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Tiger wrestlers head to championships
3/13/2008
By NICK McQUEEN
Hays Daily News
Through the course of four successful wrestling careers, James Annon, Blake Malloy, Danny Grater and Tyler Gonzales have enjoyed their fair share of medals, honors and even championships.
Now that the four members of the Fort Hays State University wrestling team have made it to the national tournament (three for the second time), it's all about taking that next step on the NCAA Division II level.
The four wrestlers will represent the Tigers at this weekend's Div. II Championships at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
"The postseason is always fun, but we're getting a little anxious," Tiger coach Cody Bickley said before the team left Wednesday for the pre-tournament festivities. "We've been sitting with a week off, so we're just anxious to get these four out there and get going."
Action starts at 11 a.m. Friday, and the tourney runs through Saturday.
The Tigers will get things started with Annon, a 141-pound junior with a 21-9 record. The Norton native and two-time high school state champion is making his second trip to the national tournament and will be seeking his first All-American award. Like the other three, Annon has a tough draw in Friday's first round, taking on defending national champion Kyle Evans of Central Oklahoma.
Annon has lost twice to Evans this season, but also had a signature win late in the season by knocking off No. 3 ranked Jeff Rutledge of Nebraska-Kearney, who is on the same side of the bracket.
"We have some tough draws, there's no doubt about it," Bickley said. "But, it's the national tournament, and that's to be expected."
In the 157-pound bracket, Grater also has a tough first round draw. Grater (21-10) will face three-time All-American Jason Rhoten (37-2) of Minnesota State-Mankato. The goal for all three, Bickley said, is getting up there on the podium. A top eight finish out of 16 wrestlers earns All-America status.
"Once guys have broke in there, it's almost like they can go ahead and take that next step," Bickley said.
Rarely does a wrestler goes from being a qualifier to national champion, but aiming for the podium is a feasible goal.
"What I'm excited about is three of these guys going have been there before," Bickley said. "We'd like to get them punched through, but we also get all of these guys back next year.
"For those guys that have been there, it's really about getting on the podium and breaking through -- getting to that top eight," he added.
Joining Grater as a returning qualifier, Gonzales (19-10), a 197-pounder, will face Ashland University's Josh Ohl (26-2) in Friday's first round. Gonzales qualified last season at 197 pounds.
The only Tiger there for the first time is Malloy at 174 pounds. Malloy, on paper, has a better draw in the first round, but on that level, Bickley said anything can happen, especially in the first round.
"Some guys tend to be a little more defensive (in the first round), because they don't want to go out there and screw up," Bickley said. "Once they get their confidence and relax a little bit, they're able to perform at a higher level."
The four qualifiers are numbers 36 through 39 to compete at the tourney under Bickley. During an eight-year span, Bickley has coached 12 All-Americans, and a pair of runner-up finishers. During his tenure, the Tigers have qualified no fewer than three wrestlers for nationals.
Assistant sports editor Nick McQueen can be reached at (785) 628-1081, Ext. 128, or by e-mail at nmcqueen@dailynews.net.
| Scoreboard | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Date | Opponent | Score |
| BB | 5/11 | Central Missouri | L 4-2 |
| BB | 5/10 | Missouri Western | W 4-3 |
| BB | 5/09 | Emporia State | L 6-5 |
| BB | 5/04 | Pittsburg State | W 17-5 |
| BB | 5/04 | Pittsburg State | L 4-3 |
| BB | 5/03 | Pittsburg State | L 15-7 |
| BB | 5/03 | Pittsburg State | L 5-4 |
| SB | 5/02 | Central Missouri | L 3-1 |
| SB | 5/02 | Missouri Western | W 3-2 |
| SB | 5/01 | Pittsburg State | W 6-0 |
