Spring Break
Blugold wrestlers take two first, second place finishes
UW-Eau Claire competes in fifth annual Dan Gable Collegiate Open
Timothy Langton
Issue date: 1/24/08 Section: Sports
The Blugold wrestling team turned in two first place finishes Sunday at the fifth annual Don Gable Collegiate Open hosted by UW-Oshkosh. Those finishes highlighted a strong overall outing by the team in the individual competition, which also featured two second place finishes.
"We got wins over big name schools," coach Don Parker said. "It was a big weekend for us."
The tournament featured competitors from Northern Illinois University, Northwestern University (Ill.), Purdue University (Ind.) and the University of Wisconsin.
Junior Andy Miller won the 133-pound weight class and sophomore Andrew Johnston finished first in the 149-pound weight class. Senior Nick Hoeft earned a second place finish in the 285-pound weight class.
Parker had high praise for the other second place wrestler, senior Joey Miller. He said he was impressed by the caliber of opponents Miller was able to pin up to the championship match, when the number one seed wrestler defeated him.
"He pinned everyone all the way through," Parker said. "He's a tough kid."
Sophomore John Berlin, who finished fifth in the 285-pound class, said he thought the team showed improvement at the meet.
"We competed fairly well," Berlin said. "There were some big schools (with competing wrestlers), but we did all right ... We all wrestled a lot stronger than we have been."
Parker said the team still hopes to improve on their fundamentals even with their strong performance this weekend. With dual meets and conference coming soon, he said the coaches are pushing the wrestlers to improve.
"(There's) just basic things we need to work on all the time," he said. "Hopefully everything will come into place."
Berlin said the Blugolds are looking to continue their success at their next meet against UW-La Crosse on Jan. 29. The team wants to show that they should not be overlooked going in to the conference championship, Berlin said.
"The big goal is to try to win conference," he said.
"We got wins over big name schools," coach Don Parker said. "It was a big weekend for us."
The tournament featured competitors from Northern Illinois University, Northwestern University (Ill.), Purdue University (Ind.) and the University of Wisconsin.
Junior Andy Miller won the 133-pound weight class and sophomore Andrew Johnston finished first in the 149-pound weight class. Senior Nick Hoeft earned a second place finish in the 285-pound weight class.
Parker had high praise for the other second place wrestler, senior Joey Miller. He said he was impressed by the caliber of opponents Miller was able to pin up to the championship match, when the number one seed wrestler defeated him.
"He pinned everyone all the way through," Parker said. "He's a tough kid."
Sophomore John Berlin, who finished fifth in the 285-pound class, said he thought the team showed improvement at the meet.
"We competed fairly well," Berlin said. "There were some big schools (with competing wrestlers), but we did all right ... We all wrestled a lot stronger than we have been."
Parker said the team still hopes to improve on their fundamentals even with their strong performance this weekend. With dual meets and conference coming soon, he said the coaches are pushing the wrestlers to improve.
"(There's) just basic things we need to work on all the time," he said. "Hopefully everything will come into place."
Berlin said the Blugolds are looking to continue their success at their next meet against UW-La Crosse on Jan. 29. The team wants to show that they should not be overlooked going in to the conference championship, Berlin said.
"The big goal is to try to win conference," he said.
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