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    DIII champ Tate finishes runner-up at Midlands

    EVANSTON, ILL. -- Wartburg College’s top-ranked NCAA Division III 197-pound and heavyweight wrestlers each made strong runs at the 2010 Midlands Invitational Dec. 29 and 30.

    Byron Tate of Clinton, the Orange and Black’s defending national champion at 197, finished runner-up. John Helgerson of West Union, a two-time All-American at heavyweight, placed fifth. They combined for 27 team points, tying American University for 19th.

    “I couldn’t be prouder of the way these two battled through these two days,” co-head coach Eric Keller said. “The fought hard in each match and both got some great wins.

    “There is still work to be done,” he added. “This will definitely help both of them get ready for some big competitions ahead.”

    Tate worked his way into the finals on the heels of four tightly-contested wins. He defeated Mike Wagner of Rutgers 6-3 in the opening round, upended Alex Polizzi of the host Wildcats who was competing unattached by a 13-11 score in the second round, defeated Riley Oroczo of Cal State-Bakersfield 6-4 in the quarterfinals and toppled Nathan Patrick of the Sunkist Kids Club 9-6 in the semifinals. In the championship, Pittsburgh’s Matt Wilps used a riding time point to stop his title hopes just short by a 5-4 final.

    “I was happy with how I came out and was focused on executing in the early rounds, the quarterfinals and on down the line,” he said. “Obviously, I would have loved to have won it, but I’ve got something to work on now and move towards some other goals as the season continues.”

    Helgerson was on a similar roll early. He upended Tucker Lane of Nebraska 5-4 in the second round and Kyle Simonson of Iowa State 3-1 to reach the quarterfinals.

    American University’s Ryan Flores dropped him into the consolation bracket with a 6-2 decision, but he rebounded and defeated Matt Gibson of Iowa State 4-3 and Christian Brantley of Northern Iowa 3-1 to get to the consolation semifinals. An overtime thriller against Pittsburgh’s Ryan Tomei, where he was stopped 5-3, sent him to the fifth-sixth place match. He ended his Midlands’ appearance with a 6-4 win over D.J. Russo of Rutgers.

    Wartburg takes its No. 1 team ranking into the 2011 Cliff Keen/National Wrestling Coaches Association’s Division III National Duals Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 8 and 9. The tourney brackets will be released next week.

    NOTES – Tate, who had his personal 32-match win streak snapped in the championship, ended the two-day event at 25-1 for the year. … Helgerson’s season record went to 24-3. He stands just three wins shy of 100 career victories.

    Tate, Helgerson place in top five at Midlands

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