Grand View punches six into the NAIA Nationals finals, 45.5 points ahead of returning champion Life after the semifinals
by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Action graphic courtesy of Grand View Athletics
PARK CITY, Kansas – Grand View advanced six wrestlers into the finals, stretching their lead over defending champion Life to 45.5 points after the semifinals at the NAIA Championships on Saturday morning.
Grand View finalists include No. 1 seed Esco Walker (125), No. 4 seed Israel Casarez (157), No. 3 Marty Margolis (165), No. 2 seed Casey Randles (174), No. 1 Ben Lee (184) and No. 1 seed Greg Hagan. Grand View had 10 in the semifinal round.
Life’s finalists are No. 2 seed Brandon Orum (125), No. 2 seed Denver Stonecheck (149), No. 3 seed Jack Bass (157) and No. 3 Zane Lanham (197). Life had five semifinalists.
Orem, a 2021 NAIA champion, will battle No. 1 seed Walker in the 125-pound finals. Walker was second in the 2021 NAIA Championships up at 133 pounds for Cumberland.
After the final semifinal match ended Grand View had 172.5 points and Life had 127. Grand View has run off nine straight NAIA national titles until Life defeated them last season.
Five returning NAIA champions who have reached the finals include Orem, plus No. 3 seed Conner Gimson of Indiana Tech (133), No. 1 seed Baterdene Boldmaa of Doane (141), No. 2 seed Eric Vermillion of Indiana Tech (184), and No. 1 seed Isaac Bartel of Montana State-Northern (197).
Gimsom will face No. 6 Jacob Seto of Embry-Riddle in the finals. Boldmaa drew No. 11 Martin Wilkie of Montana State-Northern in the finals. Vermillion will face Grand View’s Lee for the title. Bartel will battle Life’s Lanham in the finals.
Only one No. 1 seed was beaten in the semifinals. No. 1 Joe Koontz of Lindsey Wilson fell to No. 4 Trenton Munoz of Hastings, 5-2.
Southeastern was in third, Indiana Tech in fourth and Montana Northern in fifth after the semifinals completed.
Session III is continuing with consolation rounds, which will include the third-, fifth- and seventh-place matches. The team scores will adjust accordingly prior to the gold-medal finals, which are set for 7:00 p.m. CT.
NAIA NATIONALS
at Park City, Kansas
Finals pairings (with seeds)
125 - 1 Esco Walker (Grand View) vs. 2 Brandon Orum (Life)
133 - 1 Connor Gimson (Indiana Tech) vs. 6 Jacob Seto (Embry-Riddle)
141 - 1 Baterdene Boldmaa (Doane) vs. 11 Martin Wilkie (Montana State-Northern)
149 - 8 Ryan Moore (Thomas More (Ky.)) vs. 2 Denver Stonecheck (Life)
157 - 4 Israel Casarez (Grand View) vs. 3 Jack Bass (Life)
165 - 1 Cole Smith (Cumberland) vs. 3 Marty Margolis (Grand View)
174 - 4 Trenton Munoz (Hastings) vs. 2 Casey Randles (Grand View)
184 - 1 Ben Lee (Grand View) vs. No. 2 Eric Vermillion (Indiana Tech)
197 - 1 Isaac Bartel (Montana State-Northern) vs. 3 Zane Lanham (Life)
285 - 1 Greg Hagan (Grand View) vs. 7 Gage Braun (Southeastern)
Team Standings immediately after semifinals
1 Grand View 172.5
2 Life 127.0
3 Southeastern 84.0
4 Indiana Tech 65.0
5 Montana State-Northern 62.0
6 Doane 58.5
7 Reinhardt 52.5
8 Cumberland 45.5
9 Thomas More (Ky.) 44.5
10 Marian 43.5
11 Cumberlands 35.0
12 Lindsey Wilson 34.5
13 Menlo 31.5
14 Eastern Oregon 31.0
15 Embry-Riddle 30.0
16 Southern Oregon 23.5
17 Baker 22.5
18 Oklahoma City 21.5
19 Vanguard 21.5
20 Ottawa 20.0
Semifinal results
125
1 Esco Walker (Grand View) won by tech fall over 4 Daniel Vargas (Doane) TF 17-0
2 Brandon Orum (Life) won by decision over 3 Justin Portillo (Grand View) Dec 7-3
133
