MARCH 4, 2005
NCAA National Tournament Web Site:
http://www.tcnjathletics.com/Sports/gen/2006/06NCAA%20wrestling%20championships.asp
MORGAN FINISHES IN SIXTH-PLACE AT D-III NATIONAL
TOURNAMENT TO EARN ALL-AMERICAN HONORS
EWING, NJ -- King's
College sophomore wrestler Dave Morgan (Scranton/West Scranton)
earned all-American honors with a sixth-place finish at 133-pounds at the NCAA
Division III National Championships Saturday at The College of New
Jersey.
The
Monarch sophomore standout went 3-3 over the course of the two-day of
the event and concluded the season with a fine 26-5 mark.
Morgan
won his third-round consolation match by pinning Zach McKray (34-6)
of Wartburg College in 1:59 to advance to the consolation
semi-finals. Morgan was then pinned in 2:43 by seventh-seeded
John Sheets (46-4) of Manchester College of Indiana. In the fifth-place
match, Morgan dropped a 4-2 decision to Derek Goduto (18-3) of Montclair State in the
fifth-place.
In his match against McKray, Morgan scored a takedown 1:06 into the
first period, then turned his opponent to his back before registering
the fall.
Against Sheets,
Morgan gave up an early first period takedown and escaped to cut the lead to 2-1. Morgan than appeared close to taking down Sheets, but was
countered for a takedown and a 4-1 lead. Sheets then used a cradle to
turn Morgan to register the fall with 0:17 remaining in the first
period.
In his final match, Goduto would take a 1-0 lead after a second period
escape, then took Morgan down to build a 3-1 advantage. Morgan followed
with a late escape and trailed 3-1 heading into the final period.
Morgan would then cut the gap to 3-2 with another escape but was unable
to secure a takedown as Goduto added a riding time point to claim a 4-2
decision.
In the
first day of competition of Friday, Morgan posted a 2-1 mark. In his opening
match, he dropped a 3-1 overtime verdict to Jafari Vanier of defending
national team champion Augsburg College. Vanieri will wrestle for the
national championship Saturday evening.
He then rebounded to post a 5-1
decision over Alantino Keefer of Wilmington College, as well as a 10-8
overtime victory over 2005 national runner-up Anthony D'Ambra of
Brockport State.
Morgan now joins brother Jim, a 2004 King's graduate, as Division III
all-Americans. Jim earned all-American honors for the Monarchs as
a fourth-place finisher in 2002 and a national runner-up in 2003.
King's Dave Morgan (second from left) placed sixth in the 2006
NCAA Division III National Tournament.
