Augsburg leads the team standings by 13 points over second-place Wisconsin-La Crosse, a 69-56 margin. Defending national champion Wartburg (Iowa) is third with 53.5 points, Coe (Iowa) is fourth with 47.5 points and Delaware Valley (Pa.) is fifth with 41.5 points.
It's the eighth time that Augsburg has claimed eight or more All-Americans in a single championship – all since 1997. Augsburg's eight All-Americans are the most in this year's competition. Augsburg has six wrestlers remaining in championship contention, the most of any school. Both Wisconsin-La Crosse and Wartburg have four remaining in contention for a title.
Two Auggies recorded pins in the second round on Friday to clinch All-American honors – 133-pounder Paul Bjorkstrand (SR, Burnsville, Minn.) and 149-pounder Tony Valek (SO, Belle Plaine, Minn./Scott West). In his first trip to the national tournament, Bjorkstrand improved to 38-7 on the season with a 10-6 win in the opening match and a 4:13 pin of Mogi Baatar of St. John's in the quarterfinals – his third win over Baatar this season.
Meanwhile, Valek earned All-American honors for the first time in his second trip to the national tournament. After an 8-0, major-decision win in his opener, Valek clinched his All-American status with a 6:26 pin of Justin Berns of Concordia-Moorhead in the quarterfinals. Now 32-4 on the season, Valek is unbeaten against Division III opponents this year at 19-0.
Jared Massey (JR, Circle Pines, Minn./Centennial HS) remained unbeaten at 27-0 with two victories on Friday at 197, a 3-1 win in the opening round and a 10-2, major-decision win over Martino Sottile of Cortland State (N.Y.) in the semifinals, collecting four takedowns and 2:14 of riding time in the process. The defending national champion at 197, Massey is now 57-1 in his two seasons at Augsburg, and has won 43 straight matches dating to last season.
Zach Molitor (JR, Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti HS) scored three victories on Friday at 174 to claim All-American honors for the second time in his career. After 5-0 and 4-1 wins in his opening two matches, Molitor scored a 10-1, major-decision win over Seth Rehn of Coe (Iowa) in the quarterfinals. Molitor is now 30-3 on the season.
Competing in his second national tournament, Orlando Ponce (JR, Hialeah, Fla./Hialeah-Miami Lakes HS) earned All-American honors for the first time at 165, with a 8-2 win in his opening match and a 3-2 triumph over Carrington Banks of Wartburg in the quarterfinals – Ponce's first win over Banks in three tries this season. Ponce is now 29-10 on the year.
Josh Roberts (FY, Grand Forks, N.D./Grand Forks Central HS) made his first trip to the national tournament a memorable one, claiming All-American honors at 125 with two victories, an 8-4 triumph in his opener and a 5-4 win over Lloyd McKinney of Wisconsin-La Crosse in the quarterfinals. Roberts rallied from a 4-2 deficit entering the third period with a reversal and 1:30 of riding time. Roberts is now 26-8 overall.
Two Auggies clinched All-American honors through the wrestleback rounds. At 157, Jason Adams (SR, Coon Rapids, Minn.) earned All-American honors for the third time. He clinched All-American honors with a 3-1, sudden-victory overtime win over Nicholas Loughlin of Cornell (Iowa) in the wrestlebacks. Adams is now 43-5 on the season.
At heavyweight, Andy Witzel (SR, Fulda, Minn.) clinched All-American honors for the second year in a row with a 9-2 triumph over Adam Salyers of Wilmington (Del.) in the wrestlebacks. Witzel is now 28-10 on the year.
One Auggie saw his season end on Friday, as Jafari Vanier (SR, Minneapolis, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS) opened with a win, but dropped two matches to close his senior year at 17-6 on the year, 56-11 in his Auggie career.
Among other Minnesota schools, Concordia-Moorhead had three wrestlers earn All-American honors, with Phil Moenkedick alive in the championship bracket at 184, and Justin Berns (149) and Ross Dankers (174) alive in the wrestlebacks. St. John's has one wrestler left in the tournament, Minga Batsukh at 141 in the championship bracket.1. Augsburg (Minn.) 69; 2. Wisconsin-La Crosse 56; 3. Wartburg (Iowa) 53.5; 4. Coe (Iowa) 47.5; 5. Delaware Valley (Pa.) 41.5; 6. Ithaca (N.Y.) 29.5; 7. Luther (Iowa) 20; 8t. Concordia-Moorhead 19.5; 8t. Ohio Northern 19.5; 10. Elmhurst (Ill.) 17.5. Other Minnesota schools: 21. St. John's 11; 44. St. Olaf 1.
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