Monarchs Finish 11th at Midlands Wrestling Championships
Jesse Strawn drops #7 Hudson Taylor from Maryland
Dec. 30, 2008
EVANSTON, Ill. -- The 21st ranked Monarchs finished with an 11th place finish at the Midlands Wrestling Championship, posting 53 total points at the event and placing three wrestlers. Junior Jesse Strawn posted a win against Maryland's 7th ranked Hudson Taylor in the consolation bracket and finished fifth, while senior Ryan Williams finished fifth and sophomore James Nicholson was third.
"The Midlands is the closest competition that you can participate in that mirrors the NCAA tournament and we had great performances out of James Nicholson,Ryan Williams, and
Jesse Strawn," said head coach Steve Martin.
Strawn pinned a returning All-American and finished ahead of several nationally ranked opponents." Jesse Strawn also placed at Midlands, with a fantastic showing in the wrestlebacks. First, he posted a 5-2 win over the #7 seeded Patrick Bond. Bond is a two-time NCAA Qualifier and was ranked in the top ten earlier this season. The win gave Strawn momentum as he faced a current top ten grappler, Hudson Taylor (Maryland), ranked as high as 6th in the nation.
Strawn was able to turn Taylor and get a pin in the second period, marking the biggest win in Strawn's career as he toppled the Terrapin All-American, who was ranked as high as second in the nation this season. It was just his eighth loss in his last 64 matches. The second period pin was just the second time over the last two seasons Taylor was beat by fall.
Strawn then faced Max Askren for the second time this season and posted six points on Missouri's third-ranked grappler, but fell by decision in the consolation semi's. Strawn faced two-time NCAA Qualifier Trevor Brandvold (Wisconsin) in the fifth place matchup and won with a medical forfeit. He finished the event with a 5-2 record and a fifth place finish. Final Results:
197: Jesse Strawn (5-2) -- 5th Place
