Webster Advances to Finals, Bracamonte Suffers First Loss in Oklahoma
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. ? The University of Oregon will have a wrestler in a championship final at the NCAA Wrestling Tournament for the first time since 1980. Shane Webster edged American University’s Josh Glenn to advance to compete for the national championship. Joey Bracamonte was unable to advance to his final, suffering a tight semifinal loss.
“In this tournament when you put two young men in ring in the semifinals, you will likely see a different winner every time, it comes down to the little things and little things won and lost us a match tonight,” head coach Chuck Kearney said.
Bracamonte was unable to advance to Saturday night’s championship final as he fell in the semifinal against Michigan’s Ryan Churella, the tournament’s number one seed at 165. Churella is also the top-ranked wrestler in the nation at the weight class.
“Joey was doing everything right he just couldn’t get points in the bottom position and his opponent held that riding-time advantage,” Kearney said. “Joey needs now to refocus himself on finishing with two more victories and coming home with third place.”
In their match Bracamonte was able to tie it late on a takedown and a stalling penalty, but couldn’t score another point allowing Churella to escape with a, 4-3, victory by the riding time bonus point.
Webster in a close match against American’s Josh Glenn, scored a takedown late in the action to allow him to escape to Saturday night’s final. Glenn had a 1:16 riding time advantage late in the match, but Webster scored a two-point takedown late and rode out the riding time securing his, 8-7, decision and ensuring his spot in the Championship Final.
“Shane had a great match and beat a guy whose style was totally different than what Shane tries to do,” Kearney said. “I have been pleased with Shane’s focus and his ability to take his intensity to a new level every match, every session,” Kearney said.
Webster will now face the number two seed in the 184-pound bracket, Roger Kish of Minnesota, tomorrow night.
“I feel really good about what I have accomplished so far, but it isn’t over yet, I still have one more day at the office,” Webster said. “[Glenn] was a scrambler and he did some things that surprised me in our match, but I was able to stay focused on what I needed to do and finish strong and get a victory.”
The last time an Oregon wrestler was in the Championship Final was 1980 when Scott Bliss finished second in the nation at 150 pounds.
If Webster wins he will be the second Oregon wrestler to capture the national title joining John Miller who won the honor in 1969 at 115 pounds.
