this was his second All-American honor following last season's title.
Saturday Morning Session Review
125 – Lucas Malmberg
Session 3: In a rematch of last year's National Semifinal
Lucas Malmberg once again defeated Wartburg's Arnulfo Olea to move into the National Championship. Malmberg got an early takedown against Arnulfo and collected more than a minute of riding time before the Wartburg senior managed to escape for a point. In the second period Malmberg broke it open with another takedown and a four-point nearfall to go up 8-1. Arnulfo scored his final points with a takedown in the final 30 seconds, but the bout was in hand as Malmberg won 9-3 to advance into his fourth National Final in four years with the Falcons.
Of note, Malmberg is only the second-ever wrestler in Middle Atlantic Conferences (MAC) history to qualify for four National Finals, joining Shaun Smith of Delaware Valley (1985-87, 89).
Malmberg will now face Zachary Beckner of Ferrum College. The first-year wrestler and former Division I Virginia Tech signee advanced to the final with a 5-2 decision against Zac Denny of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
165 – Larry Cannon
Session 3: In a highly-anticipated rematch of this year's Wheaton Invitational Championship, Logan Hermsen of Wisconsin-Stevens Point took a decision over
Larry Cannon by the same score, 8-4. Hermsen, the nation's No. 1 wrestler at 165, used a third period takedown to break a 4-4 score en route to the win.
The match was electric from the start as Cannon shot for Hermsen's legs at the whistle, with Hermsen recovering quickly to collect the takedown himself. After Cannon escaped for a point, the bout moved into the second period where Hermsen led 4-1 with a minute to go. Then, Cannon came up with a huge takedown to even the score, and the bout moved to the final frame where Cannon evened it 4-4 with an escape. Now tied, Hermsen took Cannon down to his side, but the Messiah senior avoided the takedown as the two locked and scrambled, with each looking for a chance to score. That momentum-grabbing score came from Hermsen with just over 30 seconds to go as he worked behind Cannon for the go-ahead takedown. He scored a nearfall in the final seconds to seal the match.
The loss sent Cannon into a rematch with Nolan Barger of Lycoming; Cannon and Barger had faced each other four times already this season, the most recent coming at the Mideast Region Championship, where Cannon led 6-1 in the opening period before Barger forfeited due to injury. Today, Cannon got the better of Barger once again, pushing his record against his foe to 4-1 this season and simultaneously sending him into the third place match.
Cannon scored a takedown over Barger in the first period, but a second period four-point nearfall was a big play as he also collected 90 seconds of riding time en route to building a 7-2 lead. In the final seconds Cannon scored another takedown to put an exclamation point on the win.
Cannon's major over Barger sent him into the third place match against Lucas Jeske of Augsburg, and it started well for Cannon when he picked up a takedown less than a minute into the bout. But Jeske escaped and, moments, later, took Cannon down; Jeske locked Cannon's head in the takedown and Cannon rolled onto his shoulders where Jeske took advantage for the fall.
The bout ended Cannon's season and career as a back-to-back All-American, both being fourth place finishes.
174 – Ben Swarr
Session 3: The National Semifinal was a match-up of defending National Champion
Ben Swarr and the MAC Champion from earlier this season, Benjamin Schweiger of Delaware Valley. Swarr, who did not compete in the MAC Championships due to injury, scored an early takedown to take a lead, and he quickly followed that up with a nearfall for a 4-0 advantage.
Swarr was hit with a stall warning early in the third, but his mid-period takedown and three-plus minutes of riding time sealed the bout, 9-2, as Schweiger was unable to generate any attack.
The National Final will be a rematch of last year's bout: Swarr and Eric DeVos of Wartburg.
197 – Kyle Koser
Session 3: In a rematch of the Mideast Region Championship—a 7-1 win by Koser—No. 7 Triston Engle of Brockport earned revenge with a fall (2:45) over the Messiah junior. Koser went up 2-0 with an early takedown, but Engle soon went up 3-2 with an escape and takedown of his own. In the second period Koser was on his feet with Engle's leg in hand, but Engle turned as the two went down and it was Koser in the compromised position. A quick adjustment later and Engle had Koser pinned to end the match.
The loss dropped Koser into the seventh/eighth place bout against Kace Hutchinson of Greensboro, and Koser finished his season with a win for seventh overall. He was the first to score by way of a first period takedown, but a takedown by Hutchinson tied the match in the second period and it was 4-4 early in the third. There, Koser came up with a bout-shifting takedown on the edge of the circle, and he rode Hutchinson to the end and picked up the extra point.
The All-American finish is a first for Koser.
