CORALVILLE, Iowa - Without an NCAA Division III National Championship to play for this season, the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) stepped up to put on a National Championship experience for Division III wrestlers. On Friday, the Messiah wrestling team competed in Day One of the NWCA Division III National Tournament with 10 wrestlers on the mats.
 
By the end of a marathon day of wrestling, Garret Cornell (157 lbs.), Brian Shermeyer (174 lbs.), and David Stevens (184 lbs.) were left standing for the Falcons, earning All-American honors. Brian Shermeyer is the lone Falcon still eying a National Championship as he has advanced into the National Semifinals.
 
Both Garret Cornell and David Stevens suffered setbacks earlier in the day, but battled their way through the Consolation Bracket to earn All-American status heading into Day Two of the Tournament.
 
Shermeyer earned three-straight victories with a fall, major decision, and a decision to earn his spot in the National Semifinals where he will square off with top-seeded Kyle Briggs (Wartburg) with a trip to the Finals on the line.
 
Outside of the All-American trio, Messiah had strong showings up and down their line-up. Nick Barnhart (157 lbs.) upset two seeded wrestlers with falls in his first two matches of the day, advancing to the quarterfinals before seeing his run come to an end. Matt Pangle had a similar journey at 165 lbs., advancing to the quarterfinals with a pair of decisions, before dropping two-straight matches. Carter Urich (285 lbs.) was also one win away from All-American status after fighting through the consolation bracket, earning a major decision and a fall on the day.
 
Cornell, Shermeyer, and Stevens will be in action tomorrow morning for Day Two of the NWCA Tournament. The second day of the Tournament will begin at 12:00 p.m. CT/1:00 p.m. ET. Fans are encouraged to follow GoMessiah.com and @MessiahSports on Twitter for complete information on the Tournament.
 
See below for a quick snapshot of each Falcon's journey through the brackets.
 
125 lbs. - Asa Brunk
Championship First Round - No. 4 Brady Kyner (Wartburg) maj. dec. (17-3) over Asa Brunk
Consolation Round of 16 #1 - Jorden Zigo (Mount St. Joseph) fall (2:15) over Asa Brunk
 
Asa Brunk had a tough draw against No. 4-ranked Brady Kyner from Wartburg in his first match. Brunk hung tough and lasted the entirety of the bout, eventually dropping a 17-3 major decision. In his consolation match, Brunk saw his Tournament run come to an end against Jorden Zigo from Mount St. Joseph.
 
133 lbs. - No. 5 Josiah Gehr
Championship First Round - Josiah Gehr dec. (8-2) over Aaron Freidhof (Southern Virginia)
Championship Second Round - No. 12 Zach Thompson (Loras) dec. (8-4) over Josiah Gehr
Consolation Round of 16 #2 - Josiah Gehr dec. (7-6) over Nathaniel McClanahan (Mount St. Joseph)
Consolation Round of 8 #1 - No. 3 Eron Haynes (Nebraska Wesleyan) maj. dec. (9-0) over Josiah Gehr
 
Josiah Gehr competed in twice as many matches on Friday as he did the entire regular season. The fifth-seeded wrestler at 133 lbs. showed well in an 8-2 decision over Aaron Freidhof from Southern Virginia, earning reversals in the first and second period before a set of near falls in the third finished off the victory.
 
Battling an injury, Gehr dropped his second match of the day against No. 12 Zach Thompson (Loras) by an 8-4 final, but the junior was not done fighting. Gehr went on to claim a gutty 7-6 decision over Nathaniel McClanahan (Mount St. Joseph) thanks to a key reversal and late takedown in the final minute of the third. In the Consolation Round of 8 #1, Gehr ran out of steam, falling to No. 3 Eron Haynes (Nebraska Wesleyan) by a 9-0 final.
 
141 lbs. - Dalton Daugherty
Championship First Round - No. 6 Brandon Woody (Averett) fall (4:32) over Dalton Daugherty
Consolation Round of 16 #1 - Dalton Daugherty tech fall (16-0, 3:35) over Jonathan Thomas (Buena Vista)
Consolation Round of 16 #2 - No. 5 Kyle Slendorn (Stevens) dec. (3-1) over Dalton Daugherty
 
Like Brunk at 125 lbs., Dalton Daugherty did not have luck on his side when the draws came out, pitted against No. 6 Brandon Woody (Averett) in the opening round. Daugherty had Woody in a dangerous spot in the middle of the second period, jacking one of his legs up, but Woody snagged Daugherty's ankle and earned the takedown and later the fall.
 