1 Connor Gimson (Indiana Tech) won by fall over 4 Carson Taylor (Grand View) Fall 2:05
6 Jacob Seto (Embry-Riddle) won by decision over 7 Jacob Mendoza (Menlo) Dec 4-1
141
1 Baterdene Boldmaa (Doane) won by tech fall over 5 Bryce Nickel (Cumberlands) TF 28-13
11 Martin Wilkie (Montana State-Northern) won by decision over Cade Manion (Oklahoma City) Dec 11-4
149
8 Ryan Moore (Thomas More (Ky.)) won by injury default over 4 Elijah Palacio (Menlo) Inj. 6:32
2 Denver Stonecheck (Life) won by decision over 3 Brevin Balmeceda (Life) Dec 7-4
157
4 Israel Casarez (Grand View) won by decision over Trevor Burdick (Reinhardt) Dec 8-2
3 Jack Bass (Life) won by decision over 2 Wilder Wichman (Thomas More (Ky.)) Dec 8-1
165
1 Cole Smith (Cumberland) won by decision over 5 David Rubio (Corban) Dec 6-3
3 Marty Margolis (Grand View) won by decision over 7 Frederick Padilla (Vanguard) Dec 3-1
174
4 Trenton Munoz (Hastings) won by decision over 1 Joe Koontz (Lindsey Wilson) Dec 5-2
2 Casey Randles (Grand View) won by decision over 3 Isaiah Luellen (Baker) Dec 4-1
184
1 Ben Lee (Grand View) won by decision over 4 Sam Osho (Marian) Dec 9-2
2 Eric Vermillion (Indiana Tech) won by decision over 3 Kyle Knudtson (Eastern Oregon) Dec 5-3
197
1 Isaac Bartel (Montana State-Northern) won by decision over 5 Owen Braungardt (Grand View) Dec 8-7
3 Zane Lanham (Life) won by decision over 7 Bradley Antesberger (Doane) Dec 6-2
285
1 Greg Hagan (Grand View) won by fall over 5 Noel Orozco (Eastern Oregon) Fall 2:12
7 Gage Braun (Southeastern) won by fall over 3 Tommy Mommer (Grand View) Fall 6:31
PARK CITY, Kansas – Grand View advanced six wrestlers into the finals, stretching their lead over defending champion Life to 45.5 points after the semifinals at the NAIA Championships on Saturday morning.
Grand View finalists include No. 1 seed Esco Walker (125), No. 4 seed Israel Casarez (157), No. 3 Marty Margolis (165), No. 2 seed Casey Randles (174), No. 1 Ben Lee (184) and No. 1 seed Greg Hagan. Grand View had 10 in the semifinal round.
Life’s finalists are No. 2 seed Brandon Orum (125), No. 2 seed Denver Stonecheck (149), No. 3 seed Jack Bass (157) and No. 3 Zane Lanham (197). Life had five semifinalists.
Orem, a 2021 NAIA champion, will battle No. 1 seed Walker in the 125-pound finals. Walker was second in the 2021 NAIA Championships up at 133 pounds for Cumberland.
After the final semifinal match ended Grand View had 172.5 points and Life had 127. Grand View has run off nine straight NAIA national titles until Life defeated them last season.
Five returning NAIA champions who have reached the finals include Orem, plus No. 3 seed Conner Gimson of Indiana Tech (133), No. 1 seed Baterdene Boldmaa of Doane (141), No. 2 seed Eric Vermillion of Indiana Tech (184), and No. 1 seed Isaac Bartel of Montana State-Northern (197).
Gimsom will face No. 6 Jacob Seto of Embry-Riddle in the finals. Boldmaa drew No. 11 Martin Wilkie of Montana State-Northern in the finals. Vermillion will face Grand View’s Lee for the title. Bartel will battle Life’s Lanham in the finals.
Only one No. 1 seed was beaten in the semifinals. No. 1 Joe Koontz of Lindsey Wilson fell to No. 4 Trenton Munoz of Hastings, 5-2.
Southeastern was in third, Indiana Tech in fourth and Montana Northern in fifth after the semifinals completed.
Session III is continuing with consolation rounds, which will include the third-, fifth- and seventh-place matches. The team scores will adjust accordingly prior to the gold-medal finals, which are set for 7:00 p.m. CT.
