2008 Woodie Awards
Flu bug dooms MSU at No. 2 UNO
by Tyler Buckentine
Issue date: 2/12/08
Section: Mens Sports
As top-ranked Minnesota State got set to take on No. 2 Nebraska-Omaha, the dual looked so evenly matched that either team would hold any kind of advantage.
Then the flu bug hit the MSU wrestling room last week, putting the team at a definite disadvantage. MSU lost 32-7 in a North Central Conference dual Friday in front of 1,350 fans at Sapp Fieldhouse in Omaha, Neb.
Travis Elg (141 pounds) and Tommy Abbott (149 pounds) were sidelined with the flu, which both wrestlers struggled with the whole week leading up to the UNO dual.
"I don't want it to be an excuse," MSU coach Jim Makovsky said. "It can be a buzz kill when you have something big in front of you, then a few things don't go your way."
The match originally featured seven ranked wrestlers apiece, but with No. 4 Elg and No. 5 Abbott out, UNO had a stronger lineup.
The top two wrestlers at 125 pounds - No. 1 Cody Garcia (UNO) and No. 2 Nick Smith (MSU) - went head-to-head to start things off.
Garcia, who never wrestled against MSU in a dual, scored a pair of near falls as he dominated Smith, 15-3. Mario Morgan won a close match at 133 pounds, 6-5 over John Putman.
Haneberg, who normally wrestles at 133 pounds, filled in for Elg at 141, losing 9-4 to Sim Bribieseca. At 149 pounds, No. 1 Todd Meneely scored a flurry of takedowns, earning a major decision over Willy Mekeel, who filled in for Abbott.
As MSU faced a 14-0 deficit, one of its only bright spots came at 157 pounds, as No. 1 Jason Rhoten got a major decision over Henry Wahle.
It was Rhoten's 126th career win at MSU, tying Jack Eustice's record.
No. 4 Andy Pickar cut MSU's deficit in half with an 8-5 decision over No. 3 Aaron Denson, who beat Pickar at the National Duals in January.
MSU was now within reach of mounting a comeback, but UNO's No. 4 Ross Taplin dashed MSU's hopes when he pinned No. 8 Tim Matheson, extending UNO's lead to 13.
At 184 and 197 pounds, UNO was set with a pair of No. 2 ranked wrestlers. Brent Pankoke and Jacob Marrs earned nine points together to make the score 29-7, putting the dual away.
At heavyweight, No. 2 Brady Wilson was upset by No. 6 Tony Lewis 3-1 in double-overtime.
The loss snapped MSU's two-dual winning streak over UNO. MSU won 27-9 last season at the Taylor Center and 19-17 at the National Duals.
"We were out-wrestled, out-coached and who knows what else," Makovsky said.
"Short term, it's not what we wanted. Long term, if we learn something from it, respond and get tougher, then it's a good thing."
As if MSU's health situation couldn't get any worse, four upper-weight wrestlers - Matheson, Ben Becker, Tom Block, and Cory Harnitz - didn't practice Monday due to the flu.
MSU hopes to have all of its wrestlers healthy when it faces No. 9 Minnesota State-Moorhead Friday at the Taylor Center.
Tyler Buckentine is the Reporter sports editor
Then the flu bug hit the MSU wrestling room last week, putting the team at a definite disadvantage. MSU lost 32-7 in a North Central Conference dual Friday in front of 1,350 fans at Sapp Fieldhouse in Omaha, Neb.
Travis Elg (141 pounds) and Tommy Abbott (149 pounds) were sidelined with the flu, which both wrestlers struggled with the whole week leading up to the UNO dual.
"I don't want it to be an excuse," MSU coach Jim Makovsky said. "It can be a buzz kill when you have something big in front of you, then a few things don't go your way."
The match originally featured seven ranked wrestlers apiece, but with No. 4 Elg and No. 5 Abbott out, UNO had a stronger lineup.
The top two wrestlers at 125 pounds - No. 1 Cody Garcia (UNO) and No. 2 Nick Smith (MSU) - went head-to-head to start things off.
Garcia, who never wrestled against MSU in a dual, scored a pair of near falls as he dominated Smith, 15-3. Mario Morgan won a close match at 133 pounds, 6-5 over John Putman.
Haneberg, who normally wrestles at 133 pounds, filled in for Elg at 141, losing 9-4 to Sim Bribieseca. At 149 pounds, No. 1 Todd Meneely scored a flurry of takedowns, earning a major decision over Willy Mekeel, who filled in for Abbott.
As MSU faced a 14-0 deficit, one of its only bright spots came at 157 pounds, as No. 1 Jason Rhoten got a major decision over Henry Wahle.
It was Rhoten's 126th career win at MSU, tying Jack Eustice's record.
No. 4 Andy Pickar cut MSU's deficit in half with an 8-5 decision over No. 3 Aaron Denson, who beat Pickar at the National Duals in January.
MSU was now within reach of mounting a comeback, but UNO's No. 4 Ross Taplin dashed MSU's hopes when he pinned No. 8 Tim Matheson, extending UNO's lead to 13.
At 184 and 197 pounds, UNO was set with a pair of No. 2 ranked wrestlers. Brent Pankoke and Jacob Marrs earned nine points together to make the score 29-7, putting the dual away.
At heavyweight, No. 2 Brady Wilson was upset by No. 6 Tony Lewis 3-1 in double-overtime.
The loss snapped MSU's two-dual winning streak over UNO. MSU won 27-9 last season at the Taylor Center and 19-17 at the National Duals.
"We were out-wrestled, out-coached and who knows what else," Makovsky said.
"Short term, it's not what we wanted. Long term, if we learn something from it, respond and get tougher, then it's a good thing."
As if MSU's health situation couldn't get any worse, four upper-weight wrestlers - Matheson, Ben Becker, Tom Block, and Cory Harnitz - didn't practice Monday due to the flu.
MSU hopes to have all of its wrestlers healthy when it faces No. 9 Minnesota State-Moorhead Friday at the Taylor Center.
Tyler Buckentine is the Reporter sports editor
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