How about the action in Sioux City, Iowa last night 4/9/03
D Noles
McIlravy impresses in return to mat
Blue team wrestler Nate Gallick (bottom) of Iowa State tries to turn Red team's Eli Dominguez of Nebraska-Omaha in a 132-pound match in the Two Worlds, One Mat dual at Briar Cliff Wednesday. Gallick won by major decision, 11-1. (Staff photo by Tim Hynds)
Olympic bronze medalist Lincoln McIlravy ended a two-year retirement from competitive freestyle wrestling in impressive fashion Wednesday night.
The former five-time South Dakota state high school champ at Philip and three-time NCAA champ at the University of Iowa defeated another former Iowa NCAA champ, Doug Schwab, in the Two Worlds, One Mat dual meet in Briar Cliff's Newman Flanagan Center.
McIlravy won the bronze medal at 152 pounds in 2000, but the weight has been eliminated at the international level and he and Schwab tangled in a match at 145.5 pounds.
"I felt great to be on the mat again in a real match, I really wish I would have been wrestling a Cuban rather than Doug,'' said McIlravy, who won 6-0 with six takedowns from his feet.
Meet coordinator Tim Tushla had originally scheduled a dual matching a United States team against the Cuban national team, but the Cubans were unable to leave their country last week to compete in the World Cup Championships in Boise, Idaho, last weekend.
Travel problems involving visas prevented the Cuban athletes from journeying to the United States.
With the Cubans absent two all-star teams comprised of American wrestlers opposed each other with the Blue team, McIlravy's, beating the Red squad, 21-11.
Another absentee was Olympic gold medalist and legendary Iowa Coach Dan Gable, who was ill and unable to coach one of the teams. Sheldon native Tom Brands, an Iowa assistant and assistant coach of the United States national team, coached the Blue team and Gordy Morgan, a former Olympian living in Minneapolis, guided the Red team.
McIlravy dominated against his old Iowa teammate.
"Ironically, I've been training for two years to improve when I work from the top position and wouldn't you know it, I don't score a point that way,'' said McIlravy. "My concern has been scoring takedowns from my feet and I get six that way.
"It was fun to be back in a competitive situation, though. Winning a bronze medal was wonderful, but my goal right now is to make the Olympic team and go from there.''
Also ironically, since McIlravy, 96-3 as a collegiaan, was making his comeback he's currently not ranked among the top 10 wrestlers in the U.S. at his weight. Schwab is ranked fourth.
The matches at each weight included two periods of three minutes each.
Also winning were Mike Mena, Nate Gallick, Zach Thompson, Tolly Thompson and George Porter of the Blue team. Red team winners were Ryan Lewis and Brandon Eggum.
Thompson, a former Nebraska NCAA champ from Janesville, Iowa, recorded the only pin, throwing Leroy Gardner with 2:36 left in their heavyweight match.
Thompson is the third-ranked freestyle heavyweight in the country and Gardner, who won the NCAA Division III national title last month for Wartburg, is ranked seventh nationally in Greco-Roman.
In four exhibition matches involving high school wrestlers, Derek Pirner of Elk Point-Jefferson defeated Jason Katusin of Platteview, (Neb.) (16-7), Matt Nelson of Wayne, Neb., won a 13-2 superior over Brandon Bohlke of Kingsley-Pierson, Jeremy Degan of Sioux Falls Roosevelt won a 10-0 superior decision over Justin Bohlke of Kingsley-Pierson and Aaron Haddorf of Sioux Falls Roosevelt posted a 13-5 win over Brandon Browne of Plattsmouth, Neb.
All eight matmen have won prep state titles.
MEET RESULTS
Blue 21, Red 11
121 pounds: Mike Mena (B) dec. Jeff Prescott (R), 3-2 ot
132 pounds: Ryan Lewis (R) dec. Juan Venturi (B), 12-2, superior, :08 left in match
132: pounds: Nate Gallick (B) dec. Eli Dominquez (R), 11-1 superior, 1:39 left in match
145.5 pounds: Lincoln McIlravy (B) dec. Doug Schwab (R) 6-0
185 pounds: Brandon Eggum (R) dec. Kurt Backes (B) 4-0
211.5 pounds: Zach Thompson (B) dec. Mark Knauer (R) 7-0
Hwt: Tolly Thompson (B) pinned Leroy Gardner (R) 2:36 left in match
Hwt: George Porter (B) Cole Konrad (R) 3-1
