Gophers Win Big in Vegas

Dec. 6, 2014

Winning big happens all the time in Las Vegas and for No. 1 Minnesota, a successful weekend meant not only winning the team title against a field that included 11 ranked teams, but also claiming a pair of individual titles. In the team race, the Gophers outpaced the field of 39 programs with 146 points, 26 more than second-place Ohio State and 36 more than third-place Virginia Tech. Individually, No. 2 Chris Dardanes (133) and No. 1 Dylan Ness (157) each delivered a championship performance. For both Dardanes and Ness, 5-0 weekends kept their records unblemished this season.

Eight Gophers advanced through the first day of competition at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and seven of those wrestlers placed in the top five at their weight class. In addition to those who earned individual titles, No. 1Scott Schiller (197) finished second, No. 4 Nick Dardanes (141) claimed third, No.1 Logan Storley (174) and Michael Kroells (285) placed fourth and No. 15 Brett Pfarr (184) took fifth.

In placing as they did, the Gophers had two more top-five finishes than any other team in the field. Across the entirety of the roster, Minnesota grapplers posted a 40-14 record during the past two days, including 13 victories against ranked opponents.

This was the Gophers first team championship in their last three trips to the Cliff Keen Invitational, having most recently finished third in 2008. Minnesota last won the event in 2002 during the program’s second consecutive National Championship campaign.

Full match results from the second day of competition are listed below.

The Gophers will now have almost two weeks off. Minnesota returns to action against Big Ten foe Northwestern at the Sports Pavilion on Thursday, December 18 at 7

p.m. CT. That match will be televised on the Big Ten Network and will also be available online via the BTN2Go app. As always, fans can stay updated on the action by following Gopher Wrestling on Twitter as well.

Match Results (Day Two Only)

133
Semis: No. 2 Chris Dardanes (Minn) dec. No. 10 George DiCamillo (Virginia), 5-4
Finals: No. 2 Chris Dardanes (Minn) dec. No. 9 Rossi Bruno (Michigan), 8-3
Result: No. 2 Chris Dardanes placed first.

141
Semis: No. 3 Devin Carter (Virginia Tech) dec. No. 4 Nick Dardanes (Minn), 12-7

Cons.: No. 4 Nick Dardanes (Minn) maj. dec. Mike Morales (West Virginia), 15-6
3rd Place: No. 4 Nick Dardanes (Minn) dec. No. 16 Anthony Ashnault (Rutgers), 6-3
Result: No. 4 Nick Dardanes placed third.

157
Semis: No. 1 Dylan Ness (Minn) fall (4:25) Russell Parson (Army)
Finals: No. 1 Dylan Ness (Minn) dec. No. 2 James Green (Nebraska), 4-3
Result: No. 1 Dylan Ness placed first.

165
Cons.: Max Rohskopf (N.C. State) dec. No. 15 Nick Wanzek (Minn), 1-0
Result: No. 15 Nick Wanzek did not place.

174
Semis: No. 9 Blaise Butler (Virginia) dec. (SV-1) No. 1 Logan Storley (Minn), 9-7
Cons.: No. 1 Logan Storley (Minn) dec. No. 10 Zach Epperly (Virginia Tech), 4-1
3rd Place: No. 6 Tanner Weatherman (Iowa State) FF No. 1 Logan Storley (Minn)
Result: No. 1 Logan Storley placed fourth.

184
Cons.: No. 15 Brett Pfarr (Minn) dec. No. 6 Kenny Courts (Ohio St.), 7-2
Cons.: No. 15 Brett Pfarr (Minn) dec. (SV-1) Austin Gabel (Virginia Tech), 3-1
Cons.: No. 14 Hayden Zillmer (North Dakota State) dec. No. 15 Brett Pfarr (Minn), 2-1
5th Place: No. 15 Brett Pfarr (Minn) dec. No. 12 Ophir Bernstein (Brown), 8-3
Result: No. 15 Brett Pfarr placed fifth.

197
Semis: No. 1 Scott Schiller (Minn) fall (4:15) No. 18 Jace Bennett (Cornell)
Finals: No. 3 Kyven Gadson (Iowa State) dec. No. 1 Scott Schiller (Minn), 5-3
Result: No. 1 Scott Schiller placed second.

285
Cons.: Michael Kroells (Minn) dec. No. 14 Collin Jensen (Nebraska), 9-8
Cons.: Michael Kroells (Minn) dec. No. 10 Evan Knutson (North Dakota State), 6-3
Cons.: Michael Kroells (Minn) dec. Joe Stolfi (Bucknell), 9-4
3rd Place: No. 4 Adam Coon (Michigan) dec. Michael Kroells (Minn), 3-2
Result: Michael Kroells placed fourth.