Wrestlers Advance To NCAA Semifinals

March 17, 2000

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - University of Oklahoma wrestlers Michael Lightner and Byron Tucker have advanced to the semifinals at the NCAA Wrestling Championships at the Kiel Center in St. Louis. With the wins, both wrestlers have assured themselves of All-America status. The Sooners remained in fifth place after the championships' third session and have scored 40 team points. Seven OU grapplers advanced in the tournament.

In the quarterfinals, Tucker defeated Wisconsin's Kole Clauson by decision, 16-9, to improve to 32-0. The top seed at 174 pounds, Tucker will face fourth-seeded Ryan Cunningham of Central Michigan in the semifinals. At 141 pounds, second-seeded Michael Lightner scored a takedown in the closing second in his match against Central Michigan's seventh-seeded Chris Marshall to secure a 5-2 win. Lightner will face Scott Schatzman, the No. 3 seed from Northwestern. In their only previous meeting this season, Lightner defeated Schatzman, 10-4. Lightner is the highest remaining seed in the championship bracket at 141. Orville Palmer, seeded firth at 197, fell to fourth-seed Zach Thompson of Iowa State. Palmer now drops to the wrestleback bracket.

In the wrestlebacks, No. 4 Quantres Bates has continued to look impressive since being upset in the first round. The 125 pounder defeated seventh-seeded Skyler Holman of North Carolina by technical fall (23-7, 6:49) and eliminated Boise State's No. 12 K.C. Rock, 11-6. Jared Frayer, No. 12 at 149, dominated Missouri's Jeff Urban in a 9-1 major decision and came from behind in the third period to beat UNC-Greensboro's Melvin Saunders, 10-6. The eighth seed at 165 pounds, Robbie Waller needed third period takedowns in both of his third-session matches to down Yanni Diamond of Edinboro, 3-2, and Bloomsburg's Hunter Guenot, 6-4. Heavyweight Brent Boeshans advanced by defeating Brown's Bronson Limgamfelter, 3-2, and Boise State's Bart Johnson, 2-1.

Two Sooners were eliminated from the championships. Tom Grossman was ousted by No. 10 Lionel Halsey of Cal. State-Bakersfield, 8-0, and David Kjeldgaard, hobbled by a knee injury, won one match before falling to Fresno State's Tim Cornish, 9-6.

"We had a tough draw," said OU Head Coach Jack Spates. "We came back with a vengeance in the consolations. It's a great race, a great tournament and we have to wrestle well to stay in it. We have a tough road ahead and will have to defeat some tough guys for All-America honors."

Semifinal action begins tonight at 6:30

Oklahoma Session-Three Results
Quarterfinals 141: #2 Michael Lightner, OU, dec. #7 Chris Marshall, Central Michigan, 5-2
174: #1 Byron Tucker, OU, dec. #8 Kole Clauson, Wisconsin, 16-9
197: #4 Zach Thompson, Iowa State, dec. #5 Orville Palmer, OU, 3-2
Wrestlebacks
125: #4 Quantres Bates, OU, tech. fall #7 Skyler Holman, North Carolina, 23-7 (6:49)
#4 Quantres Bates, OU, dec. #12 K.C. Rock, Boise State, 11-6
149: #12 Jared Frayer, OU, maj. dec. Jeff Urban, Missouri, 9-1
#12 Jared Frayer, OU, dec. Melvin Saunders, UNC-Greensboro, 10-6
157: #4 David Kjeldgaard, OU, dec. Scott Frohardt, Air Force, 6-3
Tim Cornish, Fresno State, dec. #4 David Kjeldgaard, OU, 9-6
165: #8 Robbie Waller, OU, dec. Yanni Diamond, Edinboro, 3-2
#8 Robbie Waller, OU, dec. Hunter Guenot, Bloomsurg, 6-4
184: #10 Lionel Halsey, Cal. State-Bakersfield, maj. dec. Tom Grossman, OU, 8-0
Hwt: Brent Boeshans, OU, dec. Bronson Lingamfelter, Brown, 3-2
Brent Boshans, OU, dec. Bart Johnson, Boise State, 2-1

Session Four Match-ups Quarterfinals 141: #2 Michael Lightner, OU vs. #3 Scott Schatzman, Northwestern
174: #1 Byron Tucker, OU vs. #4 Ryan Cunningham, Central Michigan
Wrestlebacks
125: #4 Quantres Bates, OU vs. #1 Jody Strittmatter, Iowa
149: #12 Jared Frayer, OU vs. Reggie Wright, Oklahoma State
165: #8 Robbie Waller, OU vs. #7 Travis Doto, Lehigh
197: #5 Orville Palmer, OU vs. #6 Rusty Cook, Boise State
Hwt: Brent Boeshans, OU vs. #4 John Lockhart, Illinois

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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