**updated Friday night around 10:00pm
Four Red Raider wrestlers are still competing at the 2008 NAIA Wrestling National Championships hosted by the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa. Levi Price, a junior from Cannon Falls, Minn. is 3-1 in the 149-pound weight class and is just one win away from wrestling in the third place match. Price defeated Jarell Price (Menlo) 6-2 in the opening round and followed with a 2-1 decision over sixth-ranked Brandon Graham (William Penn). He then defeated Ryan Jahn (McKendree) in the quarterfinals by fall (3:58) but lost to top-ranked Ryan Moyer (Lindenwood) by technical fall in the semifinals. Price, ranked seventh in the final rating and now 36-11 this season, will face either fourth-ranked Dustin Center (35-14,Cumberlands) or Samuel Schmitz (26-11,Lindenwood) in his next match.
Both D.J. Jackson and Enock Francois reached the quarterfinals in their respective weight classes before falling to the wrestlebacks. A sophomore from District Heights, Md., Jackson defeated Gerald Harris (Missouri Baptist) in the opening round, 6-4, but lost to fifth-ranked Victer Crenshaw (Notre Dame) in the quarterfinals, 6-4. Jackson then defeated Nick Zumwalt (Dickinson State) in a wrestleback match to improve to 36-12 on the season. He will now wrestle second-ranked David Clemens (17-4,Campbellsvile) in his next match. Francois, a junior from Lake Park, Fla. who is ranked third at 174, defeated sixth-ranked Charles Simmons (U. of Cumberlands), 2-1 in his first match. He then lost to Brendon DeCock in the quarterfinals, 2-1, but then eliminated Brett Owen (Dickinson State) by major decision (12-4) in a wrestleback match. Francois, now 32-6, will next face teammate Tom Eaton, who is ranked seventh at 174. The junior from Cedar Rapids, Iowa defeated Gary Nelson (Menlo) in the opening round, 8-1, but lost to seventh-ranked Josh Bryant 9-6 in the round of 16. Eaton defeated Jameson Rush (Hastings) by major decision (15-3) in his first wrestleback match. He then knocked off Tyson Campbell (Oklahoma City) 7-2 to improve to 37-11 on the season.
Four NWC grapplers have been eliminated at the national championships. Cole Spree finished the championships 3-2 in the 184-pound weight class. The junior from Parkersburg, Iowa, defeated Andre Franco (Waldorf) 6-5 in the first round but then lost to Robert Nusekabel (University of Cumberlands) 13-4 in the second round. Spree defeated Richard Farrell (Southern Oregon) 4-2 and fourth-ranked Jeremiah Toavs (Dickinson State) 9-3 in the wrestlebacks . He lost his next match, however, to second-ranked Calvin DeVault (Embry-Riddle) in a hard-fought, 6-4 decision. Spree ends his season with a 28-16 record. Lamar Reed, a sophomore from Tarzana, Calif., finished 0-2 at 165. He lost to Aaron Winning (McKendree) 11-5 in his first match and then lost to Austin Quellette (Montana State-Northern), 9-0. Reed ends his season 36-17 record. David Carter, a freshman from Springfield, Ore., went 0-2 in the 184-pound weight class. He lost to sixth-ranked Mitchell Eichenauer (Oklahoma City) by fall (5:11) in his first match and then was defeated by Neil Kemp (Lindenwood), 17-6. Carter ends his season at 15-18. Martin Beeler (Ripon, Calif.) finished the championships with a 0-2 record at 197. He lost to Alex Calvi (U. of Great Falls), 4-2, and then to Chase Locke (Southern Oregon) 4-3. Beeler finishes the season with an 11-21 overall record.
Northwestern is currently in 16th place (through 10:00pm on Friday) out of 28 teams with 31 points. Defending champion Lindenwood is in first place with 112.5 points.
2007-08 media guide
