CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The stage was set for the three Heidelberg University Student Princes who traveled to the 2013 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
The morning session began at 11:00 a.m. from the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena and shortly after 125-pounder Delian Schneider (Tiffin/Columbian) was the first Berg wrestler to step onto the mat.
Schneider entered the Championships unseeded and drew the number six seed, Charlie Frankel of Delaware Valley College in the first round. Schneider took an early lead but Frankel would erase the deficit and take the lead with a minute left in the third period.
With less then a minute left in the match, Schneider compiled a ferocious offensive flurry to tie the match before the end of regulation. In sudden victory overtime, Schneider scored a takedown on the edge of the mat propelling him into the championship quarterfinals.
Delian squared off with Jimmy Gotto of nearby Coe College in the quarterfinals. Gotto knocked off the number three seed from Johns Hopkins in the preliminary round.
Schneider wrestled a tough match but fell to the Kohawk, 5-4 with riding time.
Following the loss, Delian was faced with a win or go home situation against Miguel Venecia of Elmhurst College. Venecia proved too much for Schneider as he fell, 12-3 and was eliminated from competition.
At 197-pounds, two-time national qualifier and 2013 Mideast Regional champion Andy Lovins (Clinton Township, MI./Lake Shore) shockingly drew the number one seed, Jared Myhrberg of SUNY-Cortland in the preliminaries.
The Student Princes stood tall and upset Myhrberg in a thrilling 3-2 decision.
After the electrifying victory Lovins squared off eight seed, Trent Flegel of Luther College. Lovins defeated the Viking 2-1 to move on to the semifinals tomorrow morning.
With the victory over Flegel, Lovins earns All-American honors regardless of the result tomorrow. The worst possible outcome would be a sixth place finish but with the finals in sight, a national championship is on the Student Princes' mind.
Lovins is set to battle Mike Benefiel of Elmhurst College in the semifinals. Benefiel is the fourth seed at 197-pounds.
Unlike his two teammates, 184-pound sophomore transfer Richard Dowdley (Cleveland/Ginn Academy) was not as successful in the preliminary round. Dowdley wrestled the number six seed, Sam Upah of number one ranked Wartburg College.
Dowdley battled with Upah for three periods but could not pullout the win, losing by major decision, 9-1.
Dowdley continued his day in the consolation round against Shane Parcel of Roger Williams University. Dowdley handed the Hawk a 10-2 loss, advancing into the second round of wrestlebacks.
That is where Dowdley’s run at All-American status would end as Richard fell to Ronald Dunlop from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 5-4 in a controversial match.
