Index of Sports Press Releases

Mar. 7, 2008

DWU's Duarte opens with a win at national wrestling tournament
The Daily Republic

Tony Duarte

SIOUX CITY, Iowa — Dakota Wesleyan University senior Tony Duarte has been waiting all season for the NAIA national championships. If his opening match Thursday at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa, is any indication, it’s been worth the wait.

Duarte won his first match in the 165-pound weight class Thursday night on a third-period reversal, 4-2, over Elizardo Arismendez from Embry-Riddle University (Ariz.). The Tigers’ senior was scheduled to wrestle a second-round match against Waldorf College’s (Iowa) Brett Trenhaile, a 2-1 winner in the first round, later Thursday night for a spot in the quarterfinals.

“He’s pretty motivated right now, so I think he’s got bigger plans than just winning one match,” said DWU Head Coach Josh Hardman. “He’s got another match (Thursday night), so he’s getting geared up for that to get a win and get himself into quarterfinals.”

Duarte got a takedown in the first period for a quick 2-0 lead, but Arismendez escaped to pull within a point, and added another escape in the second period to tie things up at 2-2. Duarte chose to start the third period down, and with roughly 40 seconds left he pulled off the reversal and controlled the final seconds to seal the win.

“We were close to getting away a few times,” Hardman said about the third period. “Then we ended up getting a reversal and riding him out.

“(Duarte) wrestled a good first match. He controlled things really well and wrestled solid.”

Duarte was the only one of the Tigers’ five national qualifiers to earn a win on the first day. Jeff Holmes and Malik Stewart lost first-round matches at 125 pounds and Brandon Goodwin and Jordan Harer each lost a match at 133 pounds. All four will begin wrestlebacks this morning.

Forrest Bouge, from the University of Great Falls (Mont.), beat Holmes with a 19-3 technical fall. Hardman said that Holmes actually led 2-0 early, but Bouge was able to score multiple near-fall points to pull away.

“Jeff went out after the kid and got the first takedown, then he gave up a reversal and got turned,” Hardman said. “(Holmes) gave up a lot of points on bottom and that was the biggest reason for the technical fall. Every time (Bouge) got on top, he got a lot of points.”

Stewart’s 125-pound match was much closer. Menlo College’s (Calif.) Eric Garcia held a slim, 2-1 lead over Stewart after two periods, but the third period didn’t go DWU’s way.

“Malik Stewart wrestled a very good match,” Hardman said. “His score was 2-1 going into third, then he got neck-wrenched and got put to his back and gave up five (points). It was a lot closer than the score.”

Goodwin also lost by technical fall, 19-4, to Jon Gerhold from Missouri Valley College (Mo.). Hardman said that Goodwin is wrestling up a weight class and got stuck with a really tough draw in the first round.

“Brandon had the fourth-ranked kid in the country,” Hardman said. “He’s wrestling up a weight class, and we were focusing more in the experience of being here. Hopefully he can come back and use this next year. But he went out there and did some good things. He went after him.”

Lindenwood University’s (Mo.) Jonathan Lloyd pinned Harer in 1:57, which was disappointing to Hardman because he felt like Harer could’ve competed with Lloyd had the match gone the distance. Lloyd was able to turn a well-placed headlock into a first-period pin.

“Jordan Harer came out and he was wrestling well,” Hardman said. “He got thrown in a headlock and got pinned so quick. There’s not a lot you can do. If he could’ve wrestled well the whole match, I think he would’ve competed with him.”

Hardman said that his five wrestlers are definitely enjoying the national tournament and all that comes with it, but he said that it will get a lot more enjoyable if his guys can come out and get some wins today.

“I think this is the first time for three of our guys that are here,” Hardman said. “It’s a new experience for them. They’re enjoying it. It’s nice to be among the wrestlers of this caliber and say you’re a part of this tournament. I’m sure they want to win some, but they’re enjoying it.”