(Complete results at: www.trackwrestling.com)
Over 250 wrestlers participated in the open meet. No team scores were kept. The event was the 37th annual at UW-Parkside.
“It was one of the best Wisconsin Open tournaments that we have had as a team and one of the strongest fields we have had,” said UW-Parkside head coach Jim Koch, who started the event and has coached the Rangers in all of them.
Ranger champions included Cody Zimmerman (125), Craig Becker (149), Corey CanGroll (165) and Ryan Woods (174). Zimmerman, Becker and VanGroll were all No. 1 seeds coming into the tournament. Woods was seeded No. 3 in his weight class.
Zimmerman, a sophomore, picked up a bye in the first round of the 125-pound weight class, then won by pin in three of his four matches. His pin times were 1:56, 4:54 and 4:58, the latter of which was the championship match, topping Johnny Pepesh, the No. 2 seed from Campbellsville University. His lone decision was a convincing 14-0.
“Cody dominated,” said Koch. “He showed why he is ranked sixth nationally in his weight class. He is coming into form after some early season injuries.”
Like Zimmerman, Becker had a bye in the first round. Becker, a junior, won his next two matches 16-1 and 20-3. He won by pin in 6:05 in the 149-pound semi-finals then earned a 9-3 decision over No. 3 seeded Vince Hannon, an unattached wrestler, in the championship match. Becker was tabbed the Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament, as voted on by the coaches.
“He missed 6 weeks with a knee injury and I was hoping he could be healthy and competitive,” reasoned Koch. “He was dominant.”
VanGroll won all five of his matches at 165 pounds by decision. In order, the scores were 21-4, 14-4, 8-7, 8-6 and 8-6. He beat the third seed, Jake Wozniak of UW-Stevens Point, in the title tilt.
“I couldn't be happier for Corey because he puts in so much hard work,” cited Koch. “To win the Wisconsin Open in his senior year is just great for him.”
Like Van Groll, Woods won all of his matches by decision, winning 7-5, 16-6, 2-1 and 5-3 and 3-1. Woods, a sophomore, came in as the No. 3 seed at 174 pounds and beat the No. 8 seed in the finals.
“This was a break-out tournament for him,” said Koch of Woods.
Lucas Haag, who won the Sportsmanship Award, took a runner-up slot at 184 pounds. Malcom Briggs also finished second for the Rangers, at 197 pounds.
UW-Parkside now has 85 champions in its 37 years of the Wisconsin open.
Complete results can be found at www.trackwrestling.com and selecting Wisconsin Open.
The Ranger wrestlers will next be in action Saturday, Dec. 13, when the team competes in the St. Cloud Open beginning at 9 a.m.
