Super Showdown: Augsburg 16, Wartburg 15
Marcus LeVesseur’s Major Decision and Brad Tupa’s Upset Win Key Augsburg to Win Over Rival Wartburg
By Andrew Hipps “Staff Writer
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MINNEAPOLIS – On Thursday night, in a battle of Division III heavyweights, top-ranked Augsburg defeated second-ranked Wartburg, 16-15, at Si Melby Hall in Minneapolis.
With Augsburg leading 13-9 going into 184, Augsburg’s Brad Tupa excited the home crowd by upsetting previously unbeaten and top-ranked Scott Kauffman of Wartburg, 11-6.
Tupa, who is ranked fourth nationally, came out aggressively, scoring three first period takedowns. He added another takedown and escape in the third period and accumulated 2:13 of riding time in the match. The fact that Tupa lost to Kauffman two weeks ago at the National Duals, 7-6, gave him extra motivation.
“Losing to him last time was a big motivation coming into tonight, “said Tupa. “It was a tight dual, so I knew that if someone dropped the ball, someone else was going to have to step up – and there’s no better person to do it than me.”
Kauffman couldn’t explain the loss, his first of the season (18-1).
“Tonight was just his night,” he said after a long pause, referring to Tupa. “It’s disappointing to lose but he wrestled a good match.”
Wartburg coach Jim Miller knew the Knights had a victory within reach and was disappointed to see it slip away.
“It always is going to come down to key matches, those swing matches that could go either way,” said Miller. “This was a tough one, it hurt. We had a chance to win the meet and didn’t.”
As for Kauffman, “He was never in it really. (Tupa) took control of the match and seemed to feed off the crowd and use that to his advantage.”
Augsburg won the first two matches of the dual and built a 6-0 lead after getting decisions from their two-top ranked lightweights, Matt Shankey (125) and Mark Matzek (133).
Shankey scored a first period takedown on Wartburg’s second ranked Justin McClintock, and held on for the 3-2 victory. He improved his record to 12-0 on the season. It was the fourth career meeting between the two wrestlers with Shankey winning every match in their series.
“The match didn’t really go as I expected it would, “said Shankey. “He came out on the defensive. When guys are on the defensive, it makes it a lot harder for me to get my offense going. But I’m sure that was their game plan coming in. “
Overall, Shankey was pleased with his performance.
“I thought that I wrestled well, “said Shankey. “I just have to get my offense going a little bit, but that will come with practice and peaking for the end of the year. “
At 133, Matzek defeated fifth-ranked Tyler Hubbard of Wartburg, 4-2.
Wartburg claimed the next two matches at 141 and 149, which knotted the score at six. Defending national champion Dustin Hinschberger defeated second-ranked Jamell Tidwell, 2-0, at 141. And Jacob Naig defeated Augsburg’s Jared Evans, 9-6, at 149.
At 157, Augsburg’s Marcus LeVesseur, the two-time defending national champion, improved his record to 27-0 on the season and ran his consecutive win streak to 111 with a 17-5 major decision win over second-ranked Cory Connell of Wartburg.
“In my mind, the match went exactly how I planned it to go, “said LeVesseur. “I felt him wear down late in the first period, early second, and after that I just want to stay focused and not get overconfident or sloppy. I just knew that had to keep attacking and stay within my style. “
Augsburg head coach Jeff Swenson had high praise for his junior standout.
“My hats off to Marcus because he helped us win the national duals title in Cleveland with a pin, “said Swenson. “And tonight he picked up a major decision over the wrestler that he beat in the national finals last year, which ended up being the difference tonight. “
Augsburg’s Ryan Valek defeated Wartburg’s Andrew Knaack, 7-4, at 165, while Wartburg’s Mark Sturm held off Augsburg’s Casey Flaherty, 2-1, at 174 – before Tupa’s upset victory at 184.
Wartburg claimed the final two matches of the night, getting decisions from Akeem Carter (197) and Blake Gillis (HWT), but it would be too little, too late for the Knights – as Augsburg held on for the 16-15 victory.
It was the second time in three weeks that Augsburg defeated Wartburg. The last time came in the finals of National Duals in Cleveland on January 22nd, which Augsburg won 18-15.
After the match, Swenson talked about his team’s performance and the Augsburg-Warburg rivalry.
“I thought we wrestled better this time than we did the last time, but we still have a long way to go, “said Swenson. “There is a ton of respect between both teams. It’s a fierce, but respectful rivalry. Right now it’s one of wrestling’s greatest rivalries, any division. “
The dual featured several special events. Brock Lesnar, a national champion heavyweight at the University of Minnesota and former pro wrestling superstar, provided guest commentary throughout the match. And prior to the match, local sports author Ross Bernstein signed copies of his new book, “Grappling Glory: Celebrating a Century of Minnesota Wrestling and Rassling. “There were prize giveaways throughout the match and the Augsburg Silver Stars dance team performed at halftime. The dual was also wrestled on an elevated platform. Attendance for the event was 1,077 and even though the gym was packed with Augsburg fans, Wartburg brought a strong contingent of supporters.
“We feel like the sport of wrestling needs to be exposed, “said Swenson. “So when we have a great team like Wartburg coming in, we also want it to be a great event. I just hope the fans were entertained tonight. “
Shankey enjoyed the atmosphere as well.
“It was unbelievable tonight, “said Shankey. “I really enjoyed it tonight with the platform and the hype. I wasn’t real nervous, I was just anxious to get out there. My adrenaline was going even before weigh-ins. But I had a lot of fun out there. “
Augsburg 16, Wartburg 15
125 “Matt Shankey (Aug) dec. Justin McClintock (Wart), 3-2
133 “Mark Matzek (Aug) dec. Tyler Hubbard (Wart), 4-2
141 “Dustin Hinschberger (Wart) dec. Jamell Tidwell (Aug), 2-0
149 “Jacob Naig (Wart) dec. Jared Evans (Aug), 9-6
157 “Marcus LeVesseur (Aug) maj. dec. Cory Connell (Wart), 17-5
165 “Ryan Valek (Aug) dec. Andrew Knaack (Wart), 7-4
174 “Mark Sturm (Wart) dec. Casey Flaherty, (Aug), 2-1
184 “Brad Tupa (Aug) dec. Scott Kauffman, 11-6
197 “Akeem Carter, (Wart) dec. Justin Sorensen, 7-4
HWT “Blake Gillis (Wart) dec. Mark Simmonds (Aug), 4-2
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