Wrestling: Cunanan Edged
March 21, 2003 09:00 PM | General
March 21, 2003
KANSAS CITY – Shane Cunanan’s terrific run through the championship bracket halted Friday night when he was edged 4-3 by Northern Iowa’s Dylan Long in the semifinals of the NCAA championships.
Cunanan scored the first points of the match by starting the second period with an escape followed by a takedown in the second. However, Long countered with an escape and a takedown on the edge of the mat as time expired to end the second period 3-3.
Long chose to start the third period down and Cunanan did not waste much time trying to ride and quickly allowed Long to escape. Cunanan kept applying pressure but Long was able to avoid his offensive attempts. Long was warned for stalling with 20 seconds left in the third period as he continued to protect his one point lead. Cunanan was unable to register a takedown or another stalling call on Long as time expired.
In the third round of wrestle-backs, Brandon Lauer (133) earned automatic All-American honors by defeating Tom Clum of Wisconsin in a wild 15-13 overtime match. Leading 9-6 heading into the third, Lauer vaulted ahead 12-6 with an escape and a takedown.
This marks the first time since 1999 that WVU has had multiple All-Americans.
In the consolation quarterfinals, Zach Roberson of Iowa State avenged his earlier loss to Lauer with a 16-1 technical fall at 4:09. Despite the loss, Lauer will wrestle for seventh place tomorrow morning.
However Clum mounted a furious late rally managing a reversal (with Lauer getting the escape point), a takedown and three near fall points to tie the score 13-13 as regulation expired. Lauer took care of business quickly grabbing a leg for a takedown just four seconds in the sudden death period overtime period.
Billy Smith (149) was eliminated just one win shy of All-American status losing 6-4 to Ohio’s Jake Percival. Smith scored an early takedown but Percival took over from there scoring two takedowns, an escape and earning the riding point.
Heavyweight Brent Miller fell just short of his All-America bid losing 7-3 to Matt Feast of Penn. Miller could not get any offense against the tournament’s sixth seed managing just escapes. Feast scored three takedowns and earned the riding point to claim the victory.
Miller was one win shy of All-America honors last season as a 197-pounder.
Championship Semifinals
141 – #3 Dylan Long (Northern Iowa) dec. Shane Cunanan (WV), 4-3
Consolation Third Round
133 – Brandon Lauer (WV) dec. Tom Clum (Wisconsin), 15-13 sv
149 – #4 Jake Percival (Ohio) dec. Billy Smith (WV), 6-4
HWT – #6 Matt Feast (Penn) dec. #12 Brent Miller (WV), 7-3
Consolation Quarterfinals
133 -- #5 Zach Roberson (Iowa State) tech fall Brandon Lauer (WV), 16-1 (4:09)
