By John Murphy CSC SID
Quentrevion Campbell won both of his matches Friday at the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships, while Mason Watt and Keegan Gehlhausen had their seasons ended in the consolation bracket.
Campbell, the number one seed in the 133-pound bracket, is now a guaranteed All-American for Chadron State College whether he wins his semifinal match or not.
He is the first All-American for CSC Wrestling since Chase Clasen and Wade French were recognized as All-Americans by the National Wrestling Coaches Association due to NCAA championships cancelation for COVID-19 in 2020.
Before Clasen and French, Dustin Stodola finished fourth in 2014 in the 133-pound bracket to earn All-American honors.
Campbell, a redshirt junior from Tifton, Georgia, started the tournament with a 9-3 decision over Byron Daubert of Pittsburgh-Johnstown.
His quarterfinal match was against the 133 pounder for the number one ranked team in the nation, Dylan Lucas of Central Oklahoma. Lucas is the #8 ranked wrestler in the bracket.
Lucas scored a takedown early in the first period to take a 2-0 lead. A reversal Campbell tied the match 2-2 at the end of the first period.
Campbell deferred to start the second period and Lucas chose bottom position. With 38 seconds remaining, he earned an escape to take a 3-2 lead heading to the final period.
Trailing by one, Campbell chose bottom position to start the third period.
With 56 seconds remaining, Campbell earned an escape to tie the score at three.
Like his match in the regional final, Campbell used late heroics to earn the victory. The Chadron State junior earned two takedown points with three seconds in the match to earn the 5-3 victory.
Campbell will wrestle in the semifinals tomorrow, with action starting at 9 a.m. MT.
Gehlhausen, CSC’s 184 pound national qualifier, managed an upset in round one.
Faced against the #6 ranked 184 pounder in the nation, Gehlhausen earned a 7-5 decision over Brock Biddle of Pitt-Johnstown.
Gehlhausen held a 5-4 lead over Biddle entering the third and final period but Biddle had over a minute of riding time which would tie the score at five.
Like Campbell, the redshirt freshman from Pinedale, Wyoming scored a late takedown with three seconds left to earn the 7-5 victory.
A match with the #3 ranked wrestler in Ty McGeary of West Liberty was up next for Gehlhausen in the quarterfinals. McGeary entered the match with a 26-1 record.
Gehlhausen was defeated 8-6, sending him to the consolation bracket.
In consolations, Gelhausen faced Colter Bye from the host school, Upper Iowa.
As time expired, Bye earned a takedown, giving him a 4-3 victory and ending Gehlhausen’s season with a 16-12 record.
CSC’s other national qualifier, Mason Watt, was defeated in his first-round match.
Watt, a senior from Broomfield, Colorado, fell to #5 ranked Francesco Borsellino of West Liberty on a 10-1 major decision.
In first round of the consolation bracket, Watt faced a matchup with Devon Rice from Newberry.
With 1:46 left in the third period, Watt defeated Rice with a pin.
Watt’s season came to and end in his following match when he was defeated by Darrell Mason of Minnesota State in a 3-2 decision.
The Minnesota State wrestler is rewarded with a matchup against Lee Herrington of Nebraska-Kearney, the #2 ranked heavyweight who was upset in the quarterfinals.
Campbell will face Devin Flannery, the #5 ranked 133 pounder from Millersville, Saturdayt in the semi-finals.