Daugherty bounced right back with a dominating 16-0 technical fall of Jonathan Thomas (Buena Vista). Daugherty earned a takedown and three sets of nearfall points in the first period to take a 12-0 lead after three minutes. Another set of nearfall points early in the second gave him the technical fall in 3:35 by a score of 16-0. A low-scoring battle against No. 5 Kyle Slendorn (Stevens) ensued with Slendorn earning a reversal midway through the third period to claim the 3-1 decision.
 
149 lbs. - No. 7 Garret Cornell
Championship First Round - Garret Cornell fall (4:37) over Mason Priest (Alma)
Championship Second Round - No. 10 Hunter Murphy (Olivet) dec. (11-5) over Garret Cornell
Consolation Round of 16 #2 - Garret Cornell fall (3:33) over Mark Roberts (Iowa Wesleyan)
Consolation Round of 8 #1 - Garret Cornell fall (0:54) over Lucas Rehnier (Concordia-Wis.)
Consolation Round of 8 #2 - Garret Cornell fall (4:49) over No. 5 Robert Areyano (Central)
 
Garret Cornell lived up to his reputation as a pinner on Friday afternoon. The Messiah sophomore wrestled five times on Friday, going 4-1 on the day with four falls to his name. His victims included Mason Priest (Alma) in 4:37, Mark Roberts (Iowa Wesleyan) in 3:33, Lucas Rehnier (Concordia-Wis.) in 54 seconds, and No. 5 Robert Areyano (Central) in 4:49. While Cornell did drop his Second-Round match against No. 10 Hunter Murphy (Olivet) by an 11-5 decision, he more than made up for it with three-straight falls in the consolation bracket.
 
His most impressive fall may have come against No. 5 Robert Areyano from Central in the All-American Round. Trailing 4-0 in the middle of the second period, Cornell earned a quick reversal and bullied Areyano to his back to earn the fall with just seconds left in the second period to stay alive in the Tournament and claim the All-American nod.
 
157 lbs. - Nick Barnhart
Championship First Round - Nick Barnhart fall (4:54) over No. 10 Liam Corbett (Dubuque)
Championship Second Round - Nick Barnhart fall (4:36) over No. 7 Jayce Kuehnlein (Alma)
Championship Quarterfinals - No. 2 David Hollingsworth (Wartburg) dec. (8-6) over Nick Barnhart
Consolation Round of 8 #2 - No. 12 Anthony Ulaszek (Coast Guard) fall (1:06) over Nick Barnhart
 
Unseeded Nick Barnhart was stellar against his ranked foes on Friday earning second-period falls over No. 10 Liam Corbett (Dubuque) and No. 7 Jayce Kuehnlein (Alma) to advance to the Quarterfinals. Against Corbett, Barnhart trailed 2-1 after the first, but earned a late takedown in the second before beating the second-period buzzer with the fall. In his second match against Kuehnlein, Barnhart was out in front. He led 4-0 after the opening period, but had to fight off back points in the middle of the second. A reversal in the middle of the period allowed him to get the fall with 24 seconds left before the third.
 
Barnhart did not back down in his Quarterfinal battle with second-seeded David Hollingsworth (Wartburg), earning the first takedown of the match. Hollingsworth earned a reversal, two nearfall points, and a pair of takedowns to earn an 8-4 lead at the end of the first. While Barnhart picked up a second-period escape and a stalling point in the third, he fell just short by an 8-6 decision. Facing his third ranked opponent in the All-American round, Barnhart ran out of steam, falling to No. 12 Anthony Ulaszek (Coast Guard) by way of a first-period pin.
 
165 lbs. - No. 7 Matt Pangle
Championship First Round - Matt Pangle dec. (7-3) over Garret Bruce (Buena Vista)
Championship Second Round - Matt Pangle dec. (5-2) over No. 10 Morgan Peterson (Southern Virginia)
Championship Quarterfinals - No. 2 Phillip Rogers (Coast Guard) fall (4:17) over Matt Pangle
Consolation Round of 8 #2 - No. 5 Rafael Roman dec. (5-4) over Matt Pangle
 
Matt Pangle started his Tournament with a pair of decisions over Garret Bruce (Buena Vista) and Morgan Peterson (Southern Virginia) to advance to the Quarterfinals. Against Bruce, Pangle earned the final four points of the match, including a bout-clinching takedown late in the third en route to the 7-3 decision. In the Second Round against Peterson, Pangle earned the only takedown of the match in the third period to clinch the 5-2 decision, advancing him to the Quarterfinals.
 
A fall from No. 2 Phillip Rogers (Coast Guard) in the Quarterfinals sent him to the consolation bracket. In the All-American Round, Pangle dueled with No. 5 Rafael Roman (North Central), but suffered a tough 5-4 setback ending his run in the tournament. Pangle did everything he could to turn Roman in the final period, earning a pair of stalling calls, but Roman would not budge and he dropped the match by a 5-4 decision.
 
