Williams Wrestler Third at NCAAs| 08:40AM / Monday, March 14, 2016 | |
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CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – A lot of firsts are associated with the wrestling career of Jorge Lopez at Williams, and the latest is his fourth consecutive all-America honor with a third place finish at 157 in this weekend’s NCAA Division III Championships.
In the semifinals Lopez squared off against Drew Wagenhoffer of Wartburg College, who entered the match at 20-1. Lopez opened with a takedown that was reversed by Wagenhoffer, but a Lopez escape gave him a 3-2 lead that he took into the second period.
Wagenhoffer was in the down position to start the second period and after a half a minute he was able to escape and tie the match at 3-3.
The match entered the third period tied at three and Lopez in the down position. Lopez managed to execute an escape to take a 4-3 lead with 1:29 remaining in the period. With 42 seconds left in the period Wagenhoffer took down Lopez to take a 5-4 lead. In the final seconds of the period Lopez escaped to tie the match at 5-5 and send it into sudden death overtime.
Wagenhoffer executed a takedown in the final seconds of the first sudden death round and defeated Lopez 7-5. With the loss Lopez's season record stood at 24-3. Lopez was next paired up against No. 4 seed Logan Meister of Ferrum College in a match that send the winner into the third-place match and the loser into the fifth-place match.
Lopez started the match with a takedown and a near fall, registering six points before Meister got a point on an escape.
At the end of two periods Lopez held a commanding 12-3 lead after another takedown and another near fall.
Lopez expanded his lead to a 10-point margin with an escape to start the final period and ended up recording a major decision victory, 14-5, advancing to the third place match.
Lopez faced Larry Cannon of Messiah in the third place match.
Lopez gave up an early takedown to Cannon in the first period, but then he assumed control of the match and his takedown and near fall in the second period gave him a lead Cannon could not overcome. Lopez claimed his third consecutive third place finish at 159 with a 10-8 victory.
Lopez finished the season with a record of 26-3 and a career record of 113-18.
"We need to take a moment to appreciate Jorge Lopez and actually at this juncture it's appropriate I thank him as well," stated Eph head coach Scott Honecker. "The resurgence of the Williams program has been built on the back of his efforts. A four-time all-American of course is now a part of Williams wrestling history, but that can't quantify the lasting impact he has had on the program. I hope when Jorge reflects on his college wrestling experience he remembers it with as much joy as all of us had watching him."
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