Scanned using Book ScanCenter 5033

Another take down year for wrestling Broderick Lee (126 lb.) and James Sisson (142 lb.) won national titles as the Vikings finished in a tie for second at the NCAA Division II National Champi­ onships held in Greeley, Colo. "Going in I knew we had an outside shot at winning it," Head Coach Marlin Grahn said. "But Central Okla­ homa deserved it. They fought hard. They could have just as easily folded, but they didn't." The Vikings led the championship going into the last day but surprisingly poor finishes by wrestlers in the consolation round sealed the second-place Vikings fate. The biggest surprise of the tournament was the Vikings Tony Champion's (177 lb.) inability to win a coveted fourth national title. Lane Williams almost joined his father, grandfather and great grandfather as national champions but was defeated by second seed Lloyd Wurm, 6-4. "He didn't have a good match like he had all tourna­ ment," Grahn said. "I think the pressure of the team race and everything else got to him. Lane taking second and not being seed was a great job." Gary Marquez lost his first match and was forced to the consolation road but finished eighth anyway. Heavyweight Ken Fontes also finished eighth, as well. Eric Winters lost in his two matches. "Winters had two tough matches," Grahn said. "He gets reversed and pinned just because he was fighting hard in the match." "The guys wrestled hard and we just lost a lot of close matches and Central Oklahoma won their close matches. It's a simple as that," Grahn finished in reflec­ tion. —Tony Ruzicka