LIONS ROAR
Lindenwood separates itself from NAIA field
In one major way, the 2005 NAIA National Championships held March 4-5 was a microcosm of the entire season for Lindenwood University. On Dec. 15, the Lions took over as the top-ranked team in the NAIA and never stumbled.
At the nationals held at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa, the Lions took the lead in the early going (after the championship second round) and never took their foot off of the gas pedal. Lindenwood overwhelmed the competition and ended up winning the team championship by a 50-point margin. The Lions finished with 178.5 points and Missouri Valley College was second with 128.5 points.
“This is one of the greatest feelings that a coach can ever experience,’’ Lindenwood head coach Joe Parisi said after winning the team crown with 12 All-Americans. “God blesses you with opportunities like this and you have to go out and honor Him with your performance.’’
Three Lindenwood athletes, Andrew Bradbury (125 pounds), Mike Rio (149) and Roger Miller (heavyweight) won individual NAIA championships. Parisi was named the NAIA Coach of the Year.
Bra
dbury finished ahead of Cumberland (Ky.) standout Delrico Choates while his teammate Josh Sampo placed fifth. In a battle between Lindenwood wrestlers in the championship semifinals — the NAIA allows more than one wrestler at a weight —Bradbury topped Sampo, 5-2. Bradbury is now a two-time NAIA champ.“All year long, coach Parisi has helped motivate us with passages from the Bible,’’ Bradbury told the Sioux City Journal. “For this tournament it was Psalm 18:39 which talks about finding the strength to subdue those who rise up against you.’’
In the finals at 149, Rio decked William Penn’s Darren Cotton in the second period. Miller won his title with a 2-1 decision over Missouri Valley’s Chris Johnson in the championship bout. The score was tied at 1-1 until Johnson was hit with his second stalling call with just over a minute to go in the match. Jamestown’s Brandon Lemer recovered from a loss in the second round to place third.
“I been waiting four years for this,’’ Miller said. “We really approached this as a team. We’re like a family. This is a closest group of guys I’ve been with since a came here.’’
ontana State-Northern placed fourth in the team scoring, but had three individual champs as well. Brian Luna (133), Stryder Davis (157) and Jesse Juarez (184) all stood atop the podium for the Northern Lights.
Luna won his title by way of pin over Kyle Jahn from McKendree. Davis, a defending champ who was a big favorite heading into the tournament, lived up to expectations when he blanked Lindenwood’s Jake Dieffenbach in the championship round. Davis was named the tournament’s outstanding wrestler. Juarez earned first place after a 12-4 major decision over Embry-Riddle’s Joffre Lander.
Matt Juncal, who lost to Juarez in the quarterfinals, rebounded to place third as did his Cumberland (Ky) team.
“Now that we’ve placed third, I truly believe that the guys believe they can win a national title in the future,’’ Cumberland (Ky.) head coach Jess Wilder said. “Of course a lot of hard work is the strongest factor (to placing so highly). We also had some outstanding leaders who helped bring the team’s confidence to an all-time high. And, of course, a little bit of talent helps as well.’’
Second place MVC got a champion at 141 in Paul Collum, who shut out Waldorf’s highly-regarded Brad Stockton, 6-0. Bryan Odle (Bacone) lost to Collum in the semis, but wrestled back to place third.
Tyson Springer of Dickinson State University was ranked fifth in the final ranking before the NAIAs, but when the dust settled, he captured the top prize. Springer downed tough veteran Leister Bowling (Dana College), 3-2, to win the 165-pound championship.
In the collision to determine the champ at 197, Jesse Laber (University of Mary) defeated Eric Flinchum from Cumberland (Ky.), 4-2. A reversal and a takedown by Laber was the difference in the match.
Cumberland (Tenn.) earned a champion when Keith Cupp beat Embry-Riddle’s David Rivera by a score of 12-6 in the 174-pound championship bout.
The University of Great Falls (Montana) made a big impact in its first year in the NAIA, finishing tenth and producing five All-Americans, led by Mike Kummer, who finished fourth at 165.
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