2010 Great Lakes Regional Championships

The 2010 Great Lakes Regional was held on February 20, 2010 at Augsburg College's Si Melbi Hall in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Augsburg hosted, having last done so in 2005. Augsburg qualified nine wrestlers to the national tournament, which was held March 5 and 6.

Competitors
The following wrestlers competed for Augsburg at the Regional tournament: Josh Roberts (125 lbs.), Paul Bjorkstrand (133 lbs.), Jafari Vanier (141 lbs.), Tony Valek (149 lbs.), Jason Adams (157 lbs.), Orlando Ponce (165 lbs.), Zach Molitor (174 lbs.), Brad Baus (184 lbs.), Jared Massey (197 lbs.) and Andy Witzel (heavyweight).

125
Josh Roberts competed Augsburg at 125 pounds, earning the third seed. In the first round, Roberts pinned Charlie Deutsch (Knox) at the 2:28 mark of the second period. In the quarterfinals, Roberts earned an 8-4 victory over Jimmy Schoelette (Chicago). In the semifinals, Roberts upset second-seeded and tenth-ranked Joseph Norton of North Central College by a 3-1 overtime decision. In the finals, Roberts upset defending national champion, top-seeded and third-ranked Jake Oster of Elmhurst 8-7.

133
Fourth-ranked Paul Bjorkstrand competed for Augsburg at 133 pounds, earning the second seed. In the first round, Bjorkstrand pinned Matthew Ostovich (MSOE) at the 1:16 mark of the first period. In the quarterfinals, he blanked seventh-seeded Roberto Frias (Lakeland) by a 14-0 major decision. In the semifinals, he faced third-seeded and sixth-ranked Munkbataar "Mogi" Bataar of St. John's University, whom he defeated by 5-0 decision. In the finals, he lost a 10-6 decision to North Central's second-ranked and top-seeded Nathan Fitzenreider.

141
Fifth-ranked Jafari Vanier competed for Augsburg at 141 pounds, earning the fourth seed. Also competing were the second-, third- and fourth-ranked wrestlers. In the first round, Vanier earned a 15-4 major decision over Jason LaFlavor (Knox). In the quarterfinals, he earned an 8-3 decision over Elmhurst's Ryan Earley. In the semifinals, Vanier upset defending national champion, top-seeded and second-ranked Myanganbayar "Minga" Batsukh by a 7-4 decision. In the finals match he earned another upset, over second-seeded and third-ranked John Starzyk (North Central) by a 6-4 decision.

149
Second-ranked Tony Valek competed for Augsburg at 149 pounds, earning the first seed. In the first round Valek received a bye. In the quarterfinals, he pinned Wheaton's Stephen Takashima 1:46 into the second period. In the semifinals, he earned an 8-2 decision over Virgil Pope (MSOE). In the finals, he blanked second-seeded and ninth-ranked Justin Berns (Concordia-Moorhead) by a 6-0 decision.

157
Seventh-ranked Jason Adams competed for Augsburg at 157 pounds, earning the first seed. In the first round, he pinned Kevin Bolday (Maranatha Baptist Bible College) 26 seconds into the first period. In the quarterfinals, Adams earned a narrow 2-1 decision over eighth-seeded Jim Layton (Chicago) before pinning Concordia-Moorhead's fifth-seeded Kevin Fynboh 2:47 into the first period in the semifinals. In the finals, Adams blanked St. Olaf's Justin Skillings in a 5-0 decision.

165
Seventh-ranked Orlando Ponce competed for Augsburg at 165 pounds, earning the second seed. In the first round, he defeated Augustana's Tyler Dempsey by a 7-3 decision. In the quarterfinals, he earned an 11-3 major decision over Joby Bodi (North Central). In the semifinals, Ponce defeated Concordia-Moorhead's sixth-seeded Matt Jeska in a 9-4 decision. In the finals, Ponce faced St. Olaf's fourth-seeded Josef Waples, whom he defeated by a 14-6 major decision.

174
Second-ranked Zach Molitor competed for Augsburg at 174 pounds, earning the second seed. In the first round, Molitor earned a 7-2 decision over David Kneisel (Chicago). In the quarterfinals, Molitor defeated Ryan Renon (Lakeland) by a 10-1 major decision, before earning a 5-3 decision over Justin Marble (Wheaton). In the finals, Molitor defeated Concordia-Moorhead's Ross Dankers by a 10-1 major decision.

184
Brad Baus competed for Augsburg at 184 pounds, earning the fourth seed. In the first round, Baus pinned Lakeland's Chris Weber (2:10) before falling by a 8-5 decision to St. John's Mitch Hagen. In the wrestlebacks, Baus pinned two straight opponents, Pacific Lutheran's Kiklas Streng in 28 seconds and Knox's Alex Faulkner in 3:34. He then fell to third-seeded Matthew Olsen by a 10-2 major decision. In the fifth-place match, Baus pinned Lakeland's Chris Weber for the second time in the tournament, this time at the 2:11 mark. The fifth-place finisher, he was the only Augsburg wrestler not to qualify for nationals in the tournament.

197
Top-ranked Jared Massey competed for Augsburg, earning the top seed. In the first round, Massey received a bye. In the quarterfinals, Massey pinned Caleb Staub (MSOE) at the 4:11 mark. In the semifinals, Massey earned a 10-4 decision over Concordia-Moorhead's fourth-seeded Nathan Schmitz. In the finals, Massey defeated second-seeded and fourth-ranked Troy Carlson (Chicago) by a 6-5 decision.

HWT
Eighth-ranked Andy Witzel competed for Augsburg, earning the second seed. In the first round, Witzel pinned North Central's Rodney Knowlton before earning a 7-1 decision over St. Olaf's Dustin Heiser in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Witzel lost a 4-2 decision in overtime to Lakeland's Adam Sutter. In the wrestlebacks, Witzel defeated St. John's Tony Willaert by a 11-3 major decision. In the third-place match, Witzel defeated Chicago's Ryan Hatten by a 4-0 decision. As a third-place finisher, Witzel did not earn a guaranteed berth in the national tournament. However, he was voted as one of the tournament's 8 wildcard selections, making him the teams final spot to nationals.

Results
1: Record does not include true second matches.