174 lbs. - No. 4 Brian Shermeyer
Championship First Round - Brian Shermeyer fall (2:20) over Talan Mcgill (Nebraska Wesleyan)
Championship Second Round - Brian Shermeyer maj. dec. (14-2) over Christian Wilson (Central)
Championship Quarterfinals - Brian Shermeyer dec. (7-2) over George Moseley (Averett)
 
Brian Shermeyer was the lone Falcon to stay perfect on the day, claiming three-straight victories to move into the Semifinals. Shermeyer made quick work of Talan Mcgill (Nebraska Wesleyan) in the opening round, earning a takedown and eight nearfall points in the first two minutes of the match before putting him on his back for the fall in 2:20. It was much of the same from Shermeyer in the Second Round with a 14-2 major decision over Christian Wilson (Central), moving him into a rematch of his last competitive match prior to this weekend against George Moseley of Averett.
 
In a recent battle, Shermeyer pinned Moseley late in the third period in a dual against Averett in Hitchcock Arena nearly two weeks ago. While he did not get the fall of Moseley this afternoon, Shermeyer did clinch a 7-2 decision to advance to the Semifinals and clinch an All-American honor in the process.
 
184 lbs. - No. 3 David Stevens
Championship First Round - Bye
Championship Second Round - David Stevens dec. (11-5) over Josh Bush (Augustana)
Championship Quarterfinals - No. 6 Ira Kuehn (Luther) dec. (3-2) over David Stevens
Consolation Round of 8 #2 - David Stevens dec. (3-2) over No. 9 Cael Krueger (Wartburg)
 
David Stevens also clinched an All-American honor on Friday afternoon. After a bye moved him into the Second Round, Stevens battled from behind against Josh Bush (Augustana) to pick up an 11-5 decision. Stevens was taken down first against Bush, but quickly escaped and earned a takedown before claiming four nearfall points to lead 7-2 after the first. He grew the lead to as many as nine at 11-2 before Bush escaped and earned a late takedown for the 11-5 final score.
 
In a tight battle with No. 6 Ira Kuehn (Luther), Stevens was on the short end of a 3-2 decision, but flipped that score around against No. 9 Cael Krueger (Wartburg) in the All-American Round to earn the decision and clinch his spot in the action tomorrow.
 
197 lbs. - Spencer Clements
Championship First Round - Peyton Hammerich (Central) dec. (4-3) over Spencer Clements
Consolation Round of 16 #1 - Spencer Clements dec. (6-2) over Drake Stuhr (Nebraska Wesleyan)
Consolation Round of 16 #2 - No. 2 Logan Hagerbaumer (Millikin) fall (4:14) over Spencer Clements
 
Spencer Clements dropped a tight 4-3 decision against Central's Peyton Hammerich to start his Tournament. Clements earned a takedown in the middle of the third period to take a 3-2 lead, but Hammerich claimed a reversal and held on for the slim decision. Once in the consolation bracket, Clements picked up a 6-2 victory over Drake Stuhr (Nebraska Wesleyan). He earned the only takedowns of the match in the first and third periods.
 
Second-seeded Logan Hagerbaumer (Millikin) ended Clements run with a second-period fall in the Consolation Round of 16 #2.
 
285 lbs. - Carter Urich
Championship First Round - No. 4 Jordan Brandon (Wartburg) fall (1:44) over Carter Urich
Consolation Round of 16 #1 - Bye
Consolation Round of 16 #2 - Carter Urich maj. dec. (14-2) over Brendon Lunsford (Iowa Wesleyan)
Consolation Round of 8 #1 - Carter Urich fall (6:46) over No. 11 Brayan Reyes (Millikin)
Consolation Round of 8 #2 - No. 1 Nico Ramirez (Southern Virginia) fall (4:09) over Carter Urich
 
Carter Urich was pinned in his first match of the day, but turned around and advanced all the way to the All-American round behind some solid wrestling. After a bye in the first Consolation Round, Urich claimed a major decision over Brendon Lunsford (Iowa Wesleyan) by a 14-2 final score. Then a thrilling fall over Brayan Reyes (Millikin) followed to keep his tournament alive.
 
In his match against Reyes, Urich trailed 3-2 with just over 30 seconds remaining in the third period. Urich went for the big move, earning the takedown and getting the stick with just 14 seconds remaining in the match. After the big victory, Urich had to face the top-seeded wrestler in the 285 lbs. weight class, Nico Ramirez (Southern Virginia). Urich and Ramirez battled 0-0 through the opening period, but Ramirez put Urich on his back early in the second, claiming the pin and halting Urich's run through the bracket.

Related Videos

Now Playing:

• Play Video