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Rough NCAA Weekend For Zempel As Falcons' Senior Goes 0-2
Senior Trent Zempel saw his All-American hopes vanish with one false move Friday evening at the NCAA Division III National Championships.

Cedar Rapids, IA — It was a disappointing weekend for senior Trent Zempel, as the 165-pounder dropped his first two matches at the NCAA Division III Wrestling National Championships, failing to become Messiah’s 37th All-American at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Zempel fell by a 3-0 decision to St. John’s University’s Matt Baarson in Friday’s opening round and was pinned by the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse’s Cory Ferguson in his first wrestle-back bout, concluding his stay at the two-day, double-elimination championships Friday evening.

“Needless to say, it was a tough day for Trent and a tough day for Messiah wrestling,” said Bryan Brunk, Messiah head coach. “We both had high expectations heading in, and I know that Trent is disappointed in how things went.”

Facing the sixth-seeded Baarson in the first round, both Zempel and Brunk had to feel confident: Baarson was 2009 graduate Craig Gin’s first 157-pound opponent in last year’s national championships — a foe Gin defeated by a 5-2 score.

Zempel wasn’t as opportune, however, failing to get out from his starting position underneath in the first period. With the score still 0-0 in the waning moments of the second, Baarson recorded an escape, taking a 1-0 lead.

Now trailing, Zempel was forced to become the aggressor in the final stanza, needing a takedown to advance. In the process, Baarson recorded a counter-attack takedown, eventually holding on for the 3-0 win.

“We felt (going against) the sixth seed was a good draw, and it was against a familiar opponent,” Brunk said. “But (Baarson) did what he needed to do in what was a very close match.”

It appeared that Zempel’s national championships run was going to be over literally moments after he stepped onto the mat to face Ferguson, as the UW-LaCrosse junior came up with a huge combination immediately — going up by a 5-0 score as a result.

Zempel refused to give in, however, clawing his way back with a miraculous performance — eventually taking a 9-6 lead in the second period.

“Trent really outwrestled Ferguson tooth and nail to that point,” Brunk said. “To outscore Ferguson by a 9-1 score? He showed a ton of heart and courage. It was a hard-fought match, and it was all over the place. It was an exciting match, and fun to watch.”

Sadly, it would end sooner than expected.

As Zempel was riding Ferguson’s legs, the Conrad, Mont. native turned Ferguson with a power half and put him on his back.

Working for the pin, Zempel made an adjustment, but lost control of Ferguson in the process.

The Eagles’ junior then elevated Zempel’s hips and turned into him, catching Zempel on his back and pinning him at 4:36.

“It was heartbreaking for both of us,” Brunk said. “We knew (Zempel) could win. He was winning. We felt like he was going to win that match. Just one mistake took it all away.”

Ferguson would go on to earn All-America honors, finishing eighth overall in the weight class. Perhaps adding insult to injury, United State Merchant Marine Academy’s unseeded Vincent Renault won the 165-pound championship Saturday afternoon — an opponent Zempel defeated by a 5-2 score back on Jan. 9. of this season.

“It was a tough weekend,” Brunk said, well aware of what may have been. “I’m not sure what else I can say about it.”

Zempel was making his second-ever NCAA National Championships appearance over the weekend, complementing a trip as a sophomore, where he finished ninth in the same weight class.

Augsburg College won the 2010 NCAA Division III National Championship with 110.5 points. Wisconsin-La Crosse was second overall with 100.5 points.

Messiah was one of 11 schools represented at the national event that failed to garner a team point. Complete brackets from this weekend’s national championships, as well as final team standings, are available in PDF format by clicking on the appropriate links.