NAIA NATIONALS
at Park City, Kansas
Finals pairings (with seeds)
125 - 1 Esco Walker (Grand View) vs. 2 Brandon Orum (Life)
133 - 1 Connor Gimson (Indiana Tech) vs. 6 Jacob Seto (Embry-Riddle)
141 - 1 Baterdene Boldmaa (Doane) vs. 11 Martin Wilkie (Montana State-Northern)
149 - 8 Ryan Moore (Thomas More (Ky.)) vs. 2 Denver Stonecheck (Life)
157 - 4 Israel Casarez (Grand View) vs. 3 Jack Bass (Life)
165 - 1 Cole Smith (Cumberland) vs. 3 Marty Margolis (Grand View)
174 - 4 Trenton Munoz (Hastings) vs. 2 Casey Randles (Grand View)
184 - 1 Ben Lee (Grand View) vs. No. 2 Eric Vermillion (Indiana Tech)
197 - 1 Isaac Bartel (Montana State-Northern) vs. 3 Zane Lanham (Life)
285 - 1 Greg Hagan (Grand View) vs. 7 Gage Braun (Southeastern)
Team Standings immediately after semifinals
1 Grand View 172.5
2 Life 127.0
3 Southeastern 84.0
4 Indiana Tech 65.0
5 Montana State-Northern 62.0
6 Doane 58.5
7 Reinhardt 52.5
8 Cumberland 45.5
9 Thomas More (Ky.) 44.5
10 Marian 43.5
11 Cumberlands 35.0
12 Lindsey Wilson 34.5
13 Menlo 31.5
14 Eastern Oregon 31.0
15 Embry-Riddle 30.0
16 Southern Oregon 23.5
17 Baker 22.5
18 Oklahoma City 21.5
19 Vanguard 21.5
20 Ottawa 20.0
Semifinal results
125
1 Esco Walker (Grand View) won by tech fall over 4 Daniel Vargas (Doane) TF 17-0
2 Brandon Orum (Life) won by decision over 3 Justin Portillo (Grand View) Dec 7-3
133
1 Connor Gimson (Indiana Tech) won by fall over 4 Carson Taylor (Grand View) Fall 2:05
6 Jacob Seto (Embry-Riddle) won by decision over 7 Jacob Mendoza (Menlo) Dec 4-1
141
1 Baterdene Boldmaa (Doane) won by tech fall over 5 Bryce Nickel (Cumberlands) TF 28-13
11 Martin Wilkie (Montana State-Northern) won by decision over Cade Manion (Oklahoma City) Dec 11-4
149
8 Ryan Moore (Thomas More (Ky.)) won by injury default over 4 Elijah Palacio (Menlo) Inj. 6:32
2 Denver Stonecheck (Life) won by decision over 3 Brevin Balmeceda (Life) Dec 7-4
157
4 Israel Casarez (Grand View) won by decision over Trevor Burdick (Reinhardt) Dec 8-2
3 Jack Bass (Life) won by decision over 2 Wilder Wichman (Thomas More (Ky.)) Dec 8-1
165
1 Cole Smith (Cumberland) won by decision over 5 David Rubio (Corban) Dec 6-3
3 Marty Margolis (Grand View) won by decision over 7 Frederick Padilla (Vanguard) Dec 3-1
174
4 Trenton Munoz (Hastings) won by decision over 1 Joe Koontz (Lindsey Wilson) Dec 5-2
2 Casey Randles (Grand View) won by decision over 3 Isaiah Luellen (Baker) Dec 4-1
184
1 Ben Lee (Grand View) won by decision over 4 Sam Osho (Marian) Dec 9-2
2 Eric Vermillion (Indiana Tech) won by decision over 3 Kyle Knudtson (Eastern Oregon) Dec 5-3
197
1 Isaac Bartel (Montana State-Northern) won by decision over 5 Owen Braungardt (Grand View) Dec 8-7
3 Zane Lanham (Life) won by decision over 7 Bradley Antesberger (Doane) Dec 6-2
285
1 Greg Hagan (Grand View) won by fall over 5 Noel Orozco (Eastern Oregon) Fall 2:12
7 Gage Braun (Southeastern) won by fall over 3 Tommy Mommer (Grand View) Fall 6:31
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